When Congress passed the Epstein Files Transparency Act in 2025, its supporters promised something approaching accountability. The bill, championed by Representatives Thomas Massie (R-KY) and Ro Khanna (D-CA), ordered the Department of Justice (DOJ) to release all unclassified records related to the investigation and prosecution of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and his accomplices, including materials on Ghislaine Maxwell, flight logs, travel records, and the names of individuals, including government officials, referenced in the investigation. The act allowed redactions only to protect victims or preserve ongoing investigations and required the DOJ to provide Congress with a report detailing what was released and what was withheld. To say the results have been mixed is an understatement.

The Epstein Files Transparency Act was born of bipartisan frustration. Survivors and many members of the public had for years watched prosecutors shield Epstein’s network. The law’s plain text made its intentions clear: within fifteen days of publication, the DOJ had to report to Congress a list of all government officials and politically exposed individuals named in the materials and justify any redactions.