Congressional Republicans who voted for a law requiring the Justice Department to release its Jeffrey Epstein investigation files have mostly stopped urging the department to meet the deadline. This comes even as the release remains unfinished a month later, and the department has not provided a public timeline for complete compliance.
The Epstein Files Transparency Act set a December 19 deadline for the DOJ to release unclassified materials related to Epstein. This release is subject to redactions to protect victims and other limited exceptions. Recent reports indicate the DOJ has shared only a small portion of the material it is reviewing, with more than 2 million documents still under review.
Some Republicans have indicated they are moving on. Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado told Politico, “I don’t give a rip about Epstein,” adding, “I’ve done what I had to do for Epstein. Talk to somebody else about that. It’s no longer in my hands,” according to accounts of the exchange.
The measure passed overwhelmingly in Congress last fall after months of public pressure and bipartisan calls for transparency. Colorado Public Radio reported that Boebert was among those Republicans who kept their name on a discharge petition that helped force House action to advance the release effort.
With Republicans now controlling the House agenda, Democrats and outside groups have been left to advocate for oversight. Victims’ advocates have criticized the DOJ’s pace and the extent of redactions, arguing that the delay denies survivors transparency and accountability.
NEW: The DOJ has filed a motion to block the appointment of an independent monitor to release the Epstein files in the Ghislaine Maxwell case.
The DOJ argues that federal courts lack the authority to enforce the Epstein Transparency Act and that Reps. Ro Khanna and Thomas… pic.twitter.com/7FCvrlJ5ng
— MeidasTouch (@MeidasTouch) January 17, 2026
Lawmakers who co-sponsored the legislation have sought court involvement. Reps. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., and Thomas Massie, R-Ky., have asked a federal judge to appoint a neutral expert to oversee compliance related to filings in the Ghislaine Maxwell case. The DOJ has opposed that request.
In a court filing, Manhattan U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton stated that members of Congress lack standing to intervene in the criminal case and that the court has no authority to grant their request. The DOJ has argued that the review requires careful handling to protect victims and manage the size of the document collection.
Publicly, DOJ leaders have reported progress while claiming that certain issues are slowing down the operation. Attorney General Pam Bondi has said the department has made “substantial progress” while dealing with “inevitable glitches,” including duplication and technical issues related to the large volume of records, according to reports that cited correspondence to judges.
The department’s pace has raised questions about whether the administration is withholding politically sensitive material. The law prohibits the government from delaying releases to protect politically exposed individuals, but the DOJ has said the need for victim protection is the priority.
The political climate has cooled on Capitol Hill as other priorities take center stage, including immigration issues, spending deadlines, and oversight disputes with the administration. In this context, Republicans who once pushed for transparency have largely withdrawn from the public pressure campaign directed at the DOJ.
It could take years, and after Trump’s presidency ends, before the files are released. The DOJ has not indicated when it expects to finish reviewing and publishing the remaining materials. It is yet to be seen how long the public pile on the pressure before another scandal takes the attention away from the Epstein Files.
