Attorney General Pam Bondi alleges an FBI field office is withholding thousands of documents related to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, The Independent reports. Bondi released documents on the case Thursday, but they did not contain any major revelations — and right-wing Donald Trump supporters allege the “evil deep state” is responsible for purportedly concealing information.
The documents that were released included flight logs, which had been made available previously in court cases, and his book of contacts, which has been in circulation for years. Epstein died in prison in 2019 while awaiting trial for sex trafficking charges. He was previously convicted of soliciting prostitution from a minor.
“I repeatedly questioned whether this was the full set of documents responsive to my request and was repeatedly assured by the FBI that we had received the full set of documents," Bondi wrote in a letter to FBI director Kash Patel. "Late yesterday, I learned from a source that the FBI Field Office in New York was in possession of thousands of pages of documents related to the investigation and indictment of Epstein. Despite my repeated requests, the FBI never disclosed the existence of these files…There will be no withholdings or limitations to my or your access."
“If there are gaps, we will find them,” Patel said in a statement Thursday. “If records have been hidden, we will uncover them.”
“I nor the task force were given or reviewed the Epstein documents being released today” Representative Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.), a member of the House Oversight Committee, posted on X. “A NY Post story just revealed that the documents will simply be Epstein's phonebook. THIS IS NOT WHAT WE OR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ASKED FOR and a complete disappointment. GET US THE INFORMATION WE ASKED FOR!”
“We’re talking recordings, evidence, etc," conservative commentator Liz Wheeler posted on X. "The juicy stuff. Names. These swamp creatures at SDNY deceived Bondi, Kash, and YOU. Be outraged that the binder is boring. You should be. Because the evil deep state LIED TO YOUR FACE."
“Be very, very angry that deep state agents in the swamp at the [Southern District of New York] are at this very moment defying President Trump & AG Bondi & you who voted him into office, lying, and hiding the truth about Jeffrey Epstein because they don’t want their own corruption & weaponization of govt exposed,” she added.
Conservative commentator Glenn Beck called the files a joke. “Who is subverting POTUS?" he posted on X. "The#Epsteinfiles are a total joke. I know Kash, Pam B and The President. This is not the file. WH tells me that they believe the usual suspects FBI/SDNY has the actual#EpsteinClientList and are refusing to turn it over. THIS IS AN INTERNAL CIVIL WAR if true."