AG Pam Bondi Releases 'The Epstein Files'
Political commentator Rogan O'Handley, a.k.a. DC Draino, and other unidentified people carrying binders bearing the seal of the U.S. Justice Department reading "The Epstein Files: Phase 1" walk out of the West Wing of the White House on Feb. 27, 2025. Credit - Jim Watson — AFP / GettyImages
A group of conservative influencers left the White House on Thursday afternoon, all holding white binders emblazoned with the Department of Justice seal. Some of them held up the binders to the cameras, which showed that they were labeled 'The Epstein Files: Phase 1.'
The unusual scene came just hours after Attorney General Pam Bondi, who was confirmed earlier this month, vowed to release a cache of documents related to the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Bondi had promised that the files would include flight logs and the names of individuals involved, but she had cautioned that some information could not be disclosed due to the need to protect more than 250 victims.
Read More: The Biggest Names from Jeffrey Epstein's Unsealed Court Documents
A review of the released documents found that they included heavy redactions and mostly information that had been previously reported. While the binders appeared to be marked "declassified," questions remained as to whether they had ever been classified in the first place. The limited scope of the release drew criticism from some Republicans, including Rep. Anna Paulina Luna of Florida, who leads a House GOP task force on government transparency.
'I nor the task force were given or reviewed the Epstein documents being released today … A NY Post story just revealed that the documents will simply be Epstein's phonebook,' Luna tweeted. 'THIS IS NOT WHAT WE OR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ASKED FOR and a complete disappointment. GET US THE INFORMATION WE ASKED FOR!'
Among those carrying the binders outside the White House was political commentator Rogan O'Handley, known online as DC Draino, along with Libs of TikTok creator Chaya Raichik, podcaster Liz Wheeler, and Jack Posobiec, among others.
Bondi discussed the release of the documents in an interview with Fox News on Wednesday, offering a glimpse of what might be included—though she stopped short of confirming whether new revelations would emerge from the files, beyond what the public already knew. Epstein's dark history, marked by his abuse of underage girls, has been extensively documented over the years, with multiple lawsuits, criminal dockets, and public disclosures laying bare the extent of his crimes.
Read More: Democrats Grill AG Pick Pam Bondi Over Whether She Can Defy Trump
In January 2024, a court unsealed a large batch of documents from the lawsuit filed by Virginia Giuffre, one of Epstein's victims. The materials released at that time, including police reports and victim testimonies, had already been publicly circulated.Epstein's predatory behavior spanned more than a decade, with allegations dating back to the 1990s. He was accused of abusing hundreds of children, some as young as 14, in a sprawling operation allegedly involving high-profile individuals, including politicians, celebrities, and royalty. Epstein's death in 2019, ruled a suicide while in a Manhattan jail awaiting trial, only fueled conspiracy theories and renewed calls for transparency.
Write to Nik Popli at nik.popli@time.com.
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