Key Democrat accuses the Justice Department of ‘spying’ on lawmakers reviewing Epstein files

WASHINGTON (AP) — A top Democrat is calling for a watchdog investigation after photographs emerged suggesting that the Justice Department has been tracking the search history of lawmakers who are reviewing files from the Jeffrey Epstein investigation.

Rep. Jamie Raskin, the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, asked the Justice Department’s inspector general to investigate what he characterized as “spying” on members of Congress who this week have reviewed less-redacted versions of the Epstein files at a department annex and on department-owned computers.

Photographs taken during Attorney General Pam Bondi’s hearing before the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday showed her holding a binder open to a page that said “Jayapal Pramila Search History” and that listed a series of documents that were apparently reviewed. Pramila Jayapal is a Democratic congresswoman and was among the Judiciary Committee members who pressed Bondi during the hearing about the department’s handling of the Epstein files.

Jayapal called it “totally unacceptable” and said lawmakers will be “demanding a full accounting” of how the department is using the search history.

“Bondi has enough time to spy on Members of Congress, but can’t find it in herself to apologize to the survivors of Epstein’s horrific abuse,” Jayapal said in a post on X.

A bipartisan contingent of lawmakers has traveled in recent days to a Justice Department outpost to review less-redacted records from the files, but some who have seen the documents have complained that too much information about Epstein associates remains withheld from view. The Trump administration Justice Department said last month that it was releasing more than 3 million pages along with more than 2,000 videos and 180,000 images related to Epstein investigations.

Spokespeople for the Justice Department did not immediately return a request seeking comment Thursday. Representatives for the inspector general’s office also did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment.

In a statement, Raskin said that not only had the Justice Department withheld records from lawmakers “but now Bondi and her team are spying on members of Congress conducting oversight in yet another blatant attempt to intrude into Congress’s oversight processes.”

He added: “DOJ must immediately cease tracking any Members’ searches, open up the Epstein review to senior congressional staff, and publicly release all files—with all the survivors’ information, and only the survivors’ information, properly redacted—as required by federal law.”