Federal Prosecutor Challenges Oversight in Epstein-Maxwell Document Release

Manhattan's top federal prosecutor argues against appointing a neutral expert to oversee the release of documents in the Epstein-Maxwell case. Despite concerns from Congress about transparency, the prosecutor contends the court lacks authority to appoint an external monitor. The Justice Department plans further updates on the document release progress.

The Manhattan federal prosecutor on Friday dismissed the potential appointment of a neutral expert to oversee the public release of documents linked to the sex trafficking investigations of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. This decision comes amidst urgent calls from Congress for transparent handling of these sensitive files.

U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton addressed Judge Paul A. Engelmayer, highlighting that the judge should deny a recent request from the congressional cosponsors of the Epstein Files Transparency Act. Congressmen Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie expressed concerns regarding the slow and insufficient release of substantial documents supposedly containing critical case details.

While the Department of Justice has cited necessary redactions to protect victims' identities as a cause for delays, Clayton maintains that Khanna and Massie's request is inappropriate without legal standing. The DOJ is expected to provide further updates soon, assuring that the full disclosure of documents proceeds accordingly.

(With inputs from agencies.)