Lawmakers reviewing unredacted Jeffrey Epstein records say protected names and communications in Justice Department files raise renewed demands for full disclosure.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., said Wednesday that individuals named in unredacted Jeffrey Epstein records span political parties and positions of global influence, warning that the identities still shielded from public view would “shock” the country.
After reviewing the documents inside a Department of Justice reading room, Mace discussed what she saw during an appearance on “Piers Morgan Uncensored.”
“You would be shocked, Piers, at some of the names that I have seen that came across the DOJ in emails that the DOJ is protecting,” Mace said.
“And we’re talking about people on both sides of the aisle,” she continued. “We’re talking about famous people, rich people, people in power, prime ministers, former prime ministers, former presidents, et cetera, media personalities that are named in these files.”
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The Justice Department publicly released a collection of Epstein-related materials on Jan. 30, but portions were redacted. The redactions led to bipartisan calls for greater transparency. Members of Congress were later granted access to review unredacted records under controlled conditions.
On the House floor Tuesday, Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., said he disclosed the names of six men he believes were “likely incriminated” in the files, adding pressure on the department to explain its redaction decisions.
Mace has positioned herself as an advocate for Epstein’s victims and has repeatedly called for complete disclosure of records involving individuals allegedly connected to the late financier. After meeting with victims in September, she wrote on X, “I feel the immense pain of how hard all victims are fighting for themselves because we know absolutely no one will fight for us.”
She is among Republican lawmakers who joined Democrats late last year in supporting passage of the Epstein Files Transparency Act, legislation aimed at expanding access to records tied to the case.
In the Senate, some Republicans have said their understanding of the case evolved as more information surfaced. Sen. Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo., acknowledged that she initially paid little attention to the matter.
“I’ve not been one of the members who has glommed on to this as an issue,” Lummis said. “I’ve sort of intentionally deferred to others to find out about it. But 9-year-old victims … wow.”
She added, “Initially, my reaction to all this was, ‘I don’t care. I don’t know what the big deal is.’ But now I see what the big deal is, and it was worth investigating.”
Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., similarly shifted her stance after reviewing the unredacted materials. In early January, she said, “I don’t give a rip about Epstein,” according to Politico.
Following her review of the documents, Boebert appeared on Newsmax’s “Rob Schmitt Tonight” and said, “there’s a lot of conspiracies that make you wonder.”
“I saw more emails about torture, and these coded conversations still have a very clear topic,” she said Wednesday. “The torture was big, it was a big driver for them, and these were sick people doing very, very sick things.”
The statements from lawmakers across party lines reflect mounting congressional scrutiny of how the Justice Department has handled the release of Epstein-related records. Victims and their advocates continue to press for full disclosure, while members of Congress say their review of unredacted files may shape further oversight and legislative action.
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