Robin Galbraith, 61, of Maryland, and Donna Powell, 67, of Washington, D.C., held signs outside the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, ahead of a U.S. House vote on releasing the Epstein files. (Photo by Ashley Murray/States Newsroom)

WASHINGTON — A bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers is pressing Attorney General Pam Bondi for a briefing this week to review the contents of the Epstein files ahead of the Justice Department’s legally binding public release date later this month.

Sens. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and Ben Ray Luján, D-N.M., and Reps. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., and Ro Khanna, D-Calif., sent a letter to Bondi Wednesday urging “transparency and clarity” as the department prepares to release evidence collected during the federal investigation of the sex offender. Epstein died in a Manhattan jail in 2019 awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.

“We write as the bipartisan lead sponsors of the Epstein Files Transparency Act to express our shared interest in supporting the Department of Justice’s efforts to carry out the provisions of this critical new law,” the lawmakers wrote. 

“In light of the short 30-day deadline to release the Epstein Files, we are particularly focused on understanding the contents of any new evidence, information or procedural hurdles that could interfere with the Department’s ability (to) meet this statutory deadline.”

The U.S. House overwhelmingly approved legislation, 427-1, to compel the Justice Department to publicly release the material. The Senate agreed unanimously. President Donald Trump, after months of calling the files a “hoax,” signed the bill into law on Nov. 19, starting the clock for the Dec. 19 release deadline.

Epstein surrounded himself with influential politicians and celebrities, and had a well-documented friendship with Trump.

‘New information’ emerges

The lawmakers highlighted in the letter that the Federal Bureau of Investigation released a memo in July stating that the department would not be publicly releasing any further information or material related to the Epstein investigation as officials “did not uncover evidence that could predicate an investigation against uncharged third parties.”

But on Nov. 14, the department announced the U.S. attorney’s office in Manhattan would begin “new investigations” into any connections between Epstein and former President Bill Clinton, former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers, and prominent investor Reid Hoffman.

Bondi said Nov. 19 during a press conference that “information has come forward, new information, additional information.”

“In the interest of transparency and clarity on the steps required to faithfully implement the Epstein Files Transparency Act, we request a briefing either in a classified or unclassified setting, to discuss the full contents of this new information in your possession at your convenience, but not later than Friday, December 5th, 2025,” the lawmakers wrote to Bondi.

The law has a carve-out to exempt the release of any material that is part of an ongoing investigation.

In response to States Newsroom’s request for comment, Department of Justice spokesperson Natalie Baldassarre wrote in an email, “I can confirm receipt of the letter but will decline to comment further.”

‘Never-before-seen’ Epstein island photos 

The letter to Bondi comes as Democrats on the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform released “never-before-seen” photos and videos of Epstein’s residence on Little Saint James, a small private island in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The committee requested the images from the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Justice as part of the lawmakers’ ongoing inquiry into Epstein’s activities.

“These new images are a disturbing look into the world of Jeffrey Epstein and his island. We are releasing these photos and videos to ensure public transparency in our investigation and to help piece together the full picture of Epstein’s horrific crimes. We won’t stop fighting until we deliver justice for the survivors,” committee ranking member Robert Garcia said in a statement.

Some of the files, released publicly in a cloud folder, contain images of furnished bedrooms, bathrooms, a room with masks on the wall and what appears to be a dental exam chair, a telephone with a list of names on speed dial, some redacted, and a chalkboard with notes, some redacted, containing what appear to be the words “power” and “deception.”

Videos reveal a large compound with an inground swimming pool and winding stone walkway toward the sea, as well as short clips of bedrooms and at least one medicine cabinet.

The Republican-led committee investigation began in August and is separate from the new law requiring the Justice Department’s disclosure of evidence. 

Committee Republicans did not publish a press release as of Wednesday afternoon on the Democrats’ release of the images and videos.

Last month, committee Democrats released select emails provided by Epstein’s estate. Within hours, committee Republicans released a cache of 23,000 pages of correspondence.

The committee, chaired by Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., has issued several subpoenas, including one to the Department of Justice for all Epstein investigation files. Others include subpoenas to interview Epstein’s co-conspirator and convicted sex offender Ghislaine Maxwell, Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and several former attorneys general.

Epstein had over 1,000 victims, according to the FBI.

Epstein, a former hedge fund manager who claimed he only managed assets for billionaires, pleaded guilty to state charges of soliciting sex from a minor and soliciting prostitution. 

He avoided a federal investigation when the then-U.S. attorney in Miami, Alex Acosta, cut the plea deal with Florida prosecutors.

Acosta would later become Trump’s Labor secretary in 2017.