This is an edition of The Atlantic Daily, a newsletter that guides you through the biggest stories of the day, helps you discover new ideas, and recommends the best in culture. Sign up for it here.There was a moment this fall when it seemed like the public might actually get some answers\u2014that the extent of the sex offender Jeffrey Epstein\u2019s crimes might be exposed, and that his victims might see the accountability they\u2019ve been waiting for. On November 19, President Trump reluctantly signed the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which required the Justice Department to publish a huge number of its unclassified files related to the late financier (and unrelated to ongoing investigations) within 30 days.But what actually arrived on December 19, the Friday before Christmas, was a relatively small (and sloppily redacted) tranche of files that raised far more questions than it answered. Nearly a month later, not a whole lot has changed. Despite having published a second batch, the DOJ has still released less than 1 percent of the millions of documents now under review.If the Justice Department has legitimate reasons for its delay, it hasn\u2019t thoroughly explained what they are. In a letter yesterday, Attorney General Pam Bondi and other DOJ officials framed the problem as purely logistical, citing \u201cinevitable glitches due to the sheer volume of materials.\u201d They noted that the department has put \u201cover five hundred reviewers\u201d on the project, even as they declined to clarify when they would release more files. Frank Figliuzzi, a former high-ranking FBI official who has handled nationwide investigations involving massive amounts of raw data, told me he\u2019s skeptical of that defense. During his tenure, he explained, the bureau became highly digitized, bringing in all sorts of new tools to speed up the process of redactions and disclosures. \u201cIf we\u2019re led to believe that human beings have to go through all of this, I\u2019m not buying all of that,\u201d he said.Legal experts and legislators maintain that Bondi and her department are now in clear violation of the law. Earlier this week, 19 of Epstein\u2019s victims requested that a Justice Department watchdog review the agency\u2019s work, alleging that the redactions have not adequately concealed survivors\u2019 names and identifiers. Representatives Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie, who introduced the Transparency Act as a bipartisan bill, have suggested that Bondi be held in contempt for missing the deadline. Other lawmakers have batted around the idea of impeaching her. But these moves would require real political willpower\u2014so far, neither of them has come to pass.In lieu of consistent communication with Congress and the public about the delays, the Justice Department is providing a slow drip of updates in the form of legal memos and enigmatic new uploads to the existing database of Epstein files. The department has also equivocated about the scope of its documents: Last February, shortly after being confirmed as attorney general, Bondi declared that Epstein\u2019s fabled \u201cclient list\u201d was \u201csitting on my desk right now\u201d\u2014but in July, the DOJ said in a memo that no such client list ever existed. That same memo claimed that the department had conducted an \u201cexhaustive review\u201d of the files\u2014but earlier this month, Bondi told a judge that \u201cmore than 2 million documents\u201d were still in \u201cvarious phases of review.\u201dMy colleague Sarah Fitzpatrick, who covers the DOJ, explained to me that the Epstein case has been plagued by a long list of issues, omissions, and breaches of Justice Department policy\u2014a pattern that has persisted ever since Epstein became a focus of federal law enforcement. Although the release of the files is purportedly about \u201ctransparency,\u201d the Justice Department has been suffering from a lack of public trust. Trump has used the agency to investigate and even prosecute his enemies, and its employees have left by the thousands since he took office. This broader transformation of the DOJ has only compounded the communication issues around the Epstein files, and exacerbated conspiracy theories. (The department did not respond to a request for comment.)The Epstein saga has also recently entered a new phase of political infighting. This week, the GOP-led House Oversight Committee called on former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to testify about Epstein. They refused\u2014and, in a statement, accused Committee Chair James Comer of selectively enforcing subpoenas. \u201cThe decisions you have made, and the priorities you have set as chairman regarding the Epstein investigation, have prevented progress in discovering the facts about the government\u2019s role,\u201d they wrote. There could be an element of truth here\u2014Comer may be using the Clintons as a distraction from Trump\u2019s connections to Epstein\u2014but they, like Bondi, are not above the law, and their refusal to cooperate only hampers the larger process.Each new revelation about the files seems to multiply the unknowns. The Transparency Act, which passed with overwhelming bipartisan support, represents one path to accountability. If only Congress had the will to enforce it.Related:Here are three new stories from The Atlantic:Today\u2019s NewsPresident Trump said he might impose tariffs on countries that oppose U.S. control of Greenland, escalating his push to acquire the territory. CIA Director John Ratcliffe met with Delcy Rodr\u00edguez, Venezuela\u2019s interim president, yesterday in Caracas, signaling the Trump administration\u2019s support for her government after the U.S. seizure of Nicol\u00e1s Maduro. Twelve people were arrested last night during continued protests in Minneapolis, and federal officers used tear gas and percussion grenades to disperse crowds. Trump has threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act to quell unrest over federal immigration enforcement.DispatchesExplore all of our newsletters here.Evening ReadIllustration by Ben Kothe \/ The AtlanticHigh January Was Bound to HappenBy Yasmin TayagMany Americans enthusiastically partake in Dry January, but it is rarely pitched as fun. After the holiday stretch of office parties and family gatherings, Americans have come to use the start of every year to abstain from alcohol in the name of health and auspicious beginnings. It\u2019s a time of discipline, of cleansing, of embodying your mood board, even if it makes you a drag at parties. And it is also, as weed companies have learned, a marketing opportunity.Read the full article.More From The AtlanticCulture BreakIllustration by Mar\u00eda MedemRead. The philosopher Rebecca Newberger Goldstein\u2019s latest book looks beyond happiness as the goal of a well-lived life, John Kaag writes.Write. In 2024, Shirley Li recommended nine underrated movies that are worth your time.Play our daily crossword.Rafaela Jinich contributed to this newsletter.When you buy a book using a link in this newsletter, we receive a commission. Thank you for supporting The Atlantic.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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