In a significant legal development, a federal judge on Wednesday declined a request by Representatives Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) for the appointment of an independent monitor to oversee the Justice Department’s release of documents pertaining to Jeffrey Epstein. The lawmakers had expressed concerns over the transparency and compliance of the department regarding the mandated disclosure of files related to the late sex offender.

U.S. District Judge Paul Engelmayer, presiding over the criminal case against Epstein's associate Ghislaine Maxwell, stated in his 7-page opinion that overseeing the Justice Department’s actions falls outside his jurisdiction. However, he acknowledged the "legitimate concerns" raised by Massie and Khanna about the department’s adherence to federal law.

The denial does not prevent the lawmakers from pursuing further legal action against the department. Engelmayer’s decision emphasized that while he couldn’t enforce supervision over the document release, the legislators and affected parties are still entitled to seek remedies through other legal avenues.

The controversy stems from legislation authored by Massie and Khanna, passed by Congress last year, which required the Justice Department to make millions of pages concerning Epstein public by December 19. The department has since released several batches of documents but has admitted in court filings that many additional pages have yet to be disclosed. Furthermore, concerns have been raised about excessive redactions made to the documents that were released.

The Justice Department’s handling of the Epstein files has been a focal point of scrutiny, with advocates and legislators pushing for greater transparency to uphold the interests of justice and public accountability. The ongoing delays and the limited scope of the disclosed files continue to fuel a heated debate over the federal government's responsibility in managing sensitive and high-profile legal materials.

As the situation unfolds, both lawmakers and victims' advocates are closely monitoring the department's next moves, possibly gearing up for a legal showdown to ensure that the government complies fully with its obligations to disclose all relevant Epstein-related documents.