Request to make Epstein files public rejected for the 3rd time

The request to release grand jury transcripts and evidence related to the investigation into billionaire Jeffrey Epstein, who was accused of establishing a sex trafficking ring for underage girls and was found dead in prison, has been rejected for the 3rd time. Federal Judge Richard Berman in New York denied the U.S. Department of Justice's request to publish the sealed grand jury documents. In his ruling, Berman stated, "The information contained in the Epstein grand jury transcripts is insignificant compared to the Epstein investigation information and materials already in the possession of the Department of Justice."

Berman characterized the government's request as an "attempt to distract from the sheer volume of the comprehensive files," and also cited potential threats to the safety and privacy of victims as a compelling reason to keep the records sealed.

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE REMAINS SILENT

The U.S. Department of Justice refrained from making any comment regarding Berman's decision. The ruling came after promises from high-level figures in the Donald Trump administration that the Epstein files would be made public.

The Department of Justice had backtracked on its promise to release new information regarding the Epstein case last May, and on July 7, it announced in an unsigned note that it would not release any further documents. This situation sparked outrage among Democrats, the public, and even Trump's political base.

REQUEST HAD BEEN REJECTED TWICE BEFORE

Previous attempts to open the Epstein files had also hit judicial roadblocks. On August 11, New York Federal Judge Paul Engelmayer rejected a request to make documents related to the Ghislaine Maxwell case public, citing that it was "based on flawed arguments" and "contrary to the public interest." A federal court in Florida also did not approve the Department of Justice's request to unseal grand jury documents.

With this latest decision, the number of federal judges who have rejected the request to make the grand jury documents related to the Epstein files public has risen to three.

Ghislaine Maxwell, known as Epstein's long-time partner, was sentenced to 20 years in prison for sexually abusing underage girls. Transcription work on the 10-hour audio recording obtained from a two-day meeting Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche held with Maxwell in Florida last July is still ongoing.

CLAIMS THAT TRUMP'S NAME WAS MENTIONED IN THE CASE

U.S. businessman Elon Musk had claimed in a social media dispute with U.S. President Donald Trump that Trump's name was in the files of the U.S. billionaire Jeffrey Epstein, which involve a sex abuse and prostitution ring, and that this was the reason the files were not being made public.

The Wall Street Journal had alleged that Trump sent an obscene letter to Epstein for his 50th birthday in 2003. It was claimed that the letter, which included Trump's name, contained "an imaginary conversation between Trump and Epstein inside the silhouette of a naked woman drawn by hand with a thick pen." It was alleged that the text included a reference stating, "Riddles never get old," and the phrases, "Friendship is a wonderful thing. Happy birthday and may every day be another wonderful secret." Trump filed a $10 billion lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal and its owner Rupert Murdoch over the report.

U.S. billionaire businessman Jeffrey Epstein was sent to prison after appearing before a federal court in New York on July 6, 2019, on charges of sexually abusing dozens of underage girls between 2002 and 2005. Epstein committed suicide in the prison where he was being held on August 10, 2019. Epstein's connections to world-famous names, including actors and politicians, while he set traps for young girls by creating a prostitution ring, drew major backlash worldwide.