{"id":2524484,"date":"2025-12-23T23:50:02","date_gmt":"2025-12-24T04:50:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/doj-discloses-information-meant-to-be-redacted-from-epstein-files\/"},"modified":"2025-12-23T23:52:34","modified_gmt":"2025-12-24T04:52:34","slug":"doj-discloses-information-meant-to-be-redacted-from-epstein-files","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/doj-discloses-information-meant-to-be-redacted-from-epstein-files\/","title":{"rendered":"DOJ discloses information meant to be redacted from Epstein files"},"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\">20<\/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-discloses-information-meant-to-be-redacted-from-epstein-files%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=2524484&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 Department of Justice&#8217;s rushed release of thousands of Jeffrey Epstein-related files under the Epstein files Openness Act has led to multiple redaction errors. Investigators and journalists found that some PDFs were obscured wiht black boxes instead of using Adobe&#8217;s permanent &#8220;Redact&#8221; tool,allowing hidden text to be exposed by copying and pasting into programs like Google Docs or Word. One affected document was a government exhibit in a U.S. Virgin Islands civil case against Epstein estate executors Darren Indyke and Richard Kahn; it&#8217;s unclear how many files share the flaw.<\/p>\n<p>Social media users flagged the problem and criticized the DOJ; one commentator called it &#8220;embarrassing&#8221; and suggested personnel consequences. Other release issues included an initially removed (then restored) photo of Donald Trump and some documents that were entirely redacted before later correction. The DOJ has published an initial trove and subsequent batches totaling tens of thousands of files, including a purported letter from Epstein to Larry Nassar that the FBI has labeled fake.<\/p>\n<p>Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche acknowledged that producing all documents can mean some fabricated items are released as the law requires disclosure, and he defended continued full production. The department says it remains committed to transparency and to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/oklahoma-prosecutors-eye-stricter-gun-law-enforcement-to-secure-longer-sentences\/\" title=\"Oklahoma prosecutors seek tougher gun law enforcement for lengthier sentences.\">pursuing federal charges<\/a> against anyone complicit in Epstein&#8217;s trafficking; the Washington Examiner contacted the DOJ for comment on the redaction mistakes.  <\/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 erroneously discloses information meant to be redacted from Epstein files<\/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\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2453732\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>In its hurried attempt to release all the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/epstein-files\/\">Epstein files<\/a> in compliance with federal law, the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/department-of-justice\/\">Department of Justice<\/a> is coming under fire for making several redaction-related errors.<\/p>\n<p>One of the latest problems facing the DOJ is its disclosure of information meant to be obscured from the public to protect certain details, including the identities of <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/jeffrey-epstein\/\">Jeffrey Epstein&rsquo;s<\/a> victims.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4357099\/fbi-confirms-alleged-epstein-nassar-letter-fake-doj-release-files\/\">FBI confirms alleged Epstein-Nassar letter is &#8216;FAKE,&#8217; as DOJ reaffirms commitment to release files<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4356966\/letitia-james-victory-dhs-lawsuit-fema-funding-cuts\/\">Letitia James boasts of victory against DHS in lawsuit over FEMA funding cuts<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4356857\/epstein-files-mention-newly-dropped-co-conspirators-brings-heat-doj\/\">Epstein &#8216;co-conspirators&#8217; mention in <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >newly dropped files brings heat<\/a> to DOJ<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>Online sleuths have discovered a simple method to work around the redactions &mdash; by copying and pasting the redacted text from certain documents into Google Docs or Microsoft Word. The <em>Washington Examiner<\/em> easily uncovered some redacted information while conducting the copy-and-paste test.<\/p>\n<p>One document affected by this error was a <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/multimedia\/Court%20Records\/Matter%20of%20the%20Estate%20of%20Jeffrey%20E.%20Epstein,%20Deceased,%20No.%20ST-21-RV-00005%20(V.I.%20Super.%20Ct.%202021)\/2022.03.17-1%20Exhibit%201.pdf\">government exhibit<\/a> in a civil case led by the U.S. Virgin Islands against Darren Indyke and Richard Kahn, two executors of Epstein&rsquo;s estate. It remains unclear how many documents have the same problem.<\/p>\n<p>The <em>Washington Examiner<\/em> contacted the DOJ for comment on the apparent mistake.<\/p>\n<p>The department reportedly uses the Adobe Acrobat software to redact sensitive information from PDF files. It appears officials in this case used black boxes instead of the dedicated &ldquo;Redact&rdquo; tool, which is designed to permanently remove text, images, and hidden information from sight.