In a scathing critique amid the December 2025 partial release of Jeffrey Epstein’s investigative files, prominent attorneys representing survivors have accused the Department of Justice (DOJ) of prioritizing the convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell while marginalizing the voices of those she helped victimize. The controversy centers on Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche’s unusual in-person interviews with Maxwell in July 2025, followed by the public release of transcripts and audio in August—moves that survivors’ lawyers describe as giving Maxwell an unchallenged platform to deny wrongdoing and rewrite history.
Maxwell, serving a 20-year sentence for recruiting and grooming underage girls for Epstein, told Blanche she witnessed no inappropriate behavior by high-profile figures, including former President Donald Trump, and downplayed her role in Epstein’s operations. Critics noted Blanche rarely pressed her on contradictions with trial evidence or her prior lies under oath. Shortly after, Maxwell transferred to a minimum-security facility in Texas, sparking accusations of preferential treatment. “This bizarre interview provided her a platform to rewrite history without challenge,” stated the family of the late Virginia Giuffre, one of Epstein’s most vocal accusers. “It invalidates the experiences of brave survivors who risked everything for her conviction.”
The outrage intensified with the DOJ’s December 19 release under the Epstein Files Transparency Act. Despite the law’s mandate for full disclosure of unclassified materials, the initial trove was heavily redacted and incomplete, prompting bipartisan condemnation. Democratic Reps. Jamie Raskin and Robert Garcia accused the DOJ of “defying Congress” while “giving star treatment to Epstein’s convicted co-conspirator, Ghislaine Maxwell.” They highlighted how Maxwell’s denials were amplified through official channels, even as victim identities and key details remained blacked out to “protect privacy.”
Attorneys like Spencer Kuvin, representing multiple survivors, called the partial release “no great surprise” in failing victims again. Brad Edwards, who has litigated for over 200 accusers, lamented missing critical documents, such as witness interviews and evidence summaries from Epstein’s lenient 2008 plea deal. Survivors like Teresa Helm expressed feeling “entirely bypassed and silenced,” noting the DOJ’s engagement with Maxwell contrasted sharply with limited outreach to victims. “We’ve gone from not being at the table to being actively muted,” Helm said.
This disparity underscores a broader pattern, critics argue: amplifying a convicted enabler’s narrative while redactions and delays obscure accountability for others in Epstein’s network. As more files trickle out, survivors demand unredacted truth, insisting their testimonies—not Maxwell’s self-serving claims—should guide justice. For those who endured years of trauma, the DOJ’s actions feel like another betrayal, prioritizing optics over the raw voices of healing and accountability.
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