{"id":2467665,"date":"2025-07-28T11:59:02","date_gmt":"2025-07-28T15:59:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/doj-hit-with-trump-epstein-foia-request-from-democrat-aligned-group\/"},"modified":"2025-07-28T12:00:32","modified_gmt":"2025-07-28T16:00:32","slug":"doj-hit-with-trump-epstein-foia-request-from-democrat-aligned-group","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/doj-hit-with-trump-epstein-foia-request-from-democrat-aligned-group\/","title":{"rendered":"DOJ hit with Trump-Epstein FOIA request from Democrat-aligned group"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fdoj-hit-with-trump-epstein-foia-request-from-democrat-aligned-group%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2467665&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The State Democracy Defenders Fund (DDF), a Democrat-aligned legal association, has filed Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests with the Department of Justice (DOJ) to obtain federal records related to possible interference by the Trump governance in investigations into Jeffrey Epstein. The group seeks to uncover whether President Donald Trump, the DOJ, and the FBI have engaged in a cover-up regarding Epstein and to determine if Trump&#8217;s name appears in any related documents. This comes amid scrutiny of the Trump administration&#8217;s handling of Epstein files, criticism over the DOJ&#8217;s slow and limited release of information, and allegations by Senator Dick Durbin that DOJ officials flagged epstein-related records mentioning Trump to limit their release. The requests target communications about how references to Trump or his Mar-a-Lago estate where managed during the review of Epstein files. Meanwhile, Trump has pushed for full disclosure of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/pollak-in-contempt-votes-democrat-house-shows-it-is-beneath-contempt\/\" title=\"Pollak: In Contempt Votes, Democrat House Shows It Is Beneath Contempt\">grand jury materials<\/a>, though courts have blocked these efforts.Legal experts suggest that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/donald-trump-arrest-former-president-not-due-in-court-until-december\/\" title=\"Donald Trump arrest: Former ... not due in court until December\">unsealed court records<\/a> might be more revealing than grand jury transcripts.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">DOJ hit with Trump-Epstein FOIA request from Democrat-aligned group<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2183488\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/3296571\/doge-lawsuits-trump-transparency-lapse-dark-money\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">State Democracy Defenders Fund<\/a>, a Democrat-aligned legal hub, on Monday filed a series of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/foia\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Freedom of Information Act <\/a>requests for federal files as it investigates whether the Trump administration is unlawfully interfering with investigations into Jeffrey Epstein.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>DDF is<a href=\"https:\/\/www.democracydefendersfund.org\/prs\/7.28.25-pr\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\"> seeking more records<\/a> about whether President Donald Trump, the Justice Department, and the FBI are involved in a cover-up designed to hide information about Epstein.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/crime\/3483530\/suspect-identified-walmart-stabbing-injured-11-people\/\">Suspect identified in Walmart stabbing that injured 11 people<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/crime\/3483450\/terrorism-assault-charges-michigan-walmart-stabbing\/\">Authorities seek to file terrorism and assault charges in Michigan Walmart stabbing<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/crime\/3483301\/marc-veasey-dismisses-gabbards-russiagate-fight-as-effort-to-stay-relevant\/\">Marc Veasey dismisses Gabbard&#8217;s Russiagate fight as effort to &#8216;stay relevant&#8217;<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>&ldquo;These records may also reveal to the public a potential attempt to cover up negative or potentially criminal conduct, including by President Trump,&rdquo; DDF wrote in a letter to the DOJ.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Given contradictory statements made by the Department, and the fact that President Trump had a <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >prior long-standing friendship<\/a> with Epstein before it ended in around 2004, disclosure of these records would conclusively show whether the Department has the information it now purports that it does not have, and, if such records exist, whether Donald Trump&rsquo;s name appears in any of the documents related to Jeffery Epstein,&rdquo; the<a href=\"https:\/\/s3.documentcloud.org\/documents\/26032052\/epsteinfoia.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\"> letter<\/a> continued. &ldquo;This release is also important to understand whether any undue political influence by the President has affected the Department&rsquo;s ability or willingness to release documents related to Jeffrey Epstein.&rdquo;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The organization&rsquo;s FOIA request comes after the Trump administration has been scrutinized over its handling of the Epstein case.