The department also writes that lawyers are working around the clock to review the material in order to be able to mask and thereby protect the victims, but that they will make the documents public as soon as possible. However, the Justice Department believes that the scope of the material means that "the process could take a few more weeks."
According to CNBC, twelve senators - eleven Democrats and one Republican - have now initiated an independent review of how the Justice Department is handling the Epstein files. Among them are Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski and Democrats Richard Blumenthal, Jeff Merkley and Adam Schiff.
In a letter, they urge the Department of Justice's so-called inspector general, an independent oversight function, to review the department's actions.
The senators believe that the Freedom of Information Act has been violated, as documents have been withheld, masked too tightly and released too slowly. This despite the legal requirement to release all documents related to the Epstein investigation by December 19th.
Republican Thomas Massie, who has been instrumental in getting the documents published, also comments on the department's actions.
“The Department of Justice violated the law by making illegal masking and by missing the deadline,” he writes in a post X.
