RELEASE: Rep. Friedman Demands Answers After Finding Hundreds of 'Unredacted' Epstein Files Still Redacted

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, march 6, 2026, U.S. Congresswoman Laura Friedman (CA-30) announced that she has sent a letterto Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel demanding answers after she personally reviewed the supposedly "unredacted" Epstein files at DOJ headquarters and found hundreds of pages still completely blacked out. The redactions directly contradict assurances the Department made to Congress and violate the requirements of the Epstein Files Transparency Act which Friedman helped co-lead.

On February 13, 2026, Friedman exercised her Congressional oversight duty and personally reviewed the Epstein files at the Department of Justice. Despite a February 14th letter from the Office of the Attorney General stating that "unredacted versions of these materials are available for inspection at the Department by members of Congress," Friedman found that hundreds of pages were entirely redacted without sufficient justification. When she asked about the fully redacted documents, the DOJ personnel there told her that was "how the FBI sent them over."

"I went to the DOJ, I sat down to review these files as the law allows, and I found hundreds of pages completely blacked out. When I asked why, I was told the FBI sent them that way. That is not transparency - that is a coverup. Survivors of Jeffrey Epstein's crimes deserve the truth, not more excuses and more redactions. No more excuses. No more coverups," said Congresswoman Laura Friedman (CA-30).

In her letter, Friedman specifically cited documents within the Bates ranges EFTA00006109-EFTA00006208, EFTA00006209-EFTA00006308, and EFTA00006307-EFTA00006363 as being entirely redacted. She also identified files with the Bates numbers EFTA01743628 and EFTA01743632 that included correspondence with attachment links that were not viewable. Friedman has demanded unredacted versions of these files be made available for Congressional review and has requested a response by March 5, 2026, explaining why the documents were redacted and outlining DOJ's plan to make them available.

The Epstein Files Transparency Act requires the Attorney General to make publicly available all unclassified records, documents, communications, and investigative materials in the possession of the Department of Justice relating to Jeffrey Epstein. The law explicitly prohibits withholding documents on the basis of embarrassment, reputational harm, or political sensitivity.

Despite these clear legal requirements, the DOJ has continued to release, both publicly and to Members of Congress, extensive and unjustified redactions of the Epstein files.

The full text of the letter is available hereand below:

Dear Attorney General Bondi and Director Patel,

I write with concern that the Department of Justice is failing to comply with the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which requires the release of all documents and records relating to Jeffrey Epstein, and a summary of all redactions made.

In a February 14th letter to Congress from the Office of the Attorney General, it is stated that "unredacted versions of these materials are available for inspection at the Department by members of Congress." On Friday, February 13, 2026, I performed my Congressional oversight duty of viewing the Epstein files and found that at least hundreds of pages remain redacted without sufficient justification. Upon viewing the documents within the Bates ranges EFTA00006109-EFTA00006208, EFTA00006209-EFTA00006308, and EFTA00006307-EFTA00006363, for example, I found that each page was entirely redacted. When I inquired about these fully redacted documents, DOJ personnel indicated that it was "how the FBI sent them over." These broad redactions are contradictory to the assurances made in the February 14th letter, and to the requirements of the Epstein Files Transparency Act. Additionally, multiple files, such as documents with the Bates numbers EFTA01743628 and EFTA01743632, included correspondence with attachment links that were not viewable.

I demand that unredacted versions of these files be made available for review by members of Congress. I request a response by March 5th, 2026, explaining why these documents were redacted, and the Department's plan to make these files available for Congressional oversight. Thank you for your consideration of this request, and I look forward to your response.

Sincerely,

Laura Friedman

Member of Congress

###