Judge threatens Trump lawyers over stonewalling release of Epstein files
A US judge has threatened to hold Trump administration lawyers in contempt over their failure to release documents from the Epstein files about Donald Trump.
Judge Emmet Sullivan expressed his frustration at the Department of Justice stonewalling the release of the files.
Donald Trump and future wife Melania, Jeffrey Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell at the Mar-a-Lago club, in 2000. Getty
“The public has a right to know what the hell is going on in this case,” Sullivan said.
“The victims have a right to know. The court has a right to know.”
Sullivan then described how he had filed similar contempt charges against lawyers in a prior case.
He noted a contempt charge would be a black mark that would hurt a lawyer for the rest of their career.
“I don’t want to do it, but I will do it to ensure justice is fairly administered,” Sullivan said.
“That’s not a threat, that’s a promise.”
The Department of Justice is being sued by journalist Katie Phang, who is demanding access to the unredacted Epstein files.
Phang has argued the department is breaching the law passed by Congress that required the government to release the documents.
Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein together. House Oversight Committee
“The Department failed to produce required documents referring to Donald Trump, retracted previously produced materials that showed or referred to Trump, and improperly redacted documents that referred to him,” Phang wrote in her lawsuit.
Phang then detailed specific documents making serious allegations against Trump.
She noted 15 documents about this alleged victim were provided to Ghislaine Maxwell’s defence team, but only seven were released under the Epstein Act.
Jeffrey Epstein and Donald Trump pictured together in the 1990s. Trump has since sought to distance himself from the convicted sex offender. nna\lpearce
Among the unreleased files are handwritten notes from FBI agents from their interviews with women accusing Trump of misconduct.
Sullivan ruled in Phang’s favour in June, granting her a preliminary injunction.
Trump has denied any wrongdoing in relation to his connection to Jeffrey Epstein, a notorious pedophile and long-time friend of the president.
Trump has not been charged in relation to the case.
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