In a recent article on the Guardian, Victoria Bekiempis lays out a compelling argument: even though political moves to release confidential files about convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein have largely failed so far, there are still multiple legal strategies that may s d in making crucial documents public.
Bekiempis points out that during his campaign, President Donald Trump had pledged to release a bunch of documents related to the criminal investigation into the disreputable late financier.
However, that promise has not been delivered upon. This ongoing lack of transparency has frustrated many who are eager to learn more about Epstein’s crimes and has even triggered political fallout concerning Trump’s own links to the convicted sex trafficker.
READ MORE: ‘Here it comes’: Outrage as leaked Trump admin memo suggests ‘the worst we’ve been waiting for’
Despite any reluctance from the Justice Department, Bekiempis suggests that ongoing lawsuits could still lead to the release of important papers connected to Epstein and his shady dealings, as well as his networking with some of America’s most prominent figures.
She also highlighted an unusual request from the Justice Department to unseal grand jury records from the criminal cases against Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell. This move could challenge the reasons for keeping information under wraps.
One notable case initiated by Radar Online and journalist James Robertson started with an April 2017 public records request made to the FBI, seeking documents linked to their lingering Epstein investigation. This request came long after Epstein had pleaded guilty to state charges in Florida for soliciting a minor but before his 2019 federal arrest in New York for child sex trafficking.
After the FBI didn’t respond, Radar and Robertson took legal action in May 2017. Following a court order, the FBI later agreed to start releasing documents at a rate of 500 pages per month, according to case filings.
In court documents it was noted that, “The FBI has identified at least 11,571 pages of relevant documents, of which 10,107 pages remain undisclosed almost 20 years after the events in question.”
Even after Epstein’s death by suicide in custody before facing trial, and Maxwell serving her 20-year sentence, the FBI continues to argue that divulging more records could compromise ongoing law enforcement work, citing exemptions to the FOIA.
Bekiempis mentions that a federal judge in Manhattan sided with these exemptions in the public records case, but Radar is challenging this decision. Their appeal is likely to be heard by the Second Circuit Court of Appeals this coming autumn, potentially opening another door to insight.
Moreover, she notes that civil courts might be paving a better path towards unlocking sealed documents related to Epstein and Maxwell.
Last year, a federal judge ordered the release of numerous documents in Virginia Giuffre Roberts’s defamation case against Ghislaine Maxwell, even though some filings remained sealed. Journalists stepped in to voice their concerns through intervention and appeal.
Most recently, on July 23, the Second Circuit concluded that it had found “no error in the lower court’s choice not to unseal or publicly disclose many of the disputed documents,” while simultaneously instructing the lower court to examine those documents on an individual basis for possible release.
As reported by Courthouse News Service, Sigrid McCawley, Roberts’s attorney, expressed her excitement about the ruling, highlighting her hope that it would lead to more revelations regarding Epstein’s abhorrent sex trafficking operations and the individuals that facilitated and participated in them.
