Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., challenged Attorney General Pam Bondi's claim that the Justice Department has released all department-held files tied to Jeffrey Epstein, saying in a weekend social media thread that not everything has been made public and that privilege claims will not withstand court scrutiny.
Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche told congressional judiciary leaders in a Feb. 14 letter that, under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, the department released all "records, documents, communications and investigative materials in the possession of the Department" that "relate to" nine categories, including investigative and prosecutorial records, travel records, and documentation surrounding Epstein's detention and death.
The letter also said the only records withheld were those for which permitted withholdings and privileged material were not segregable from responsive material, citing the deliberative-process privilege, work-product privilege, and attorney-client privilege.
It added that no records were withheld or redacted on the basis of "embarrassment, reputational harm, or political sensitivity," and that redactions were made to protect victims' privacy and avoid jeopardizing active investigations or prosecutions.
In response, Mace wrote Saturday that "not all the Epstein files have been released" and that "This isn't going away until people go to jail."
She also criticized the Justice Department's reliance on privilege, writing that citing "Work Product Privilege" would not prevent disclosure in court.
In the same thread, Mace pointed to what she described as an internal FBI email dated March 17, 2025, which she said showed agents asking for "clear and specific guidance" about redacting photographs depicting "former U.S. Presidents, Secretary of State, and other celebrities."
Bondi and Blanche's letter included a list of "politically exposed persons" named or referenced in the released materials, including President Donald Trump and other public figures, while emphasizing that names could appear in a wide variety of contexts. Mace argued publicly that the list was incomplete.
Mace expanded on her criticism in a Saturday interview on Newsmax, saying Democrats turned a recent hearing into "a true circus" rather than "getting to the bottom of the truth," and saying she wants more focus on victims and on what she called unresolved questions about "co-conspirators."
She said she wants the "documents unredacted" and "the co-conspirators' names," and claimed the DOJ had "quietly removed certain documents from the DOJ website after they were posted," saying she sought an explanation of what was removed and why.
Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
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