American Oversight Seeks Emergency Court Order to Release Records About DOJ/FBI Review of Epstein Files

Monday, American Oversight filed a motion for a preliminary injunction to compel the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to quickly release records regarding the agency’s handling of investigative files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein — records that could shed light on whether politically sensitive materials, including references to President Donald Trump, received special treatment. 

The motion comes as Attorney General Pam Bondi faces mounting pressure from lawmakers over her handling of the Epstein investigation — including a subpoena for closed-door testimony before the House Oversight Committee, following a bipartisan vote citing alleged slow-walking, improper redactions, and removal of documents from public view. The deposition is reportedly expected to take place within 30 days. Last week, a bipartisan group of senators also requested a Government Accountability Office probe into the DOJ’s handling of Epstein files, citing concerns over the incomplete release of legally mandated documents.

We filed the motion as part of our ongoing Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit seeking records regarding instructions and training given to personnel reviewing Epstein-related investigative materials. The requested records are urgently needed ahead of Bondi’s deposition, so Congress and the public can assess how the review was conducted and whether the Justice Department complied with its obligations under the federal law requiring transparency in the Epstein investigation.

“The Justice Department and the FBI must disclose to the American people how they handled the review of the Epstein files and the extent to which documents implicating President Trump received special treatment,” said Chioma Chukwu, Executive Director of American Oversight. “This administration promised transparency but delivered the opposite: botched releases, quiet withdrawals, and misleading statements from senior officials. That’s why we’re asking the court to order the immediate release of these records ahead of Bondi’s testimony — so Congress can evaluate her candor against the documentary evidence and the public can determine whether the law was followed or whether political interests were protected over the public’s right to know.”

The lawsuit seeks records about the Justice Department’s internal review of Epstein-related investigative materials conducted in 2025, including training or instructions provided to personnel reviewing the files, internal directives or protocols governing how the review was carried out, communications among senior officials regarding the process, and any complaints or dissent from personnel involved in reviewing the investigative holdings.

We filed the underlying FOIA requests in July 2025 after reports and congressional inquiries raised concerns that FBI staff were instructed to flag mentions of Trump, further deepening concerns about political interference. To date, DOJ and FBI have not produced the requested records. DOJ’s Office of Legal Counsel told us on March 13, 2026 that it has no responsive records. 

In December, DOJ and FBI asked the court to strike factual allegations from our lawsuit that were drawn from public statements by top officials — including Trump’s own Attorney General, Pam Bondi, agency documents, media reporting, and correspondence from Congress. A federal judge rejected this effort after we argued it was a brazen attempt to keep the public in the dark about how the Epstein file review was conducted and who it was designed to protect.

Last November, Congress passed the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which required DOJ to release all unclassified records related to Epstein by Dec. 19, 2025. President Trump signed it into law shortly after. Despite the clear mandate, DOJ released only a portion of the files by the deadline, drawing criticism from lawmakers across the political spectrum and from survivors seeking greater transparency.

Subsequent releases and public reporting have indicated that tens of thousands of records remain withheld, including records on a woman’s claims against Trump, fueling questions about whether DOJ has fully complied with the law and whether Bondi’s statements to Congress about the completeness of the releases were accurate.
In Monday’s filing, we argue that the records it seeks could help answer key questions about how the review of Epstein-related files was conducted, including whether certain categories of records were singled out for special handling and whether the DOJ followed the transparency requirements enacted by Congress. Our motion asks the court to order DOJ to expedite the production of records, so that lawmakers and the public have the information necessary to evaluate the department’s conduct before Bondi’s upcoming deposition.