DOJ informs court of ongoing review of Epstein documents in Judicial Watch FOIA case

The Justice Department informed a federal court of its ongoing review of documents regarding convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in a Judicial Watch Freedom of Information Act case.

On Monday, the DOJ and Judicial Watch filed a joint status report regarding the watchdog group's April lawsuit over a FOIA request it filed in February over Epstein records. Part of Judicial Watch's request was for records “depicting the identities of clients or associates of Epstein.”

The watchdog group filed the lawsuit against both the DOJ and FBI after "they failed to adequately respond to three separate FOIA request."

In the joint status report that Judicial Watch released Thursday, it says that, regarding any/all Epstein records, "the FBI has run its initial searches and is in the process of reviewing those search results." For records of communications of FBI Director Kash Patel regarding the Epstein client list, "the FBI’s search efforts are ongoing," according to the report.

The government has not yet turned over any documents, nor disclosed when or how many might be released.

The report was filed a day after a joint Justice Department-FBI memo obtained by the news outlet Axios was published, in which it said a "systematic review revealed no incriminating 'client list.' There was also no credible evidence found that Epstein blackmailed prominent individuals as part of his actions. We did not uncover evidence that could predicate an investigation against uncharged third parties."

“The Justice Department and FBI are sending out contradictory messages: telling the American people that no more Epstein material will be released, while telling the federal court in our case that the Epstein FOIA review is proceeding,” Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton said in a statement on Thursday.

“But no matter, our FOIA lawsuit for the Epstein material continues. We will be relentless in demanding transparency under law.”

Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell is currently serving a 20-year sentence for child sex trafficking and related offenses.

While on the campaign trail, President Trump repeatedly promised to release the files regarding Epstein on day one on his administration. Early in Trump's administration, Attorney General Pam Bondi promised their release, but ultimately provided influencers with already public information, instead.

In May, FBI Director Kash Patel and Deputy Director Dan Bongino attempted to end ongoing conspiracy theories that Epstein was murdered in a Manhattan jail in 2019 while awaiting trial.