Judge declines to appoint special master to oversee DOJ's release of remaining Epstein files

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: ABC News

January 21, 2026, 10:37 AM


A federal judge in New York on Wednesday declined to appoint a special master to oversee the Justice Department's production of the remaining Epstein files, despite "legitimate concerns" about whether the DOJ is faithfully complying with the Epstein Files Transparency Act.

The Dec. 19 deadline the law imposed for the release of all files related to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has come and gone, and at least two members of Congress say the Justice Department is still in possession of as many as two million potentially relevant documents.

Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of New York said last week they're still reviewing and redacting material from the investigations into Epstein and co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell to comply with court orders about protecting victims. Several Epstein victims wrote letters supporting legislators' push for a neutral monitor.

In his opinion released Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Paul Engelmayer said the "questions raised by the Representatives and the victims are undeniably important and timely" and raise "raise legitimate concerns about whether DOJ is faithfully complying with federal law." However, the judge concluded he lacks jurisdiction to supervise the Justice Department's compliance with the Epstein Act.

Read more: https://abcnews.go.com/US/judge-declines-appoint-special-master-oversee-dojs-release/story?id=129419478

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Link to ORDER (PDF) - https://www.nysd.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/2026-01/Maxwell%2020cr330%20-%20Opinion%20%26%20Order%201.21.26.pdf

Obama judge. Apparently thinks he has no jurisdiction over this.

[bluestarone]

1. My first thought is

WTF? Now am i wrong thinking this? Jesus Christ!

[hedda_foil]

2. Why did they sue in NY?

[BumRushDaShow]

6. I think because that is where the sudden "over 2 million new documents"

were supposedly found and they were hemming and hawing about redacting all that.

[hedda_foil]

12. Thanks, BRDS!

[BumRushDaShow]

13. Most welcome!

[LiberalArkie]

3. People need to claim publicly that Paul Engelmayer (an any other) must be in the Epstein files. Because why not?

[fujiyamasan]

4. From my perspective the courts really aren't holding

Even Obama and Biden appointed judges are not doing much if anything to hold this administration into account. It’s sickening.

Just a bunch of elites in robes basically giving the OK to destroy this country.

I’m not saying those judges aren’t better. They’re inherently more qualified but they’re still letting the DOJ get away with a lot based on absurd technicalities.

[BumRushDaShow]

8. "From my perspective the courts really aren't holding"

Oh a whole lot ARE. But because there are now what has to be well over a thousand (big) cases, if you're not following each step, then you won't see it unless you stumble on a single news article at some random time.

As a most recent example was this - https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143602651

This is a BIG case related to the Dept. of Education harassing and threatening to withhold funds to schools using their bullshit denigration of "DEI". They lost at the lower courts and took their losing streak up the next level with an appeal, and then suddenly, and FINALLY gave up, and dropped the appeal.

Democracy Forward helped to do this case - Major Victory for Public Education Comes As Trump-Vance Administration Abandons Appeal on “Dear Colleague Letter”

Their press release yesterday ticks off the legal wins as of yesterday - On Anniversary of Trump’s Second Inauguration, Democracy Forward Marks Record Litigation Wins, Commits to Continue Collaborative Work to Defeat Autocracy and Advance Democracy

[fujiyamasan]

9. On the big issues, the rule of law is crumbling

The eighth circuit ruling today over the Minnesota protests was shockingly bad. They are basically invalidating the first and fourth amendment and giving carte blanche to ICE and the DOJ.

[BumRushDaShow]

10. We don't know how the 8th Circuit is going to rule

because that was just a "stay" until they actually review the thing to rule on.

But I agree that some of these "administrative stays" that the appellate courts put in place (seen more on the emergency docket for the SCOTUS) just allows the "harm" to continue).

[William Seger]

5. So, what gets released will NEVER be trusted

It's reasonable to think that the files are very, very bad, and it's reasonable to expect that #rump will order evidence not just redacted but destroyed, because he believes he will never suffer any consequences for it.

[moniss]

7. A cowardly move. nt

[Miguelito Loveless]

11. So, the judge has thrown up a legal fig leaf

to protect child rapists.