SAEDNEWS: A federal judge has pressed the U.S. Justice Department to explain why portions of Jeffrey Epstein-related records were removed or redacted, particularly documents connected to allegations involving Donald Trump.
According to SaedNews: A federal judge on Thursday demanded that the U.S. Justice Department clarify the legal basis for removing or blacking out portions of the Epstein case files, with particular attention to records tied to allegations involving Donald Trump.
Judge Sullivan held the hearing after an independent journalist filed a lawsuit accusing the Justice Department of unlawfully removing parts of the Epstein records and refusing to release certain documents.
In June, Sullivan had ruled that some of the redactions and withholding of records conflicted with the Epstein Files Transparency Act. He ordered the Justice Department either to release the documents in question or provide the legal grounds for keeping them from public view.
Instead of fully releasing the records, the Justice Department has sought in recent weeks to justify why portions were removed. The explanations did not satisfy the judge. During Thursday’s hearing, Sullivan therefore asked Justice Department attorneys to explain the legal basis for some of the redactions.
