In recent developments in Washington, Rep. Jamie Raskin, the leading Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, has called for an investigation into the Justice Department's (DOJ) alleged surveillance of congressional lawmakers. The concern arose after photographs surfaced indicating that the DOJ may have tracked the search histories of members who are reviewing files related to the Jeffrey Epstein investigation.
During a hearing, an image showcased Attorney General Pam Bondi holding a document labeled 'Jayapal Pramila Search History,' which listed specific documents reviewed by Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, who has vocally criticized the DOJ's management of the Epstein files. In response, Jayapal branded the act as 'totally unacceptable' and asserted that legislators would seek a complete accounting of the DOJ's data use.
Raskin emphasized the severity of the situation, claiming that not only have crucial records been withheld from lawmakers, but the DOJ's actions also impede Congress's oversight functions. He urged the department to halt any tracking of congressional members' searches and called for the timely release of all Epstein-related documents, with appropriate redactions to protect survivors' identities.
The bipartisan committee recently visited a DOJ outpost to review less-redacted records, but many lawmakers expressed dissatisfaction over the substantial amount of information still being withheld about Epstein's associates. The Trump administration's DOJ previously announced it would release over 3 million pages of documents, along with thousands of videos and images related to Epstein's cases.
Efforts to gain clarity on the DOJ's practices and transparency regarding sensitive materials continue, with calls for accountability gaining momentum among legislators.
