Trump DOJ Makes Shock Confession About ‘Missing’ Files

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1:51Michael Popok:Sponsored by GSK. Do you trust the Trump administration and its Department of Justice about a missing three million Epstein files? I don't. There's a new filing by the Department of Justice with a federal judge late yesterday in which without explanation, they have now quote unquote reduced the number of documents that they are still reviewing three weeks past the deadline set by Congress and a statute from 5.2 million at around the holidays to just 2 million documents. And by the way, when we talk about 2 million documents, we're really talking about 20 million to 50 million pages that have to be reviewed.

2:34Michael Popok:But where did the 3 million go? What was the protocol used to determine that 3 million or 3.2 million documents no longer have to be reviewed? We trust the Department of Justice? I certainly don't. And I know you don't. You're here on Midas Touch and on Legal AF. Let's get to the new math. This evolving number constantly shape-shifting before our very eyes. It started about two weeks ago when my podcast partner, Ben Mycelis, located a document in the only documents that have been produced in this case, a measly 12 ,000 documents representing at best 0.06 % of the total pile of Epstein files still the Department of Justice is sitting on for Donald Trump.

3:26Michael Popok:But even in those 12 ,000, we found a document that referred to a million pages or a million documents related to Ghislaine Maxwell's prosecution that had not been reviewed. And then the Department of Justice 12 hours later said, we found another million in the Southern District of New York where Ghislaine Maxwell was being prosecuted. But we're like, all right, well, we found it. But in any event, at least you found it. And then about a week or so later during the holidays, Todd Blanche goes on social media as the number two in the Department of Justice and says, No, that number is not a million.

4:03Michael Popok:It's 5.2 million. But we're working around the clock with 400 people to get to the bottom of it. Hooray. Now there's a new filing here that we're covering on Midas and Legal AF. Came in late last night because Judge Engelmeyer, a federal judge in New York, is where the Trump administration ran along with federal Judge Berman in New York. both of them overseeing the Maxwell and the Epstein matters and begging them to allow the release of the grand jury material and other materials that were under lock and key with the judge as part of the Epstein Transparency Act. Well, now they're under the supervision of a federal judge.

4:45Michael Popok:And Engelmeyer told the Department of Justice, I want this week, by yesterday, a detailed letter explaining how you're going to protect the victims. What's your process? What's your process for redacting? What's your process for review? And give me an update. So I'm like, all right, well, they're going to tell the judge what they told us a week ago, right? There's 5.2 million documents. No, we've got 3 million now missing. Another set of missing documents. Because here's what Todd Blanche, Jay Clayton, the acting U.S. attorney for the Southern District, and Pam Bondi tell Judge Engelmeyer, starting on the bottom of page one over to page two of this letter that it's been filed on the docket.

5:28Michael Popok:Overview of the work in progress. Remember, we put it up on the screen last week, two weeks ago, 5.2 million documents. Multiply that by an average of 10 pages per document, you're talking about 50 million pages. Now listen. First, they confess of how measly and meager their production has been to date. To date, the department has now posted to the DOJ Epstein Library. It's a pretty lofty title for Child Sex Predators Dropbox. Approximately 12 ,285 documents comprising approximately 125 ,000 pages, right? Each document about 10 pages in response to the act. And there are more than 2 million documents potentially responsive to the act that are in various phases of review.

6:21Michael Popok:So I look below like, Like, all right, well, they're going to explain why it's not 5.2 million, right? Nope. No explanation. So we have a missing, just take it on faith, everybody. The Department of Justice and Epstein, the people who decided the Epstein matter know what they're doing. They eliminated 3 million documents from review and production of the American people. This is a demonstration of transparency. This is opaqueness again. Why don't you explain, at least in a footnote, so the American people understand the math and why is it? And then they go on with who is working around the clock on this.

6:58Michael Popok:Now, last week, Todd Blanche said, or we got reporting that said that the lawyers that are assigned to this, and it's taking up most of the remainder of the Department of Justice. Remember, they lost 5 ,000 people in the Department of Justice. They're now saying that 400 lawyers across the department are working not around the clock, but most of a day on this matter. But I don't even think that's true because a week or so ago, the reporting was that they were offering bounties or bonuses of extra time off if you put three to four hours a day into your review. That's not, as they said here, working most of a day or a substantial portion of their workday or all of it, who works three to four hours a day.

