Aug. 19 (UPI) — Some of the Jeffrey Epstein files will be made public after the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform receives them from the Justice Department.
The committee subpoenaed the Justice Department to obtain some of the files and will redact some information to protect alleged victims and other sensitive information, a committee spokesperson told CNN on Tuesday.
The panel anticipates receiving the first batch of Epstein files on Friday, but its members do not know when they might be made public.
“The committee intends to make the records public after a thorough review to ensure all victims’ identification and child sexual abuse material are redacted,” the unnamed committee spokesperson said.
“The committee will also consult with the DOJ to ensure any documents released do not negatively impact ongoing criminal cases and investigations.”
House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Tenn., on Monday said the DOJ is cooperating with the committee’s subpoena, which came with an Aug. 19 deadline to comply, CBS News reported.
“There are many records in the DOJ’s custody,” Comer said in a prepared statement.
“It will take the department time to produce all of the records and ensure the identification of victims and any child sexual abuse material are redacted,” he added.
The Trump administration is committed to providing transparency regarding the Epstein files to inform the public, Comer said.
The committee also subpoenaed former President Bill Clinton, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and several former attorneys general and FBI directors to obtain their testimonies.
Former Attorney General William Barr testified before the committee in a closed session on Monday.
Barr was the attorney general from 2018 to 2020 during Trump’s first term and from 1991 to 1993 during former President George H.W. Bush‘s administration.