Acting AG Todd Blanche’s desperate attempt to bury the Epstein files crumbles spectacularly, and he is left facing a legal minefield

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche is definitely finding himself in a tight spot, trying to put the lid on the ongoing saga of the Epstein files. He recently declared that these files “should not be a part of anything going forward,” a statement that has quickly drawn sharp criticism from lawmakers and seems to fly in the face of some pretty glaring facts.

Blanche made these comments during an interview as reported by The Hill, where he was directly asked if he agreed the files were “not handled well.” He then went on to defend the recently removed Attorney General Pam Bondi, insisting that President Trump’s decision to let her go had absolutely nothing to do with the investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Blanche really seemed to be pushing for the Department of Justice (DOJ) to just turn the page on this whole ordeal.

He argued that the Epstein files have been a “saga” for the past year, and since the president signed the transparency act, the DOJ has supposedly released all the relevant documents. Blanche even mentioned that he and Bondi appeared before Congress voluntarily a few weeks ago to answer questions, adding that lawmakers could also come view the unredacted files at the DOJ’s offices. “I think that to the extent that the Epstein files was a part of the past year of this Justice Department, it should not be a part of anything going forward,” he stated, trying to close the book on the matter.

Here’s where Blanche’s narrative hits a wall: The Justice Department has not actually released all the Epstein files

The DOJ initially estimated there were roughly 6 million pages of records, but so far, only about 3 million have seen the light of day. The department has cited reasons like withholding duplicates and other records for the discrepancy. However, there are also serious accusations that records related to President Trump have been deliberately withheld. This includes files from a woman who spoke to the FBI four times, claiming the president abused her when she was a minor.

This particular issue forced the Justice Department to go back and release additional files, which they conveniently claimed were “withheld in error.” Yet, even after this supposed correction, reporters have pointed out that page numbers indicate around 30 pages from that specific record are still missing. It certainly doesn’t help Blanche’s case that lawmakers from both sides of the aisle have been vocally accusing the DOJ of failing to comply with the law that mandates the public release of these files.

One of the most vocal critics has been Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.), who serves as the top Democrat on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. This committee has been actively investigating the issue, and Garcia didn’t mince words on X. “This is a lie. About 50% of the files have been released and per our subpoena it’s illegal to withhold them,” he wrote. He made it crystal clear that the fight is far from over: “Blanche may think it’s over, but we are just getting started.”

Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), another key lawmaker involved in pushing for the release of these files, had already put Blanche on notice the moment his appointment as acting AG was announced. Massie wasted no time, writing on X, “Congratulations AG Blanche. Now you have 30 days to release the rest of the files before becoming criminally liable for failure to comply with the Epstein Files Transparency Act.”

Massie, alongside Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), actually co-authored the Epstein Files Transparency Act. This crucial piece of legislation was specifically designed to compel the Justice Department to release unredacted files related to the investigations into Jeffrey Epstein and his associate, Ghislaine Maxwell.

Massie has been a consistent and vocal critic of how Bondi’s department handled these disclosures, frequently accusing her of engaging in a cover-up. He’s pointed to instances of flouting deadlines, withholding documents, over-redacting information, and even exposing the identities of victims.