Representative Robert Garcia, the Democratic House Oversight Ranking Member, has publicly criticized the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the White House following the DOJ's announcement of discovering an additional million files related to Jeffrey Epstein. Garcia accused the White House of engaging in a cover-up that protects Epstein's associates and those who have allegedly abused women and girls. He described the situation as 'outrageous' and claimed that the DOJ has illegally withheld over one million documents from public access.

Garcia's statement highlighted concerns about the DOJ's handling of the situation, citing 'lies, incompetence, missed deadlines, and illegal redactions.' He called for Pam Bondi, a former Florida Attorney General, to testify before Congress under oath to clarify her role. Additionally, Garcia expressed a desire to hear from whistleblowers or any DOJ personnel who could assist in achieving justice for Epstein's survivors, emphasizing that they are protected by law.

The DOJ stated that the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York and the FBI had informed them of the new documents, which are being reviewed for release in accordance with the Epstein Files Transparency Act and other legal requirements. However, the DOJ warned that the extensive volume of material may delay the release process by several weeks.

In an effort to expedite the review, DOJ leadership has requested that career prosecutors in Florida volunteer to assist with the document redaction process. Reports indicate that there is a possibility of more files being released soon, potentially during the holiday season. Prior to this announcement, estimates suggested that approximately 700,000 documents were still pending release, a figure that has now increased significantly.