The Department of Justice declined to provide additional unredacted Epstein-related files after U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan ordered the department either to turn over more material or explain why it had been withheld. DOJ Associate U.S. Attorney General Stanley Woodward argued that the redactions were lawful and necessary, saying some materials contained sensitive victim information, personally identifiable details, or records that were already properly withheld under the Epstein Files Transparency Act. The DOJ also asked Sullivan to either delay the deadline by 60 days or accept the department’s explanation and disregard the production order.

The dispute centers on several categories of withheld material, including emails with concealed senders and recipients, a draft 2007 indictment from the Southern District of Florida, and handwritten interview notes involving a woman who made unsubstantiated assault allegations against Donald Trump, which Trump has denied. DOJ claimed some names were redacted to protect victims, said the draft indictment was already redacted in the original file it possessed, and argued that handwritten notes posed a higher risk of accidental disclosure of victim information. Sullivan had previously rejected DOJ’s arguments and found that the Public Interest Project had shown harm from the withheld records, while the DOJ continues to insist it has not violated the law and has complied with its obligations.

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DOJ declines to turn over additional Epstein files, says redactions were appropriate - ABC News