Judge criticized by Trump will oversee case regarding Jeffrey Epstein's files

The federal judge Tanya Chutkan -reviled by Donald Trump for presiding over the criminal case related to his attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 election- will oversee a lawsuit against the Department of Justice for its handling of the so-called Epstein Files.

The U.S. Department of Justice is facing a lawsuit under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) for its handling of documents obtained during the federal investigation against the late financier and sexual predator Jeffrey Epstein.

The organization Democracy Forward filed the lawsuit in the District Court of Columbia and requested Federal Judge Tanya Chutkan to order the expedited processing of their petition, reported the newspaper New Republic.

Chutkan, appointed by Barack Obama, is known for having presided over the criminal case against Donald Trump related to his attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 election, a process that was dismissed following the Supreme Court's ruling on presidential immunity in 2024.

Skye Perryman, president and CEO of Democracy Forward, accused the Trump-Vance administration of failing to fulfill its campaign promises to declassify a significant portion of the Epstein files.

"President Trump has repeatedly stated that he would release the files; his spokesperson asserts that his administration is 'the most transparent in history,' yet they continue to withhold information from the American people," Perryman declared.

The organization seeks to obtain communications between senior administration officials and case review records, including interactions between Trump and Epstein.

In February, the White House announced a first partial release of documents, which included flight logs and Epstein's infamous "black book," both of which had been previously published, as well as a list of evidence found in the tycoon's properties in New York and the Virgin Islands.

After that announcement and the statements from Attorney General Pam Bondi that she had the list of clients on her desk, the government backed down.

A memorandum dated July 6 stated that, after reviewing more than 300 gigabytes of data and physical evidence, "no incriminating list of clients" was found.

In the midst of the dispute, Trump sued the Wall Street Journal for an article that linked him to a letter allegedly sent to Epstein for his 50th birthday.

The president, who appears in several photographs with the businessman, is even seeking to depose Rupert Murdoch, the owner of the newspaper, although that appearance has been postponed due to health reasons.

Democracy Forward insists on a swift resolution, arguing the "extraordinary need" to inform the public and the concern over a possible pardon for Ghislaine Maxwell, who was sentenced to 20 years in prison for sex trafficking of minors.

According to NBC, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche recently met with Maxwell, who reportedly stated that she did not see Trump involved in any illegal activities during her friendship with Epstein.

The Department of Justice is considering releasing the transcripts of those meetings.

Shortly thereafter, Maxwell was transferred from a prison in Florida to a minimum-security facility in Texas, where most inmates are serving sentences for non-violent and white-collar crimes.

For Democracy Forward, these decisions could “permanently impact” Maxwell's willingness to disclose information regarding the handling of the Epstein case and government decisions related to the release of data linked to the magnate.

Frequently Asked Questions about the Epstein Case and Donald Trump's Involvement