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Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche declared on CNN's "State of the Union" that there would be no additional prosecutions related to Jeffrey Epstein, despite the 3.5 million pages of documents released containing references to numerous powerful individuals. Blanche acknowledged the materials contain "disturbing content" including correspondence, emails, and photographs, but stressed they do not meet the threshold for prosecution: "There's a lot of horrible photographs that appear to be taken by Mr. Epstein or people around him, but that doesn't allow us necessarily to prosecute somebody."
On Fox News, Blanche stated: "It's not a crime to party with Mr. Epstein. Some of these men may have done horrible things, and if we have evidence that allows us to prosecute them, you better believe we will." He claimed DOJ's review of Epstein records concluded over the summer of 2025 that no basis existed for new criminal investigations, a position unchanged despite the massive document release refocusing attention on Epstein's links to powerful individuals worldwide.
The announcement drew immediate condemnation from survivors and lawmakers. A group of Epstein survivors issued a statement: "Survivors are having their names and identifying information exposed, while the men who abused us remain hidden and protected. The Justice Department cannot claim it is finished releasing files until every legally required document is released and every abuser and enabler is fully exposed." Representative Ro Khanna criticized DOJ's handling: "They were cavalier, at best, when it comes to the survivors, and they took great lengths to protect some of the rich and powerful people who actually committed the crimes and morally heinous acts." The decision codifies a two-tier justice system where powerful individuals connected to systematic elite abuse face no consequences.