WASHINGTON (TNND) — Attorney General Pam Bondi announced in a letter to Congress that the Justice Department has released what she described as “all” of the Jeffrey Epstein files, saying the agency has fulfilled its obligations under the Epstein Transparency Act.
But the disclosure is igniting fresh controversy — not only over what was released, but how.
DOJ declares full release of Epstein Files, but list of 300 names sparks backlash (TNND)
Included in the letter is a list of roughly 300 prominent individuals whose names appear somewhere in the Epstein records. The list includes government officials and others the department classifies as “politically exposed persons.” While some individuals had documented ties to Jeffrey Epstein, others are included despite no public evidence they ever communicated with him or his longtime associate, Ghislaine Maxwell.
Among those referenced are late cultural figures such as Elvis Presley, Princess Diana, Marilyn Monroe and Kurt Cobain — inclusions that critics argue blur distinctions between mere mentions and documented associations.
Democratic Representative Ro Khanna accused the department of “purposefully muddying the waters,” writing on X that placing figures like Janis Joplin — who died when Epstein was a teenager — on the same list as convicted sex offender Larry Nassar “with no clarification of how either was mentioned in the files is absurd.”
The backlash has also extended to Republicans. Representative Thomas Massie said he no longer has confidence in Bondi’s leadership, criticizing what he described as a lack of accountability at the Justice Department.
The fallout from the broader Epstein disclosures continues to reverberate. Prince Andrew previously lost his royal title over his connections to Epstein. Goldman Sachs’ top lawyer, Kathy Ruemmler — a former White House counsel under Barack Obama — resigned following scrutiny of her past communications with Epstein. And Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Committee chairman Casey Wasserman announced he is selling his prominent talent agency amid fallout over his name appearing in the files.
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick testified during a congressional hearing on Tuesday that he dined with Jeffrey Epstein on the financier’s private island in 2012. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Meanwhile, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick is facing bipartisan calls to resign over emails showing he once considered taking his family to Epstein’s private island in 2012. The trip never occurred.
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As lawmakers continue to debate transparency and accountability, critics argue the manner of the release may have raised as many questions as it answered.
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