By Roberto Wakerell-Cruz – The Postmillennial
A federal judge in Manhattan has rejected the Trump administration’s request to make public grand jury records from the sex-trafficking case against the late New York financier Jeffrey Epstein.
US District Judge Richard Berman issued the ruling on Wednesday, turning aside a Justice Department motion filed at the direction of President Donald Trump. The administration had argued for unsealing the records as Trump faces pressure from conservatives who have criticized the Justice Department’s handling of the Epstein investigation.
The Justice Department disclosed in a July filing that the grand jury which indicted Epstein in 2019 heard testimony from only one witness—an FBI agent. Prosecutors emphasized that, by law, grand jury proceedings are secret and can only be released with judicial approval, according to US News.
Trump, who has accused Democrats of concealing evidence related to Epstein, had pledged to release records if reelected. In July, the Justice Department said it would not make additional Epstein files public and stated that no “client list” existed, causing a tidal wave of backlash from his MAGA base.
Epstein’s death inside a federal detention facility, combined with his social circle that included influential politicians and business leaders, gave rise to widespread speculation that others may have been complicit in his crimes or that he was silenced. The city’s chief medical examiner concluded the cause of death was suicide by hanging.
Wednesday’s ruling was not the first time federal courts have blocked attempts to unseal records tied to Epstein.
Earlier this month, Judge Paul Engelmayer, also of the Southern District of New York, rejected a government motion involving grand jury transcripts from the Ghislaine Maxwell case. Maxwell, Epstein’s former associate, is serving a 20-year sentence after being convicted in 2021 of trafficking minors on his behalf.
In that opinion, Engelmayer said there was little value in releasing the sealed testimony because evidence had already been publicly presented during Maxwell’s monthlong trial. He noted that the grand jury records did not suggest any additional individuals beyond Epstein and Maxwell had engaged in sexual activity with minors.
Maxwell, who pleaded not guilty, has exhausted her appeals in lower courts and is now seeking review by the U.S. Supreme Court.
The Trump amdin has encountered similar obstacles outside New York. In July, a federal judge in Florida declined to make public grand jury records from investigations dating back to 2005 and 2007.
This is a breaking story and will be updated.
So Donnie wants to release those files but not Epstein’s more important files and video footage from before.
So I’m guessing the grand jury files do not show anything incriminating him and that’s why he wants to throw a few bread crumbs to us peasants. Then if they don’t release the documents, he can narcissistically say, “See I tried. It’s their fault, not mine.”
Donnie is truly pathetic.
The people aren’t this stupid. They’re definitely not going to take the bait. The old “fall for banana in the tailpipe” thing ain’t happening, Donnie. Try again.
Actually, this reminds me of when my mom wanted to punish me for fighting over the wrong toy (aka the important Epstein files) and then when she tried to take it away from me, I would say, “No! Don’t take the toy away. Take the other one away instead. I don’t need it anymore”. (Aka these lesser important Epstein files)
Yea, I’m all grown up now and so are the rest of the people.