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\u2022 Congressmen say someone \u2018pretty high up in a foreign govt\u2019 apparently incriminated
\u2022 Democrats bring law to end statute of limitations shielding sex traffickers
\u2022 Lutnick admits to contact, denies close ties with Epstein
\u2022 Commission to probe allegations against prominent Norwegians<\/p>\n
WASHINGTON: US lawmakers reviewing the un-redacted files on convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein have expressed concern that some names have been removed from the records released to the public.<\/p>\n
The Epstein Files Transparency Act (EFTA)<\/a> compelled the Justice Department to release all of the documents in its possession.<\/p>\n It required the redaction of the names or personal identifying information about Epstein\u2019s victims, but said that no records could be \u201cwithheld, delayed, or redacted on the basis of embarrassment, reputational harm, or political sensitivity, including to any government official, public figure, or foreign dignitary.\u201d<\/p>\n Jamie Raskin, a Democrat from Maryland, was among the Democratic and Republican lawmakers who examined the un-redacted Epstein files at a secure Justice Department location on Monday.<\/p>\n \u201cI saw the names of lots of people who were redacted for mysterious or baffling or inscrutable reasons,\u201d Raskin told reporters.<\/p>\n \u201cThere are certainly lots of names of other people who were enablers and cooperators with Jeffrey Epstein that were just blanked out for no apparent reason,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Thomas Massie, a Republican from Kentucky, said he discovered the names of six men whose identities have been redacted from the released documents and who \u201care likely incriminated by their inclusion in these files.\u201d<\/p>\n Ro Khanna, a Democrat from California, said \u201cthere\u2019s no explanation why those people were redacted.\u201d<\/p>\n They declined to provide their identities but Massie said one of them \u201cis pretty high up in a foreign government\u201d and Khanna said one of the others \u201cis a pretty prominent individual.\u201d<\/p>\n Massie and Khanna also said that many of the redactions in the released files had actually been made prior to the documents being received by the Justice Department. Those redactions may have been made earlier by the FBI or by prosecutors, they said.<\/p>\n Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein\u2019s former girlfriend, also testified<\/a> from prison before Congress, but refused to answer any questions, stating that she would only speak if President Donald Trump granted her clemency.<\/p>\n \u2018Virginia\u2019s Law\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n Separately, Congressional Democrats introduced legislation on Tuesday that they said would eliminate the statute of limitations that has shielded sex traffickers such as Epstein.<\/p>\n Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and Representative Teresa Leger Fernandez announced the proposal alongside Epstein victims and Virginia Giuffre\u2019s family.<\/p>\n The proposal Virginia\u2019s Law is named after Giuffre, one of Epstein\u2019s most prominent accusers, who died by suicide last year.<\/p>\n \u201cVirginia\u2019s dream was to inspire and empower survivors to come forward in a world that too often turns away from abuse and pushes it into the shadows. She wanted to bring light,\u201d said Sky Roberts, Giuffre\u2019s brother.<\/p>\n The bill\u2019s fate in the Senate and House of Representatives, which are both controlled by Republicans, is unclear.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick admitted to having lunch on Epstein\u2019s private island but denied closer ties.<\/p>\n A rising number of US lawmakers have called for Lutnick to step down from President Donald Trump\u2019s cabinet, as files released by the Justice Department contradicted earlier comments that he severed ties with Epstein more than two decades ago.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/figure>\n