What was expected to be a bombshell turned out to be a damp squib when Attorney General Pam Bondi on Thursday made public government documents related to wealthy financier Jeffrey Epstein, who is better known for being a convicted pedophile.
The documents that have been released were already in the public domain and do not feature any new information about the highly publicized sex trafficking case, which had captured the imagination of conspiracy theorists.
Among the documents made public were photocopies of flight logs from Epstein’s private plane, which are already available in the public domain.
It also included heavily edited address books, ostensibly compiled by Epstein and his longtime confidante Ghislaine Maxwell. These address books were already available in the public domain and had been cited in numerous media reports in the past.
The DOJ also released a redacted list of masseuses whose names have been concealed because they were considered victims. The list also included nude images, massage tables, sex toys, and other items. However, the list does not prove whether it was from Epstein’s case, Maxwell’s case, or some other investigation.
Epstein Files ‘Phase 1’ Release Disappoints
Bondi had flashed the documents during a Fox News appearance on Wednesday and said:
“Breaking news right now: You’re going to see some Epstein information released.”
The DOJ loudly proclaimed that it is committed to transparency, but the released documents hardly qualify as groundbreaking or new.
Epstein was arrested in 2019 during the reign of Donald Trump, who had suggested in his presidential campaign last year that he would seek to open up the government’s files. However, the documents released only highlighted the administration’s affinity for showmanship and its penchant for conservative influencers with large social media followings.
The DOJ did not post the documents on its website until hours had passed and also added a note that underplayed the significance of the released documents:
“The first phase of declassified files largely contains documents that have been previously leaked but never released in a formal capacity by the U.S. Government.”
The released documents failed to satisfy online sleuths who are eager to uncover fresh details about Epstein’s crimes and his connections to famous people, a subject that has long been under intense media scrutiny.
Earlier, Bondi had asked FBI Director Kash Patel to hand over the complete Epstein files to her by Friday morning. She also asked Patel to conduct an investigation into why the FBI did not follow her earlier directions to hand over all the files about the case. Patel, in a post on X, stated that he will ensure all files related to the case are handed over to the DOJ.
For the unversed, Epstein was charged with sexually abusing dozens of underage girls in the early 2000s but ended up serving only 13 months in jail.