WASHINGTON: The US Justice Department’s internal watchdog said on Thursday it would investigate how the department complied with a law requiring the release of investigative files on the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The DOJ’s Office of Inspector General, which operates independently of the department, said it would “evaluate the DOJ’s processes for identifying, redacting, and releasing records in its possession as required by the act.”
The law, passed in November, required the Justice Department to release nearly all of its files related to sex trafficking investigations into Epstein, a financier who cultivated ties with wealthy and powerful figures, and his former associate Ghislaine Maxwell. It included only limited exemptions to shield identities of alleged victims and protect ongoing investigations.
The review will likely prolong scrutiny of the DOJ’s handling of the Epstein files, an issue that has shadowed Justice Department leadership under President Donald Trump and that the DOJ has appeared eager to move on from after federal prosecutors spent weeks reviewing material.
