Florida Judge Denies Epstein Grand Jury Records Release

Federal judges in Florida and New York have denied requests to unseal grand jury records related to the Jeffrey Epstein investigations, dealing a setback to the Trump administration's efforts to promote transparency in the case. Judge Robin Rosenberg of Florida ruled that under existing Eleventh Circuit precedent, she lacked the authority to release the grand jury materials, noting the Justice Department had not met the legal standards required for disclosure. In New York, Judge Paul Engelmayer denied Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell's request to access grand jury transcripts, emphasizing the general prohibition on defendants viewing such materials without compelling necessity. The Justice Department clarified that only a fraction of Epstein-related documents were presented to grand juries, with thousands of other records remaining sealed and not subject to disclosure rules, and reaffirmed there is no evidence of an Epstein 'list' of influential figures or conspiracy regarding his 2019 death. President Donald Trump has publicly urged Attorney General Pam Bondi to pursue the release of these secret records to increase government transparency. Meanwhile, House Democrats have pushed to subpoena the Justice Department for more Epstein-related files, seeking to hold the Trump administration accountable amid ongoing political and public scrutiny over the handling of the case.