WASHINGTON ―Previously stashed away pictures of former President Bill Clintonand other celebrities have found their way into the coveted Justice Department's "Epstein library."
The Dec. 19 release includeshundreds of thousands of documents aboutaccused sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.
But for lack of a good search function, the large volume of materials left it difficult to find specific items. The release provided few references toPresident Donald Trump.
Not all the Epstein documents were released, despite the deadline imposed by Congress. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said lawyers are still sifting through the materials to ensure that victims aren't named or identified, and it could take several weeks to produce the remaining hundreds of thousands of pages.
But here are five takeaways as USA TODAY reporters race to review and catalog documents and photos.
Heavy redactions − and inconsistent ones
Many of the documents released are heavily redacted, limiting what new information might be gleaned after the months-long push by survivors for transparency about what the government knew about the disgraced financier ― and when.
Among the redactions areentire documentsthat are longer than 100 pages and hundreds of photos. The redactions are also spotty. People whose faces are redacted in some photos are not redacted in others.
The Epstein Files Transparency Act allows the Justice Department to withhold documents that name victims, portray child sex abuse or that could hurt criminal prosecutions. But it also states that records cannot be withheld, delayed or redacted "on the basis of embarrassment, reputational harm, or political sensitivity, including to any government official, public figure, or foreign dignitary."
The restrictions covered documents that detailed how lawyers deliberated about their decisions, the work lawyers produced within the department and communications between lawyers and their clients.
"These privileges are based in common law – not statutes – and Congress is fully aware of them," Blanche wrote. "Although the Act broadly categorizes items required to be produced, the Act does not include language expressly requiring the Department to produce privileged materials."
Members of Congress werealready grumbling about the scope of the redactions. A lead sponsor of the legislation, Rep. Ro Khanna, D-California, warned that department officials could face prosecution if they withhold or heavily redact Epstein files that are required to be publicized under the new law.
"Let me be very clear: We need a full release," Khanna saidin a video posted on X. "Anyone who tampers with these documents or conceals documents, or engages in excessive redaction, will be prosecuted because of obstruction of justice."
The attorney general does have the ability to redact or withhold information that personally identifies victims or would jeopardize an active federal investigation, but those redactions must be accompanied by a written justification and submitted to Congress within 15 days
What do the Epstein files show? See photos released by DOJ
Clinton appears in cache of new Epstein photos, as do multiple celebrities
Clinton is featured in several of the newly unveiled pictures, including in a hot tub, with a woman whose face is obscured and with Epstein's associate, Ghislaine Maxwell.
The picture with Maxwell was taken at the Winston Churchill War Rooms in London.
Clinton, who sometimes flew aboard Epstein's private plane, has previously been listed in Epstein documents. He contributed to a 50thbirthday book in 2003.
ButClinton has denied knowing anythingabout Epstein's alleged sex trafficking. Hisspokesperson, Angel Urena, said on social media Clinton was among the people who "knew nothing and cut Epstein off before his crimes came to light."
Celebrities including Mick Jagger, the lead singer and co-songwriter for the Rolling Stones, to famed newsman Walter Cronkite also appear in the more than a thousand photos in the release.
Jagger, Epstein, Clinton and another man can be seen sitting around a table. Cronkite appears with Epstein in another picture.
Actor Kevin Spacey and comedian Chris Tucker appear in pictures with Clinton and Maxwell. Singers Michael Jackson and Diana Ross appear in another picture with Clinton.
None of the celebrities has been accused of wrongdoing with Epstein.
Epstein library search function unhelpful
Congress directed that the Epstein records be publicly searchable. This would allow the public to access the massive trove of investigative files and call up basic queries for names.
But searches pull few results. Earlier in the evening, "Trump" or "Clinton" come up blank.
Some of the specific files that can be downloaded from the department's website can be searched. But the Epstein Files Transparency Act required the documents "in a publicly searchable format."
The files include photographs, contact lists, flight logs, business records and memos, court documents and more. Many are hundreds of pages long and the lack of a search function forced a review of each document individually.
Trump mentioned in lawsuit against Epstein estate
One place where Trump's name came up was in afederal lawsuit in New York in 2020by an Epstein victim against his estate.
The lawsuit alleged that Epstein took the 14-year-old girl to Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate. The victim described Epstein elbowing Trump and asking, "This is a good one, right?" Trump allegedly smiled and nodded in agreement, according to the lawsuit. The victim said she felt uncomfortable but was too young to know why.
Trump, who was friends with Epstein in the 1990s before they had a falling out, has been photographed with Epstein and mentioned before in his flight logs.
But Trump has strongly denied wrongdoing with Epstein.
One of Epstein's victims, the late Virginia Giuffre, said in a 2016 deposition said of Trump she "didn't physically see him have sex with any of the girls." Maxwell told the deputy attorney general in July she "never witnessed the President in any inappropriate setting in any way."
A glimpse inside Epstein's medicine cabinet
Three different kinds of medicines for feminine yeast infections and itching, as well as douche, were among the items listed in an inventory for a medical supplies closet at Epstein's home.
The inventory of more than 70 items, listed by shelf, is in a folder with documents labeled evidence from the Palm Beach Police Department and the FBI.
Hundreds of the files include images of items found either during that initial 2006 investigation or pulled from Epstein's trash in the months before. The random items include household receipts, grocery lists, pay stubs for Epstein, bras, picture frames, books, CDs, floppy disks and a massage table.
Police also found two notes about missed calls from a Jean-Luc, possibly Epstein's longtime associate model agent Jean-Luc Brunel who committed suicide in 2022 while facing charges of raping a minor. Both stated that the caller had spoken to a doctor about a curable virus that could cause impotence if not treated.
Also included isa 96 page incident reportdetailing each step of the Palm Beach Police Department's original investigation into Jeffrey Epstein.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Vaginal cream, celebs and new photos in Epstein library takeaways
