DOJ watchdog launches probe into compliance with Epstein files law

Politics Justice Department watchdog launches probe into compliance with Epstein files law By Jacob Rosen Jacob Rosen Justice Department Reporter Jake Rosen is a reporter covering the Department of Justice. He was previously a campaign digital reporter covering President Trump's 2024 campaign and also served as an associate producer for "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan." Read Full Bio Jacob Rosen Updated on: April 23, 2026 / 1:39 PM EDT / CBS News Add CBS News on Google Washington — The Justice Department's internal watchdog said Thursday that it will audit the department's compliance with the law that required the release of files related to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, following months of bipartisan criticism over how the agency handled the disclosure.The Justice Department's Office of the Inspector General said in a statement that it will "evaluate the DOJ's processes for identifying, redacting, and releasing records in its possession as required by the" Epstein Files Transparency Act, which President Trump signed into law last November. The bill required the Justice Department to release all files related to Epstein and his co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell within 30 days of becoming law, a deadline the department failed to meet.The watchdog office said the probe will review the processes behind the department's "identification, collection, and production of responsive material." It will also examine how the department determined what material would be redacted or withheld under the law, as well as the "processes for addressing post-release publication concerns."The statement said that the office will issue a public report with the audit's results once the review is complete.The Justice Department published an initial batch of files within 30 days of the bill being signed, but that release did not encompass the full scope of material covered by the statute. Days later, the department released a massive tranche of more than 11,000 files, totaling near...