THE US DEPARTMENT of Justice’s internal watchdog said that it is reviewing the department’s compliance with the law mandating the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files.

The material was made public under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which required the government to open its files on the late financier as well as Ghislaine Maxwell, his former girlfriend who was convicted of sex trafficking in December 2021. 

But the release has been widely criticised by both Democrats and Republicans for being too slow, along with the redactions of names of people who may have committed crimes and the release of information about survivors, including names and photographs.

In a statement, DOJ deputy inspector general William M Blier said that “preliminary objective” of the audit is to review the department’s “identification, collection, and production of responsive material”.

It will also look at its “guidance and processes for redacting and withholding material consistent with the requirements enumerated in the act” and the processes “for addressing post-release publication concerns”.

If circumstances warrant, the OIG will consider addressing other issues that may arise during the course of the audit,” the statement added. 

It marks the first significant effort by the watchdog – since Donald Trump took office for a second time – to scrutinise the actions of a department that has been riven by tumult, including mass firings of employees and allegations of politicisation of investigations.

The Epstein saga has shadowed the department for more than a year.

The FBI and DOJ once said in an unsigned statement that they would not release additional records from the Epstein sex trafficking investigation, but they reversed course after the legislation was passed by Congress and signed by Trump.

Signed last November, the Epstein Files Transparency Act mandated the release of all of the files related to the convicted sex offender within 30 days. 

The department released three million documents, with some later being taken down after complaints from survivors that said sloppy redactions had left their identifies exposed.

There has also been criticism that information that could have been damaging to Trump was withheld from disclosure.

Earlier this month, Trump fired Pam Bondi as US attorney general. She had been overseeing the release of the files, with reports that the US president had grown unhappy with her handling of this. She was replaced by Todd Blanche, Trump’s former personal lawyer. 

Epstein died in custody in New York in August 2019, a month after being indicted on federal sex trafficking charges. His death was ruled a suicide. 

With reporting from Press Association