DOJ releases tranche of Epstein files, including Bill Clinton, Michael Jackson; vast redactions raise eyebrows

Washington DC [US], December 20 (ANI): The US Justice Department released a batch of documents related to Jeffrey Epstein's sex trafficking investigation, including photos and records showing Bill Clinton, Ghislaine Maxwell, and Michael Jackson in social settings with Epstein, CNN reported.
The files, made public under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, are heavily redacted to protect victims and ongoing investigations.
Some of the material was already made public, but other documents are "very likely to have never seen the light of day before," CNN reported. The released materials included multiple pages and large datasets.
Some notable revelations include former US President Bill Clinton, swimming with Ghislaine Maxwell and relaxing in a hot tub with an unidentified person; Michael Jackson posing with Epstein and Clinton.
Other prominent figures, Mick Jagger, Woody Allen, and Noam Chomsky, are also featured in the released documents.
Earlier, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer released a statement slamming Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche for saying the department will release some of the files at a later date, despite today's deadline.
Blanche said in an interview on Fox News that "several hundred thousand" documents in their possession will be released today, with more to come in the weeks ahead. US President Donald Trump signed into law legislation passed by Congress in November that mandates the release of all non-exempt information from the files by December 19, CNN reported.
The Epstein Files Transparency Act required the Department of Justice to release files related to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein by today. At around 4 pm (local time), the Justice Department released some of the documents.
The massive trove includes thousands of apparently never-before-released documents along with thousands of files that were already public from various court cases and public records requests. DOJ disclosures, court records, public records requests, and congressional releases were among the documents released, according to CNN.
Several previously unreleased photographs of former President Bill Clinton with Epstein and his accomplice, Ghislaine Maxwell, were released.
The DOJ's redactions of the files are extensive, and the reasons for them extend beyond what the law requires. In some cases, entire pages are redacted. To comply with the law, several redactions had to be made, according to the DOJ.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said, "any material that contained personally identifiable information of victims, child sexual abuse materials, classified national defence or foreign policy information, or would jeopardise an active investigation."
Among the thousands of documents released as part of the Epstein files is a photo of pop icon Michael Jackson standing next to Epstein. The two are seen standing in front of a painting of what appears to be a naked woman. It is unclear when or where the photo was taken.
Another photo released shows President Bill Clinton with his arm around Jackson. A woman whose identity is redacted and Supreme's singer Diana Ross are to their right. Epstein is not pictured, as per CNN.
Jeffrey Epstein, a wealthy financier and convicted sex offender, was found dead in his jail cell in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges. His death was ruled a suicide by hanging, but many questions and conspiracy theories surround the circumstances of his death. (ANI)