No Fox Guarding the Henhouse at DOJ, Investigate the Epstein Files

Attorney General Pam Bondi’s handling of the Epstein files has triggered bipartisan alarm, and Congress must conduct a thorough investigation. Congress passed the Epstein Transparency Act to ensure that records connected to Jeffrey Epstein’s crimes would be released to the public while protecting the survivors who suffered horrific abuse. Instead, lawmakers from both parties now report missed deadlines, inconsistent redactions, and serious concerns that sensitive information may have exposed victims. Senators have asked the Government Accountability Office to investigate whether the Department of Justice complied with both the letter and the spirit of the law. Survivors deserve better. The transparency law was meant to expose wrongdoing while safeguarding victims from further harm. If the Justice Department mishandled that responsibility, Congress must determine exactly what happened and ensure that the law is followed. At the same time, the Justice Department is proposing a rule that would allow the Attorney General to intervene in state bar ethics investigations involving DOJ lawyers. State bar associations are responsible for enforcing professional standards for attorneys across the country. Allowing the Justice Department to insert itself into those investigations would weaken independent oversight and risk turning ethics enforcement into a process controlled by the very officials whose conduct may be under review. No system of accountability works if the subjects of an investigation are allowed to supervise the investigators. The Justice Department cannot be allowed to become a fox guarding the henhouse when it comes to professional ethics. These two issues together raise serious concerns about transparency and accountability at the nation’s top law enforcement agency. The Department of Justice exists to uphold the rule of law, protect victims, and ensure that justice is applied fairly and impartially. When questions arise about whether the Department itself is meeting those standards, independent oversight becomes even more important. Congress should support a full GAO investigation into the DOJ’s handling of the Epstein files, require complete compliance with the Epstein Transparency Act, and reject any effort to weaken independent ethics oversight of DOJ attorneys. The rule of law depends on accountability. The Justice Department must enforce the law—not place itself beyond scrutiny.