US Dept of Justice says most Ghislaine Maxwell grand jury details already public as Trump pushes for release
In a court filing on Tuesday, the DOJ stated that information presented during the 2020 grand jury proceedings including law enforcement testimony was largely repeated during Maxwell's public trial in 2021.
'Much of the information provided during the course of the grand jury testimony with the exception of the identities of certain victims and witnesses was made publicly available at trial or has otherwise been publicly reported through the public statements of victims and witnesses,' the department said, as quoted by Reuters.
Trump last month instructed Attorney General Pam Bondi to seek the release of materials related to Maxwell and the late financier Jeffrey Epstein, aiming to respond to pressure from both Republican supporters and Democratic lawmakers.
Maxwell is serving a 20-year sentence after being convicted of sex trafficking. Epstein died in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on related charges. He had pleaded not guilty.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche also met with Maxwell last month to see if she had information about other individuals possibly involved. The details of that meeting have not been shared.
Grand jury proceedings are usually kept secret unless a judge allows disclosure. The DOJ has asked judges in Manhattan to approve the release of the transcripts, citing ongoing public interest in the cases.
Lawyers representing Epstein, Maxwell, and several alleged victims are expected to give their views on the matter by Tuesday.
Separately, the House Oversight Committee, led by Republicans, has issued a subpoena to the DOJ for records linked to Epstein.
Epstein's ties to wealthy and powerful people and the circumstances of his death have led to widespread speculation. Trump has said he would release Epstein-related files if re-elected and has accused Democrats of hiding the truth.
In July, the DOJ said a so-called Epstein client list does not exist, disappointing many Trump supporters and prompting further calls from Democrats to hold Trump to his promise.
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