A federal judge on Friday gave the Justice Department permission to release transcripts of a grand jury investigation into Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse of underage girls in Florida — a case that ultimately ended without any federal charges being filed against the millionaire sex offender.
U.S. District Judge Rodney Smith said a recently passed federal law ordering the release of records related to the cases overrode a federal rule prohibiting the release of matters before a grand jury.
Releasing the grand jury materials was always a strawman.
“Release the materials seized from Epstein”
“Okay okay since I’m completely committed to transparency and definitely my name’s not all over Epstein’s documents in all kinds of incriminating ways I will release the grand jury materials! See? Full transparency. Just like you definitely asked for. Hopefully this brings the matter to a close.”
It’s an artful dodge, moderately effective so far at shifting the conversation.