The US government has published a huge tranche of documents from the “Epstein files” weeks after missing a legal deadline for their release.<\/p>\n
Visit our live blog as we analyse the newly released Epstein files and follow the fallout from their release<\/a><\/p>\n US Deputy Attorney-General Todd Blanche said more than 3 million pages were being released by the Department of Justice (DOJ).<\/p>\n The new tranche of files also included more than 2,000 videos and 180,000 images, he said.<\/p>\n It is the first release of documents related to sex offenders Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell since late last year, when thousands of files were published after Congress voted to force their release.<\/p>\n The new tranche of documents appears to be the final release. Mr Blanche said the “department’s obligations under the act will be completed” once paperwork is finalised, including a report to Congress.<\/p>\n The ABC is in the process of reviewing the files.<\/p>\n Not all files released<\/p>\n Mr Blanche said the DOJ collected more than 6 million pages for potential release, but had “erred on the side of over-collecting” and not all would be released.<\/p>\n “The number of responsive pages is significantly smaller than the number of pages initially collected,” he said.<\/p>\n Loading<\/p>\n Democrats said they were not confident the department was releasing everything it should under the law.<\/p>\n “I will be reviewing closely to see if they release what I’ve been pushing for,” said Democratic congressman Ro Khanna, who sponsored the legislation to release the files.<\/p>\n Mr Blanche said files that were withheld included those containing victims’ personal details, child abuse material, information that could jeopardise active investigations, and depictions of death and physical abuse.<\/p>\n If you or anyone you know needs help:1800 Respect National Helpline<\/a>: 1800 737 732Men’s Referral Service<\/a>: 1300 766 491Lifeline<\/a> (24-hour crisis line): 13 11 14Full Stop Australia<\/a>: 1800 385 578Bravehearts<\/a>: counselling and support for survivors of child sexual abuse: 1800\u00a0272\u00a0831<\/p>\n Other files were not released because they were subject to legal privilege, he said.<\/p>\n “There is extensive redactions to images and videos,” Mr Blanche said at a media conference.<\/p>\n “To protect victims, we redacted every woman depicted in any image or video, with the exception of Ms Maxwell.<\/p>\n “We did not redact images of any men unless it was impossible to redact the woman without redacting the man.”<\/p>\n He said there was “a hunger, or a thirst, for information that I do not think will be satisfied by the review of these documents and there’s nothing I can do about that”.<\/p>\n “There’s this mantra out there that, ‘oh, the Department of Justice is supposed to protect Donald J Trump’ \u2026 that’s not true, that was never the case.”<\/p>\n Missed deadline<\/p>\n The DOJ had been given until December 19 to release the files in full<\/a> with limited redactions permitted.<\/p>\n The Trump administration argued it was an impossible deadline<\/a> given the need to review the millions of documents before publication.<\/p>\n However, thousand of files were published late last year, including court records, police reports, emails, voicemail messages, flight logs and photos of Epstein and many of his well-known associates, often pictured with young woman.<\/p>\n The issues dividing Trump’s base<\/a><\/p>\n The release of the Epstein files followed some of Donald Trump’s dedicated supporters launching a rare revolt against the US president. Here are six more issues that could also divide Republicans.<\/p>\n The DOJ said they also contained “untrue and sensationalist” claims<\/a> about US President Donald Trump, but were released anyway to comply with the law.<\/p>\n