February 25, 2026
Dear Mr Neece,
Thank you for contacting my office regarding the release of the files surrounding the Jeffrey Epstein case. I appreciate hearing from you.
On January 6, 2019, Jeffrey Epstein was arrested in New Jersey and charged with sex trafficking and conspiracy to traffic minors by the Public Corruption Unit of the Southern District of New York. Epstein was denied bail because he was deemed a danger to the public and a serious flight risk. On August 19, 2019, Epstein died by suicide at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in New York City. Following Epstein’s death, prosecutors closed the criminal case against him.
On February 21, 2025, after Trump was reelected as president, Attorney General Pam Bondi responded to a question on FOX News related to the Epstein case and stated the Jeffrey Epstein client list was "sitting on [her] desk right now." On July 7, 2025, the Department of Justice (DOJ) and FBI released a memo backtracking the Attorney General’s comments by stating that there is no incriminating client list, and President Trump referred to the Epstein files as "a big hoax." Days later, it was reported that Attorney General Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche informed President Trump that his name was "among many in the Epstein files."
On July 15, 2025, Representatives Ro Khanna (D-CA) and Thomas Massie (R-KY) introduced the Epstein Files Transparency Act (H.R. 4405) which requires the DOJ to release all the Epstein files. On September 2, 2025, after weeks of resistance from Republican House leadership to move this bill, Rep. Massie put forward a discharge petition, which is a procedural tool that can force a bill to be brought directly to the floor of the House of Representatives for a vote once 218 Members of Congress sign it. Once the discharge petition reaches 218 signatures, the associated bill skips the traditional committee referral and leadership scheduling process needed before it is considered on the House floor.
On September 10, 2025, Rep. Massie’s discharge petition reached 217 signatures, one short of the number needed to trigger the process for the House to consider H.R. 4405. It remained one signature short for 63 days because Speaker Johnson delayed the swearing-in of Representative Adelita Grijalva (D-AZ), who had won her seat in a special election on September 23, 2025, to prevent her from being the final signature needed on the petition. On November 12, 2025, Rep. Grijalva signed the discharge petition immediately upon being sworn in which triggered the discharge petition process. On November 18, 2025, the House of Representatives passed the Epstein Files Transparency Act (H.R. 4405), with my support, by a vote of 427-1, achieving overwhelming bipartisan support. The Senate then unanimously agreed to pass the bill the following day. It took strong public pressure and a bipartisan effort to overcome the delay tactics utilized by both Speaker Johnson and the Trump administration. On November 19, 2025, President Trump signed this bill into law.
On December 19, 2025, the DOJ began releasing batches of previously unseen documents related to the Epstein case but failed to release the full inventory of files. Many of the released materials were heavily and haphazardly redacted, exposing several survivors’ names. The DOJ also retroactively removed some of the initially released records, including at least one related to President Trump, without providing a sufficient explanation, drawing additional criticism from people on both sides of the aisle. Additionally, the Epstein Library, the DOJ’s online database where the files are being released, did not initially have a functional search feature, which was yet another example of the DOJ’s violation of the Epstein Transparency Act, which states records must be “publicly searchable” and cannot be withheld, delayed, or redacted “on the basis of embarrassment, reputational harm, or political sensitivity.”
On January 30, 2026, the DOJ released another batch of files; however, many documents remain unreleased. While I believe the release of the current public files is important and significant, we have yet to be given any meaningful explanation for the DOJ’s decision to redact more than 10,000 files, nor have we been provided with access to the full catalogue of evidence they claim to possess. The DOJ must release all the remaining files in accordance with the law.
To date, there has been no meaningful recourse for the DOJ’s failure to comply with the law. Representatives Khanna and Massie previously requested an independent expert review of the DOJ’s handling of the records’ release, but that request was denied on procedural grounds, with the judge ruling that such a demand could not be appended to a criminal case. Please know that I am continuing to work with my colleagues to demand full transparency and to push for the complete release of all files related to the Epstein case in accordance with federal law. Like you, I believe that the survivors and Americans have waited far too long for the truth, and they deserve answers, not delays or excuses.
Again, thank you for taking the time to express your thoughts and concerns. I invite you to visit www.delbene.house.gov to subscribe to my newsletter and follow @RepDelBene on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Bluesky, and Instagram to stay updated on my work in D.C. and my events at home in Washington. Please know that my staff and I stand ready to assist you if you require help with a federal agency, such as the VA, IRS, or USCIS. You can request casework assistance by visiting https://delbene.house.gov/constituent-services/casework/ or by calling my District Office at (425) 485-0085. As always, my office is here to serve you, so please do not hesitate to contact us.
Sincerely,
Suzan DelBene
Member of Congress