As Epstein files reach Congress, Massie vows to use ‘nuclear option’
Members of Congress will begin reviewing unredacted Justice Department files on convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein starting Monday.
The Associated Press obtained the letter breaking down the agreement with the Justice Department. Lawmakers will be allowed to view more than 3 million previously released documents at DOJ headquarters, but may not make electronic copies and must provide at least 24 hours’ notice to access them on site. Staff members will not be permitted to assist with the review.
The arrangement comes after months of political pressure over what critics said was an overly redacted and delayed release following passage of the Epstein Files Transparency Act in 2025, which requires the DOJ to make records related to Epstein’s investigations public.
Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, a co-author of the law and a leading advocate for fuller disclosure, intensified his rhetoric this week, warning that he would resort to what he described as a “nuclear option” if the Justice Department continued to withhold names of Epstein’s alleged clients from the files.
“If the victims want to give them to me, I’ve expressed that I’m willing to do that,” Massie told CNN Sunday morning.
Massie’s comments — which critics on social media and in political forums described as a readiness to publicly disclose sensitive names should DOJ refuse to unredact them — underscore his confrontational stance with the Justice Department and his willingness to escalate the dispute.
Late January, the Justice Department released its largest batch yet of Epstein records. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said upon their release that the latest dump includes 3.5 million pages — along with 2,000 videos and 180,000 images.
The newly released files reference a number of high-profile figures, including President Donald Trump, former President Bill Clinton and billionaire Elon Musk. None of them have been charged or accused of wrongdoing in connection with Epstein.
“I didn’t see it myself, but I was told by some very important people that not only does it absolve me, it’s the opposite of what people were hoping — you know, the radical left,” Trump told reporters following the release.
Massie and other supporters of full transparency have argued that the public deserves access to all unclassified records, particularly references to alleged abusers and enablers. Some survivors of Epstein’s abuse have echoed those calls, while also expressing concern about victims’ privacy amid improper redactions.
The Monday access is expected to set the stage for upcoming congressional hearings on the documents and the DOJ’s handling of the release, as lawmakers continue to probe the prevalence of trafficking and exploitation tied to Epstein and whether influential individuals interfered with investigations.
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Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief
