In a surprise announcement on Thursday afternoon, Department of Justice Inspector General William Blier is initiating a review of his department over complaints that the release of the entire Jeffrey Epstein files is not in compliance with the law signed by Donald Trump.
Posted on the DOJ’s website, Blier stated, “The DOJ Office of the Inspector General (OIG) is initiating an audit of DOJ’s compliance with the Epstein Files Transparency Act. Our preliminary objective is to evaluate the DOJ’s processes for identifying, redacting, and releasing records in its possession as required by the Act.”
“To accomplish this preliminary objective, the OIG plans to focus on reviewing (1) the DOJ’s identification, collection, and production of responsive material; (2) DOJ guidance and processes for redacting and withholding material consistent with the requirements enumerated in the Act; and (3) DOJ’s processes for addressing post-release publication concerns. If circumstances warrant, the OIG will consider addressing other issues that may arise during the course of the audit,” the public notice continued.
“Consistent with the requirements of the Inspector General Act of 1978, as amended, the OIG will issue a public report with the audit’s results when our work is complete, as promised in the press release," it states.
Blier’s move comes after weeks of complaints from Republicans and Democrats alike, and weeks after the firing of former Attorney General Pam Bondi, who was reportedly ousted in part over her handling of the files, which have continued to cast a cloud over Donald Trump and his entire administration.