WASHINGTON: Democrats on Wednesday (Feb 25) accused US President Donald Trump’s administration of the “largest government cover-up in modern history” over reports that it withheld documents relating to allegations that the Republican leader sexually abused a minor.
The Justice Department said it is reviewing its Epstein files to see if any were handled “improperly” but denied any wrongdoing.
The department has released millions of pages from files connected to notorious sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein under a transparency law enacted last year. But public broadcaster NPR found gaps in the files tied to one woman’s 2019 assault complaint against Trump.
Trump has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, arguing that the DOJ’s so-called “Epstein Files” release exonerated him.
Indexes and serial numbers attached to the investigative materials into Epstein’s trafficking ring indicate that FBI agents conducted four interviews with the accuser and generated summaries and accompanying notes, NPR reported.
Only one summary – focused largely on her allegations against Epstein – appears in the public database.
The remaining three summaries and related notes, totalling more than 50 pages, are not available on the Justice Department’s website, according to NPR’s review of the document numbering. The New York Times and cable network MS NOW reported similar findings.
“This is largest government cover-up in modern history. We are demanding answers,” the Democrats on the House Oversight Committee said in statement posted to social media.