<\/p>\n<p>Social media users <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/flyosity\/status\/2003487819587821613\">noticed<\/a> the redaction failure and <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/leftsidehist\/status\/2003443291489234994\">criticized<\/a> the DOJ accordingly.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;The DOJ used Adobe to redact some files that can be undone by copying\/pasting &amp; searching,&rdquo; Sarah Fields, who serves as a <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/smithcountytxgop.com\/precinct-chairs\/\">Republican precinct chair<\/a> in an eastern Texas county, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/SarahisCensored\/status\/2003560210003296687\">said on X<\/a>. &ldquo;This is embarrassing. Someone is getting fired.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Other errors abounded in recent days as the DOJ released more Epstein files on its website. A photo of President <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\">Donald Trump<\/a>, among other images, was <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4135274\/multiple-documents-epstein-files-disappear\/\">initially removed<\/a> over the weekend but was later restored. Also, some documents were <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/BreannaMorello\/status\/2002760271249686920\">entirely redacted<\/a> before the DOJ began to correct the issue.<\/p>\n<p>The DOJ <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4067930\/justice-department-releases-first-round-epstein-files\/\">released an initial trove<\/a> of Epstein files on Friday, which marked the administration&rsquo;s statutory deadline for releasing all files in accordance with the Epstein Files Transparency Act. The department will continue to publish the information in the coming days and weeks.<\/p>\n<p>The latest release on Tuesday encompassed <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4356442\/doj-thousands-more-epstein-files-including-trump-name-flights-ghislaine-maxwell\/\">more than 30,000 files<\/a>, including a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/doj-publishes-bounty-offer-from-would-be-trump-assassin\/\" title=\"DOJ Publishes Bounty Offer From Would-Be Trump Assassin\">letter purportedly written<\/a> by Epstein to fellow sex offender Larry Nassar that the FBI <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4357099\/fbi-confirms-alleged-epstein-nassar-letter-fake-doj-release-files\/\">deemed fake<\/a> for several reasons.<\/p>\n<p>Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said while the DOJ is committed to releasing all the files, many fabricated documents may be caught up in its hasty disclosure.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4356857\/epstein-files-mention-newly-dropped-co-conspirators-brings-heat-doj\/\">EPSTEIN &lsquo;CO-CONSPIRATORS&rsquo; MENTION IN NEWLY DROPPED FILES BRINGS HEAT TO DOJ<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Document production is just that. We produce documents, and sometimes this can result in releasing fake or false documents because they simply are in our possession because the law requires this,&rdquo; he <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/DAGToddBlanche\/status\/2003612982161371186\">said on X<\/a> after the FBI&rsquo;s confirmation of the debunked Epstein-Nassar letter. &ldquo;We will continue to produce every document required by law. Let&rsquo;s not let internet rumor engines outrun the facts.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Attorney General <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/pam-bondi\/\">Pam Bondi<\/a> previously said the DOJ is committed to bringing federal charges against anyone who may have been complicit in the trafficking and exploitation of Epstein&rsquo;s victims. Blanche reiterated this statement in a <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/DAGToddBlanche\/status\/2002814450034999558\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/why-this-average-american-is-voting-for-donald-trump\/\" title=\"Why This Average American Is Voting for ...\">social media post<\/a><\/a>, maintaining the department is not opposed to full transparency surrounding the Epstein files.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/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 accidentally exposes redacted Epstein files<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2159,"featured_media":2524485,"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\/12\/AP25357204107900.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651,538],"tags":[7076,51209,61418,33211,69356],"class_list":["post-2524484","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","category-washington-examiner","tag-doj","tag-epstein-files","tag-leaked-documents","tag-legal-news","tag-redaction"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AP25357204107900.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2524484","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\/2159"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2524484"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2524484\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2524488,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2524484\/revisions\/2524488"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2524485"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2524484"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2524484"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2524484"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}