Jeffries: DOJ release of Epstein files ‘inadequate’ and ‘falls short of what the law requires’

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., on Sunday criticized the partial release of files relating to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse after the Justice Department released a trove of redacted files Friday.

“Congress has acted decisively, bipartisan majorities in both the House and the Senate, bill signed into law by the president, and it does appear, of course, that this initial document release is inadequate. It falls short of what the law requires,” Jeffries told ABC News’ “This Week” co-anchor Jonathan Karl.

Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., said he and Rep. Thomas Massie — his Republican partner in the effort to pass the Epstein Files Transparency Act — are considering filing impeachment articles against Attorney General Pam Bondi over the apparent lack of compliance with the law. 

Pressed on whether that’s on the table, Jeffries did not answer directly. 

“Well, I think there needs to be a full and complete explanation and then a full and complete investigation as to why the document production has fallen short of what the law clearly requires,” Jeffries said. “And so the next step in the process is going to be that written justification to try to explain to the Congress, to the survivors, most importantly, and to the American people.

Republican Sen. Rand Paul also weighed in on the Epstein files’ partial release on “This Week,” calling it “a mistake” and suggesting the Justice Department release the Epstein files in their entirety. Paul commented that DOJ’s partial release will “plague them for months.”

“Any evidence or any kind of indication that there’s not a full reveal on this, this will just plague them for months and months more. So my suggestion would be give up all the information and release it,” Paul said.

Here are more highlights from Jeffries’ interview:

On a Quinnipiac poll showing 18% approval of Congressional Democrats

Karl: What are you doing wrong?

Jeffries: Well, clearly, that’s an outlier poll. Listen, the most significant indicator of public sentiment is are you winning elections or are you losing elections? And on that front, Democrats have been winning elections since January … These results aren’t ambiguous. They’re not unclear. They are unequivocal that the American people are rejecting Republican extremism and embracing our affordability agenda.

On whether Congress will extend ACA subsidies in 2026

Karl: You have successfully forced a vote in the House, which will happen in January on a three-year extension of those Obamacare tax credits. That I assume will pass in January, all things stay the same, but, but the Democratic — I mean, the Republican leader in the Senate has already said it’s dead on arrival.

Jeffries: Well, the Republican leader in the Senate is not serious about protecting the health care of the American people. The clock is ticking. No more excuses. Republicans have been burying their heads in the sand for the last several months. Meanwhile, tens of millions of Americans on the brink of experiencing dramatically increased health insurance premiums if the Affordable Care Act tax credits are not extended.

And House Democrats are going to continue to fight to get this extension through the Congress on our side. It will pass with a bipartisan majority, and then that will put the pressure on [Senate Majority Leader] John Thune and Senate Republicans to actually do the right thing by the American people.