Veteran investigative journalist Vicky Ward, who has covered Jeffrey Epstein for over two decades—from her groundbreaking 2003 Vanity Fair profile to her podcast and TV series Chasing Ghislaine—appeared on Democracy Now! on December 24, 2025, to analyze the Justice Department’s staggered release of Epstein documents. Ward described the process as “heartbreaking,” criticizing the DOJ’s “contemptuous, cavalier attitude” toward survivors demanding full transparency.
The Epstein Files Transparency Act, signed by President Trump on November 19, 2025, mandated complete disclosure by December 19. Yet initial batches were heavily redacted, with entire pages blacked out, and the DOJ later announced the discovery of over a million additional documents, delaying full release by weeks. Ward pointed to early signals of obstruction, recalling Attorney General Pam Bondi’s casual remark about files “sitting on my desk,” as evidence of institutional disdain.
Ward emphasized the raw anguish of survivors, who condemned the partial releases as a “slap in the face.” In a joint letter, victims decried ongoing protections for powerful enablers, echoing decades of frustration over Epstein’s lenient 2008 plea deal and unprosecuted associates. “It’s heartbreaking, frankly, to see these files being dribbled out,” Ward said, noting how delays retraumatize those already silenced by wealth and influence.
The latest batches reveal elite connections—photos of Bill Clinton, flight logs mentioning Trump—but redactions obscure potential leads on co-conspirators beyond Ghislaine Maxwell. Bipartisan lawmakers, including bill co-sponsors Reps. Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie, threaten contempt against Bondi, demanding unfiltered accountability.
Ward’s dissection underscores a broader tragedy: survivors’ relentless fight against a system accused of shielding elites, perpetuating impunity in one of history’s most notorious trafficking cases.
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