'We're now intervening': Lawmaker duo to make big move to force Epstein files' release

Reps. Ro Khanna (D-CA) and Thomas Massie (R-KY) plan to make a major announcement next week regarding a new plan to force the Trump administration to release its files on Jeffrey Epstein, Khanna announced Friday.

The Justice Department has faced scrutiny over its release of files on Epstein, which was mandated by law to be released with limited redactions by Dec. 19 after the passage of Khanna and Massie’s bill, the Epstein Files Transparency Act. Instead, the DOJ released only a small fraction of its files on Epstein, and with redactions that critics have called unlawful.

The DOJ faced even more scrutiny after announcing on Christmas Eve that it had discovered “a million more documents” related to Epstein held by the Southern District of New York, which is precisely what Khanna and Massie plan to target first.

“We’re now going to be intervening with the Southern District of New York to ask those judges to appoint a special master and ensure that all the documents are released,” Khanna announced Friday, speaking with NPR.

“My interest here is to see justice for survivors – it’s not to be punitive – and what I want to see over these next few weeks is for the documents to actually start coming out that the American people and the survivors want to see, which is the documents that name the rich and powerful men who were on Epstein’s rape island.”

Specifically, Khanna has zeroed in on a one file that the DOJ has released; a 2020 email indicating that the DOJ had “anticipated” filing charges against 10 potential co-conspirators of Epstein’s, though the names of individuals had been redacted.

Khanna said that Massie was onboard with the plan to request a special master be appointed to help force the release of the DOJ’s files on Epstein, and that the two plan to share more details on the plan “early next week.” Khanna also said that he and Massie were continuing their efforts to hold Attorney General Pam Bondi personally responsible for the DOJ’s failure to adhere to the law.

“We’re also working together on hearing contempt for Pam Bondi, that means that after a 30-day grace period, she could be fined every day that these documents are not released,” Khanna said.

“She would be fined personally. There is tremendous political discontent for her within her own base. And then finally, impeachment is an option as well, but our interest is not to take down Pam Bondi, our interest is to take down the rich and powerful men who abused over 12,000 survivors and to finally see justice.”