Good morning and thanks for joining us. I'm Jessica Leightton in for Joe and Savannah today. Well, the Epstein files are still making waves in Washington this morning despite Congress and the president having gone home for the holidays.President Trump responded to the continuing controversy from his Mara Lago estate yesterday, saying that a lot of people are angry that pictures are being released. This says lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are now calling for legal action against the Department of Justi ...

Legal & Governmental Scrutiny - The Department of Justice (DOJ) faces growing backlash over the release of the Epstein files due to uneven disclosure and extensive redactions [1] - Members of Congress and survivor groups are raising concerns about the incomplete release of documents [1] - Leading sponsors of the law that mandated the file release are considering holding the DOJ in contempt of Congress or even impeaching the Attorney General [1] - The DOJ claims the redactions and slow release are to protect the victims, with 200 lawyers working to complete the process [2] - Congress believes the government has only released approximately 10% of the material they possess on Epstein [2]

Epstein Files Release & Transparency - The DOJ released heavily redacted Epstein files, facing criticism for slow and incomplete disclosure despite legal requirements [1][2] - The released files contained previously public information, offering limited new insights into Epstein's connections [2][12] - A photo of President Trump with unidentified females was temporarily removed from the DOJ website, sparking controversy [3][4] - The DOJ stated the photo was removed due to potential victim concerns and later restored without redaction after review [5][7] - Lawmakers are considering action against Attorney General Pam Bondi for not fully releasing the documents [8][9] Legal & Political Implications - The release is mandated by the bipartisan Epstein Files Transparency Act, requiring classified documents to be posted within 30 days [7][8] - Congressman Ro Connor and Republican Thomas Massie are considering inherent contempt against Pam Bondi for non-compliance [7][9] - The DOJ claims to believe in equal justice and will bring charges against those involved in trafficking and exploitation [10] - The Trump administration defends its actions, citing victim protection and legal privileges as reasons for redactions [4][5] - Concerns are raised about the DOJ's transparency, with accusations of being forced into compliance and not fully adhering to the law [18][20]

TROVE OF DOCUMENTS LAWMAKERS SAY IT'S ONLY A FRACTION OF WHAT IS REQUIRED BY THE LAW, AND JOINING ME NOW IS DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL TODD BLANCHE. MR. BLANCHE, WELCOME TO "MEET THE PRESS." >> GOOD MORNING.>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE. LET'S DIVE RIGHT IN. THE EPSTEIN FILES' TRANSPARENCY ACT CALLED WITH ALL FILES WITH LIMITED EXCEPTIONS TO BE RELEASED WITHD RELEASED WITHIN 30 DAYS.ON FRIDAY THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT RELEASED A FRACTION OF THE OVERALL EPSTEIN FILES. WHY DIDN'T THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT MEET T ...

So, uh, I'd first like to ask you about this missing photo that my colleague Fallon was just talking about from the DOJ release and the post on X by the oversight Democrats. Put this all together. >> Well, um, nobody knows what happened, but uh, I suspect somebody uh, saw the photo there and demanded it that it be removed immediately.So there would only be a handful of people who would have that kind of power to override what had been um you know disclosed before and there wouldn't be that many people who w ...

Investigation Overview - The release of documents related to Jeffrey Epstein has occurred, revealing photos of prominent figures like Bill Clinton, Michael Jackson, Richard Branson, and Mick Jagger [2][3] - A significant portion of the released material is redacted, raising concerns among members of Congress regarding the reasons for these redactions and whether they comply with the law [5][6] - The Department of Justice (DOJ) faces scrutiny over the completeness and timeliness of the document release, with accusations of non-compliance with congressional mandates [11][12] Congressional Actions - The House Oversight Committee postponed a deposition related to the Epstein case to early January [8] - Republicans on the House Oversight Committee still want Bill and Hillary Clinton to be deposed [9][10] - Members of Congress are questioning whether the DOJ is fully complying with the law regarding the release of Epstein-related documents [11][13] Transparency Concerns - Concerns are raised about the lack of transparency from the DOJ regarding the redactions in the released documents [14] - There are calls for Todd Blanch or Pam Bondi to provide a timeline for the full release of information and explanations for the redactions [14] - Some lawmakers believe the DOJ is not being fully transparent with the Epstein files [10][15]

Good evening from New York. I'm Chris Hayes. Well, today was the day, as you may know, December 19th, that of course the deadline mandated by law for Donald Trump's Department of Justice to release the Epstein files. All of them, basically unredacted. And we got a release with an enormous asterisk, which is that they are very clearly violating that law, which is not surprising. It is a law that they fought at every single opportunity from shutting the entire House of Representatives down for months to not s ...

The Trump DOJ is releasing some Epstein files. That's the big headline as they hit this deadline today. And we're going to show you some of the headlines here.New photos and court records. Is how the Times reports it given the clash over not fully complying. Democrats already threatening to take them to court because the DOJ missed the deadline that clearly states all documents.Interestingly, Fox News tonight has a headline up that says Epstein files explode open as DOJ details discovery of powerful figures ...

Legislative Process & Presidential Action - The Epstein bill is transmitted to the White House, where the President has 10 days (excluding Sundays) to sign or veto it [1] - The President indicated his intention to sign the bill [1] Redaction & Information Release - The bill allows for redaction of classified information and information about ongoing investigations [2] - Concerns exist regarding potential over-redaction of information [2] - A 30-day timeline is in place for the release of information in some capacity [2] Monitoring & Transparency - Scrutiny will be applied to ensure the 30-day timeline is met and to prevent obstruction of information release [2][3] - The application of redactions and adherence to the release timeline are key areas of focus [2][3]

The Justice Department is in damage control after a DOJ official was secretly recorded on a hidden camera talking about the Epstein files. It's been going viral online and in that video, one of the department's deputy chiefs says the files will be heavily redacted to remove all Republicans names. He also suggests the DOJ is offering Epstein's accomplice, Galain Maxwell, quote, something to keep her mouth shut.The video was posted by the founder of Project Veraritoss. That is a contra controversial far-right ...