Judges deny releasing Ghislaine Maxwell grand jury transcripts from cases in New York and Florida
Last week, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche asked judges in Florida and New York to release transcripts from grand jury proceedings that resulted in indictments against Epstein and Maxwell, saying, 'Transparency to the American public is of the utmost importance to this Administration.'
However, appeals from both the Trump administration and Maxwell were denied Wednesday by two separate judges. The evidence the Trump administration hoped to unseal, however, likely wouldn't reveal much, according to experts, who say prosecutors try to provide just enough to get charges — not introduce an entire investigation.
U.S. Judge Robin L. Rosenberg in West Palm Beach wrote in her ruling that the request to release the documents related to an investigation into Epstein from 2005 to 2007 did not meet any of the extraordinary exceptions under federal law that could make them public. Grand jury proceedings are typically done in secret and kept from public view.
Meanwhile, New York federal Judge Paul A. Engelmayer wrote in a filing that Maxwell, who requested access to grand jury transcripts in her case, 'has not shown, or attempted to show, that the grand jury materials in her case are apt to reveal any deficiency in the proceedings leading to her indictment.'
Engelmayer wrote there was 'no compelling necessity' for Maxwell to review her grand jury transcripts, which the Trump Administration has also requested to unseal.
'The Court will review these transcripts expeditiously. In the event the Court determines it would benefit from Maxwell's commentary as to discrete aspect of these transcripts, the Court stands ready to make that excerpt, or a synopsis thereof, available to her counsel to facilitate counsel's briefing,' Engelmayer wrote.
Engelmayer continued: 'But there is no justification for Maxwell to obtain the extraordinary relief of plenary access to the grand jury transcripts in her case.'
Both rejections come about a week after the Justice Department asked the judges to release the records, likely in a move to appease the MAGA base of President Donald Trump, many of whom believe the government has not been transparent with their investigation into Epstein.
While Trump ran on the promise that more information would be released about Epstein and his associates, he has since reversed course, with Attorney General Pam Bondi releasing a joint memo with the FBI indicating there would be no more information shared about the financier's conviction.
In 2008, Epstein made a deal with federal prosecutors in Florida that would let him avoid more serious federal charges and instead plead guilty to state charges of procuring a person under 18 for prostitution and solicitation of prostitution.
Epstein was arrested in 2019 on federal sex trafficking charges. He later died by suicide in Manhattan federal court while awaiting trial. Maxwell was later convicted at trial and sentenced to 20 years in prison.
After news of the rejection was made public Wednesday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters she would 'let the president speak to whether he wants to see an appeal.'
With reporting from the Associated Press.
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