<\/p>\n<p>Trump campaigned on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/musk-suggests-epstein-files-release-will-be-high-priority-for-america-party-washington-examiner\/\" title=\"Musk suggests ... ... will be high priority for America Party - Washington Examiner\">releasing files related<\/a> to the case, which has long provoked speculation that the now-deceased Epstein, a convicted sex offender, may have held<a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/investigations\/3476483\/epsteins-brother-demands-to-see-bannons-unseen-footage-of-sex-offender\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\"> shadowy connections<\/a> to the intelligence community, such as the CIA, or Israel&rsquo;s Mossad, which used him to build relationships with a host of prominent figures to help the government influence and monitor society.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Led by Attorney General Pam Bondi, the Justice Department released records related to the case in February, but provoked backlash due to findings that the information had, by and large, already been released. Further backlash ensued when Bondi concluded weeks ago that Epstein did not possess a &ldquo;client list&rdquo; of powerful figures he blackmailed by providing them with illicit sex with minors.<\/p>\n<p>Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL)<a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/3476334\/dick-durbin-bondi-fbi-agents-flag-epstein-files-mention-trump\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\"> alleged earlier this month<\/a> that the slow release could stem from Trump&rsquo;s relationship with Epstein. The two ran in similar circles and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/3475536\/timeline-trump-epstein-relationship-friendship-fallout-beyond\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">became friends <\/a>until the early 2000s, when Trump banned Epstein from his Mar-a-Lago home in Florida.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">President Donald Trump signs executive orders in the Oval Office of the White House, Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo\/Evan Vucci)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Durbin accused Bondi&rsquo;s DOJ of ordering&nbsp;FBI agents and<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bloomberg.com\/news\/newsletters\/2025-03-28\/fbi-agents-foia-staff-pulling-all-nighters-reviewing-jeffrey-epstein-files\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\"> FOIA analysts<\/a> who were parsing through thousands of files to release to the public to &ldquo;flag&rdquo; records related to the Epstein case that mentioned Trump.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>In its FOIA request Monday, DDF requested all communications that discuss how DOJ and FBI officials approached references to Trump or Mar-a-Lago as they examined the Esptein files, including &ldquo;any communications that describe how to flag, categorize, or memorialize mentions of President Trump.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The Trump administration <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/investigations\/3478970\/who-is-ghislaine-maxwell-what-can-the-trump-administration-do-to-make-her-speak-epstein\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">continues to investigate Epstein<\/a>, with the president calling on the DOJ to release all grand jury files related to the case, although that effort was recently blocked by the courts. <\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/3476334\/dick-durbin-bondi-fbi-agents-flag-epstein-files-mention-trump\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">DURBIN SAYS BONDI INSTRUCTED FBI AGENTS TO FLAG EPSTEIN FILES THAT MENTIONED TRUMP<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Alan Dershowitz, a former Epstein lawyer and Harvard law professor,&nbsp;has cast doubt on whether grand jury transcripts would have shed further light on the case, arguing that &ldquo;sealed records by two or three federal judges in the New York courts&rdquo; would be more likely to settle the waters. <\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;The information that hasn&rsquo;t been requested is going to be far more informative and far more relevant than the grand jury information,&rdquo; Dershowitz <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/3476873\/dershowitz-no-revelations-coming-epstein-grand-jury-transcripts\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">said earlier this month<\/a>. &ldquo;Grand jury information is narrowly tailored by prosecutors only to provide sufficient evidence to result in an indictment.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_2183488\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"2183488\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>DOJ faces Trump-Epstein FOIA request from Dem group<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3142,"featured_media":2467666,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/AP25035742224602.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[7076,9006,3634],"class_list":["post-2467665","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-doj","tag-epstein","tag-trump"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/AP25035742224602.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2467665","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3142"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2467665"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2467665\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2467669,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2467665\/revisions\/2467669"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2467666"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2467665"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2467665"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2467665"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}