WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Division requested a federal court docket on Friday to unseal grand jury transcripts in Jeffrey Epstein’s case on the path of President Donald Trump amid a firestorm over the administration’s dealing with of data associated to the rich financier.
The transfer — coming a day after a Wall Avenue Journal story put a highlight on Trump’s relationship with Epstein — seeks to comprise a rising controversy that has engulfed the administration because it introduced that it will not be releasing extra authorities information from Epstein’s intercourse trafficking case.
WATCH: Trump on defensive as MAGA base questions his Epstein connections and investigation
Deputy Lawyer Basic Todd Blanche filed motions urging the court docket to unseal the Epstein transcripts in addition to these within the case towards British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell, who was convicted of luring teenage ladies to be sexually abused by Epstein. Epstein killed himself in 2019 shortly after his arrest whereas awaiting trial.
The Justice Division’s announcement that it will not be making public any extra Epstein information enraged components of Trump’s base partly as a result of members of his personal administration had hyped the anticipated launch and stoked conspiracies across the well-connected financier.
Trump’s demand to launch the grand jury transcripts got here after The Wall Avenue Journal reported Thursday on a sexually suggestive letter that the newspaper says bore Trump’s title and was included in a 2003 album for Epstein’s fiftieth birthday.
The letter bearing Trump’s title contains textual content framed by the define of what seems to be a hand-drawn bare girl and ends with, “Completely satisfied Birthday — and will daily be one other great secret,” in response to the newspaper. The outlet described the contents of the letter however didn’t publish a photograph exhibiting it totally.
Trump denied writing the letter, calling it “false, malicious, and defamatory” and promised to sue. Trump mentioned he spoke to each to the paper’s proprietor, Rupert Murdoch, and its high editor, Emma Tucker, and advised them the letter was “pretend.”
“These will not be my phrases, not the way in which I speak. Additionally, I don’t draw footage,” the president wrote on social media.
The Justice Division mentioned within the court docket filings that it’s going to work with with prosecutors in New York to make applicable redactions of victim-related data and different personally figuring out data earlier than transcripts are launched.
“Transparency on this course of is not going to be on the expense of our obligation below the regulation to guard victims,” Blanche wrote.
However regardless of the brand new push to launch the grand jury transcripts, the administration has not introduced plans to reverse course and launch different proof in its possession. Lawyer Basic Pam Bondi had hyped the discharge of extra supplies after the primary Epstein information disclosure in February sparked outrage as a result of it contained no new revelations.
A choose must approve the discharge of the grand jury transcripts, and it’s more likely to be a prolonged course of to determine what can turn into public and to make redactions to guard delicate witness and sufferer data.
The data would present testimony of witnesses and different proof that was introduced by prosecutions through the secret grand jury proceedings, when a panel decides whether or not there’s sufficient proof to carry an indictment, or a proper prison cost.
Neumeister reported from New York.