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Trump
Signs
Controversial
Epstein
Transparency
Bill
into
Law
Marc
Langston
- White
House
Tell Us
USA News
Network
WASHINGTON
- Donald
Trump
has
signed
into law
a bill
requiring
the U.S.
Department
of
Justice
to
release
all
government
files
related
to the
late
convicted
sex
offender
Jeffrey
Epstein
within
30 days,
marking
the
climax
of a
months-long
political
and
legal
battle
in
Washington.
Congressional
Action
and
Political
Context
The bill
passed
both
chambers
of
Congress
by
overwhelming
margins
after a
rare
bipartisan
revolt,
with the
House
voting
427-1 in
favor of
the
measure.
For
months,
the
Trump
administration
sought
to block
or delay
the
legislation,
with
officials
arguing
it
lacked
necessary
privacy
protections
for
individuals
not
accused
of
wrongdoing.
Despite
these
concerns
and
initial
resistance—including
public
dismissals
of the
bill as
a
“Democratic
hoax”—Trump
reversed
course
amid
mounting
pressure
from
lawmakers,
Epstein
survivors,
and
public
advocacy
organizations.
Trump’s
Announcement
and
Rationale
Trump
announced
the
signing
late
Wednesday
through
a post
on his
social
media
platform,
stating,
“I HAVE
JUST
SIGNED
THE BILL
TO
RELEASE
THE
EPSTEIN
FILES!”
while
criticizing
Democrats
for
trying
to tie
him to
the
Epstein
scandal.
He
insisted
that his
administration
"has
nothing
to hide"
and
maintained
that any
previously
released
documents
mentioning
him have
shown no
wrongdoing
on his
part.
Reactions
and Next
Steps
Democratic
and
Republican
lawmakers
alike
have
described
the
bill’s
passage
as a
victory
for
transparency
and for
the
survivors
of
Epstein’s
sex
trafficking
ring,
many of
whom
watched
the vote
from the
House
gallery.
However,
some
experts
warn
that the
administration
retains
the
power to
restrict
certain
disclosures,
citing
exceptions
written
into the
bill
that
could
allow
sensitive
information
to be
withheld.
Top
Democrats,
including
Senate
Minority
Leader
Chuck
Schumer,
urged
the
Trump
administration
to
comply
with the
law
fully
and
warned
they
would
pursue
further
oversight
should
the
Justice
Department
limit
the
scope of
released
documents.
The law
is set
to take
effect
immediately,
with the
Justice
Department
now
tasked
to
prepare
the
investigative
files
for
public
release
in a
downloadable,
searchable
format.
Broader
Significance
The
signing
of the
Epstein
bill
marks a
significant
milestone
in the
years-long
battle
for
government
transparency
surrounding
Epstein’s
activities
and
social
connections—a
list
that
includes
prominent
business
and
political
figures.
While
the
bill's
enforcement
lacks
strong
mechanisms,
its
near-unanimous
congressional
backing
and
public
attention
may
shape
how
aggressively
the
Justice
Department
discloses
sensitive
files
under
the new
law.
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