Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, welcomed the Justice Department inspector general’s announcement this week that it will audit how the agency handled millions of records tied to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
In a statement Friday, Durbin said the Trump administration’s approach to the Epstein case was “flawed from the start” and only fueled conspiracy theories at the expense of victims. He described the inspector general probe as a necessary step to investigate the release of documents and the failure to follow the bipartisan Epstein Files Transparency Act, passed by Congress last year.
The law requires the attorney general to make all unclassified records, communications, and documents related to Epstein and his longtime associate Ghislaine Maxwell publicly available in a searchable format. Democrats have argued for months that the Trump administration did not fully comply.
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (N.Y.) announced in February the creation of a special Epstein Working Group to examine unredacted files and push for complete disclosure of DOJ records. At the time, Schumer accused the department of running “a massive coverup” to protect Donald Trump and others linked to Epstein.
Durbin has consistently called for an inspector general investigation and demanded that both the Justice Department and the FBI preserve all relevant materials. He was joined by Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), who have also pressed for the watchdog review.
Blumenthal wrote on X that Epstein survivors have repeatedly asked for full transparency but that the DOJ has failed to comply with both their requests and the law. The inspector general’s audit is intended to assess compliance with the Epstein Files Transparency Act and identify any gaps in the document release process.
The development comes amid broader bipartisan scrutiny of Epstein-related records. The House Oversight Committee has also been gridlocked over Epstein inquiries, with Democrats accusing Republicans of stalling by canceling formal hearings. Separately, the Gates Foundation launched its own external probe into Epstein ties after new documents surfaced.
Durbin’s office reiterated that the inspector general audit is a critical step toward accountability, but emphasized that full transparency remains the goal. The senator said he will continue to press for the release of all records and for DOJ officials to be held responsible for any noncompliance.
