Top US lawmakers are accusing their own Justice Department of a deliberate cover-up, igniting a political firestorm over the long-awaited release of files on notorious sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The explosive standoff is more than a Washington power struggle; it’s a critical test of transparency and accountability for the powerful, a principle that resonates deeply with Kenyans long demanding the same from their own leaders.

In a stunning rebuke, the bipartisan authors of the recently passed 'Epstein Transparency Act'—Democrat Ro Khanna and Republican Thomas Massie—argued the document release “grossly fails to comply with both the spirit and the letter of the law”. The law required the Justice Department to release all its files on Epstein by a strict deadline.

Khanna highlighted a glaring example of the alleged obstruction: a 119-page document from a New York grand jury that was released completely blacked out. “There’s not a single explanation for why that entire document was redacted,” Khanna noted, adding that the law requires written justification for any redactions.

High-Stakes Standoff Over Secrecy

The congressmen warned that the incomplete release, which Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said would be produced on a "rolling basis" due to the volume of materials, unlawfully shields powerful figures. “We have not seen the draft indictment that implicates other rich and powerful men who were on Epstein’s rape island,” Khanna stated.

This failure to comply has pushed the lawmakers to consider drastic measures against the officials they hold responsible, including Attorney General Pam Bondi. According to Khanna, they are actively “exploring all options,” which include:

• Finding Justice Department officials in contempt of Congress.
• Pursuing the impeachment of senior officials.
• A formal referral for criminal prosecution on charges of obstructing justice.

While the documents released so far do not appear to incriminate former President Donald Trump, who signed the transparency act into law just last month, they contained small reminders of their past association. The core issue, lawmakers insist, remains the fundamental principle of public transparency.

With lawmakers threatening unprecedented action against the nation's top law enforcement agency, the fight for the full truth behind the Epstein saga appears to have only just begun.