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By Peter Aitken
Politics Weekend Editor
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The original architects of the Epstein Files Transparency Act have said they're considering filing articles of impeachment against Department of Justice (DOJ) officials, chiefly, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche after some of the files were released on Friday and were heavily redacted.
Why It Matters
Representatives Ro Khanna, a California Democrat, and Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican, co-sponsored a bill requiring the DOJ to fully release all files related to the federal investigation into disgraced financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
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House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, refused to bring the bill to the floor for a vote, forcing Khanna and Massie to seek a discharge petition, which would require a floor vote shortly after securing 218 signatures, which occurred once the government shutdown ended in mid-November.
With the near-unanimous passage of the bill, the DOJ was legally required to release all files on December 19. However, the DOJ released only a portion of the files, saying the department needed to finish redacting them to protect the identities of victims or minors, and to ensure that no ongoing investigation is compromised—both exceptions allowed by the law passed by Congress.
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What To Know
Critics have alleged the DOJ has gone too far with its redactions, and the limited release itself is an outright violation of the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which President Donald Trump signed into law after it passed Congress almost unanimously.
During a press call on Friday, Khanna told reporters that he and Massie would “explore all options” to ensure the DOJ complies with the law, with impeachment hearings a possibility “if it gets to that.”
“We could hold them in inherent contempt of Congress. Again, if it gets to that,” Khanna said. “We could refer Justice Department Officials for criminal prosecution, if it looks like they have engaged in excessive redaction or tampering, and we can support lawsuits to abide by the law.”
The congressman added: “All options are on the table, but, the other thing we’re thinking of doing, and having been in touch with survivors and survivors' lawyers, is to bring the survivors back to Capitol Hill, to demand compliance with the law.”
Calls for Bondi’s impeachment and removal from office have also started to grow on social media over the way the DOJ released the files.
What People Are Saying
White House Spokeswoman Abigail Jackson told Newsweek in response to a request for comment: “The Trump Administration is the most transparent in history. Attorney General Bondi is doing an excellent job delivering on the President’s promises. If these Democrats cared about truth and transparency they would be demanding answers from Bill Clinton, Hakeem Jeffries, and Stacey Plaskett.”
Representative Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican, wrote on X on Friday: “Attorney General Pam Bondi is withholding specific documents that the law required her to release by today.”
Representative Adelita Grijalva, an Arizona Democrat, wrote on X on Friday: “Today, I’m thinking about survivors like Liz Stein and Jess Michaels, whose persistence and courage are the only reasons why Congress acted to force the DOJ to release the Epstein files. They deserve justice, accountability, and closure. Anything less is an insult.”
Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Georgia Republican, wrote on X on Friday: "The whole point was NOT to protect the 'politically exposed individuals and government officials.' That’s exactly what MAGA has always wanted, that’s what drain the swamp actually means. It means expose them all, the rich powerful elites who are corrupt and commit crimes, NOT redact their names and protect them."
Former Representative Justin Amash, a Michigan Republican then Libertarian, wrote on X on Friday: "Impeach and remove [AG Pam Bondi]."
Don Winslow, a New York Times best-selling author with over 920,000 followers on X, also wrote on Friday: "Impeach and remove [AG Pam Bondi]."
Christopher Webb, a self-described "lifelong Dem" with around 146,000 followers, wrote on X on Friday: "Say it with me: IMPEACH PAM BONDI Every member of Congress voted to release the Epstein files except for one holdout. The DOJ blew the legal deadline because they’re running cover for Trump. Bondi broke the law."
What Happens Next
Khanna said that the lawmakers have lawyers going through the Epstein files, noting that “so far, I have not seen much new.”
The DOJ has said it will continue to release files, and it must provide Congress with an explanation for why it chose to redact any photos or files to which it did so.
Update 12/20/25, 3:15 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information.
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