Justice Department watchdog announces audit of Epstein files investigation

The Justice Department’s Office of the Inspector General on Thursday said it was investigating the department’s compliance with a law requiring full disclosure of files about convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The office serves as the Justice Department’s internal oversight watchdog. The office would release a public report on the audit findings, it said.

The Epstein Files Transparency Act, signed into law in November, orders the Justice Department to release all unclassified documents related to its investigation of Epstein’s sex trafficking, including internal communications. The department in February said it had released all required documents, following over a month of delays. Former U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi stepped down from her position in early April after bipartisan backlash over her handling of the files.

What will the new audit entail? The Office of the Inspector General will review how the department identified and collected information, as well as its processes for redacting or withholding material. The office will also evaluate the department’s response to concerns raised after the release of files, including concerns raised after the accidental disclosure of unredacted victim information.

Dig deeper: Read my report on the controversy surrounding the unredacted victim information.