A federal decide on Wednesday rejected the Trump administration’s bid to unseal grand jury supplies used to cost disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein with intercourse trafficking, as an alternative saying the federal government is the “logical party” to make any sweeping disclosures.
The Trump administration sought to make public the key grand jury proceedings as strain from the president’s political base mounted to extend transparency in regards to the case, which has lengthy captured the general public creativeness.
U.S. District Decide Richard Berman dominated that there’s “clear precedent and sound purpose” for retaining grand jury information beneath seal, saying the federal government failed to point out the Epstein papers show any “special circumstance” justifying their launch.
He additionally famous that the federal government is already in possession of huge particulars in regards to the case.
“The information contained in the Epstein grand jury transcripts pales in comparison to the Epstein investigation information and materials in the hands of the Department of Justice,” the decide wrote in a 14-page ruling.
Berman mentioned the actual fact the administration has already undertaken a complete investigation into Epstein’s case and assembled a “trove” of paperwork, interviews and reveals is a “significant and compelling reason” to reject its request. These information “dwarf” the “70 odd pages” of grand jury supplies, he mentioned.
“The Government is the logical party to make comprehensive disclosure to the public of the Epstein Files,” the decide wrote. “By comparison, the instant grand jury motion appears to be a ‘diversion’ from the breadth and scope of the Epstein files in the Government’s possession.”
The Epstein case burst again into public discourse after the Justice Division final month issued a joint memo stating Epstein didn’t have an incriminating “client list” and confirming his 2019 loss of life was a suicide, enraging MAGA influencers who’ve for years claimed that the federal government was concealing the reality.
As frustration grew, high Justice Division officers moved to unseal the grand jury supplies with redactions to guard sufferer confidentiality. The federal government cited considerable public curiosity within the case as motive to make the paperwork public, regardless of the standard secrecy of grand jury proceedings.
In letters to the court docket following the federal government’s request, a number of victims and their legal professionals mentioned they weren’t adequately thought of within the authorities’s push to make the papers public, questioning the administration’s motives.
“I am not sure the highest priority here is the victims, justice for the victims or combatting child exploitation, or at least I do not feel this way,” one of many nameless victims wrote.
Berman mentioned that the federal government failed to supply the victims with enough discover earlier than submitting their motions to unseal the grand jury materials, calling attainable threats to their security and privateness “another compelling reason not to unseal” the paperwork.
The ruling comes after one other federal decide final week refused the Justice Division’s request to unseal grand jury supplies used to cost Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s longtime confederate.
U.S. District Decide Paul Engelmayer wrote in that ruling that the Maxwell grand jury testimony is “far from” a matter of serious historic or public curiosity.
“It consists of garden-variety summary testimony by two law enforcement agents,” Engelmayer wrote. “And the information it contains is already almost entirely a matter of longstanding public record.”
Maxwell opposed the unsealing, whereas representatives for Epstein’s property didn’t take a place on the matter.
A 3rd decide, U.S. District Decide Robin Rosenberg, denied the Justice Division’s request to unseal grand jury transcripts from a unique Epstein probe final month, writing that “the Court’s hands are tied — a point that the government concedes.”
The Hill has requested remark from the White Home and Justice Division.
Up to date 2:29 p.m. EDT
