WASHINGTON

Two US congressmen asked a federal judge on Thursday to appoint a special master or independent monitor to oversee the Justice Department's handling of documents released under the Epstein Files Transparency Act.

"We are writing to suggest the appointment of a Special Master and Independent Monitor to compel the Department of Justice (DOJ) to make mandatory production under the Act," Democrat Ro Khanna and Republican Thomas Massie, sponsors of the law, wrote to US District Judge Paul E. Engelmayer of the Southern District of New York, raising concerns about the agency’s failure to comply with the act.

The agency said Monday it has released less than 1% of the files related to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, while more than 2 million additional records remain under review for possible public release.

"To date, the Department has now posted to the DOJ Epstein Library webpage approximately 12,285 documents (comprising approximately 125,575 pages) in response to the (Epstein Files Transparency) Act, and there are more than 2 million documents potentially responsive to the Act that are in various phases of review," the five-page letter told Engelmayer.

Khanna and Massie expressed skepticism about the numbers, suggesting that the agency may be overstating the scope of the documents to delay release.

"Put simply, the DOJ cannot be trusted with making mandatory disclosures under the Act," they wrote.

Last month, the Justice Department said it would release the documents "as soon as possible" after the review as part of its obligations under the act, which was signed into law Nov. 19, as well as existing federal statutes and court orders.

Epstein was found dead in his New York City jail cell in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. He pleaded guilty in a court in the state of Florida and was convicted of procuring a minor for prostitution in 2008, but critics call the relatively minor conviction a “sweetheart deal.”

His victims have alleged that he operated a sprawling sex trafficking network that was used by members of the wealthy and political elite.

Epstein’s case has remained a politically charged issue in the US, with lawmakers and victims’ advocates from across the spectrum demanding greater transparency about his network of associates and any individuals who may have facilitated his crimes.

President Donald Trump has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing related to Epstein. Their past social and business ties, as well as Epstein’s extensive links to political, business and academic figures in the US and abroad have fueled calls for the broad release of official records.