DOJ Inspector General Launches Audit of Epstein Files Release Compliance
On April 23, 2026, the Justice Department's Office of the Inspector General announced it is launching an audit to evaluate the DOJ's compliance with the Epstein Files Transparency Act, the law passed in November 2025 that requires full disclosure of department files related to Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. Deputy Inspector General William Blier said the preliminary objective is to "evaluate the DOJ's processes for identifying, redacting, and releasing records in its possession as required by the Act." The audit follows months of complaints from lawmakers — including Reps. Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie, who co-led the transparency act — that the DOJ has over-redacted and withheld material. Victims have also said sloppy redactions exposed their identities, while critics allege information damaging to President Trump has been withheld. The audit launches under Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, following the earlier ouster of AG Pam Bondi. Senators Richard Blumenthal, Jeff Merkley, and Dick Durbin, among others, had written in December 2025 urging the OIG to conduct an independent review.