7:46Michael Popok:So that's already a lie. On top of where is the missing 3.2 million, Todd Blanche, these are the questions that need to be asked by the Oversight Committee in Congress, by Tom Massey and Ro Khanna, the Congress people who are the sheepdogs and the watchdogs over this. And in a lawsuit that I would hope that they would file about these matters, asking these questions. Where did the 3.2 million documents go? How do you know that it's just this 2 million? What have you done? Where have you searched? There's no outline here in the letter of the piles and the places. They just complain, well, they're spread out all over the place with different record keeping systems.

8:27Michael Popok:Who, who, what, where, how, how many, how many of the 2 million or 5.2 million exist in what pile? Reviewed by who? What didn't you review? Why didn't you review it? Is the IRS files reviewed? Are the postal services files reviewed? You know, there's plenty of places within the executive branch to go hunting for these documents. Have Donald Trump's personal documents been reviewed? No one ever talks about that. Has his cell phone been reviewed? Has his whatever he communicated on back in the day been reviewed? We got another federal judge, for instance, Judge Chutkin, who's overseeing a Federal Freedom of Information Act request demanding the communication between Epstein and Trump be disclosed.

9:13Michael Popok:Where is that? Yeah, it's great you have a website to protect the survivors and the victims, and they can go on an email box and tell you their names to make sure you don't F it up again. But this begs more questions, opens up the door to more questions, and it answers this filing. Let me show you how Ro Khanna and Tom Massey, Tom Massey being the Republican, how they're responding to these types of things. Here's a clip of them calling for the head of Pam Bondi. Let's let's play the clip. What are you going to do about it to force them to comply? I mean, can you do anything? Oh, absolutely. Look, people have talked about.

9:48And by the way, Todd Blanche is the face of this. But it's really the attorney general's office, Pam Bondi, who is responsible. And there are several ways to get at this. Some take longer, some are shorter. The quickest way, and I think the most expeditious way to get justice for these victims is to bring inherent contempt against Pam Bondi. And that doesn't require going through the courts and give her. And basically, Ro Khanna and I are talking about and drafting that right now. OK, well, I mean, on another network this morning, Democratic Senator Tim Kaine said impeachment or contempt. It is premature, Congressman Kana.

10:29And the deputy attorney general said, bring it on. They don't seem to be taking this very seriously. And if you just don't have the math in the Senate, including at least now, this Democratic senator not being convinced, doesn't that sort of show that you're at the limit of pressure? No, we only need the House for inherent contempt and we're building a bipartisan coalition and it would fine Pam Bondi for every day that she's not releasing these documents. I'll tell you why I've talked to the survivors, why this is such a slap in the face. One of the survivors said they released her name accidentally, but they still have not released the FBI file about the people who abused her at her request.

11:08And the problem here is that there are rich and powerful people. We all know this. There are 1 ,200 victims. There are rich and powerful people who either engaged in this abuse, covered it up, or were on this island. And what the American people want to know is who are these people? And instead of holding them accountable, Pam Bondi is breaking the law. And this is the corrupt system, the Epstein class that people are sick of. So I believe we're going to get bipartisan support in holding her accountable. And a committee of Congress should determine whether these redactions are justified or not.

11:38Michael Popok:So there needs to be a lawsuit over this. We're calling for it here on Legal AF. Let's get congressional committee members to file the lawsuit, public interest groups, Freedom of Information Act. I'm going to have Sky Perryman on with me tomorrow from Democracy Forward. She's one of the masters of the use of the Freedom of Information Act. She's got the pending case in front of Judge Judkin. I think they should update their case to say, how did it go from 5.2 million down to only 2 million? And how do you know it's only 2 million? Come on, Sky and Democracy Forward here on Legal AF and on Midas Touch.

12:17Michael Popok:Get to the bottom of it. I'm going to continue to follow it closely. In the meantime, take a moment. In the notes below, slide over to Legal AF YouTube channel, hit the free subscribe button, and help us continue to grow our sub-stack, Legal AF sub-stack. I'm running a 20 % sale on Substack right now on annual membership. That is where independent media and commentary lives. So until my next report, I'm Michael Popak. Hey, everybody. Ben Mycelis here from the Midas Touch Network. I wanted to let you know about my podcast partner, Michael Popak's new law firm. It's called the Popak Firm. Michael Popak's pursuing his dream of starting his own law firm, really based on the popular demand by all the Midas, Mighty and Legal AFers who were approaching Michael Popak with their cases and saying, can you help us?

13:06And at that time, Popak was not able to. So he went out on his own. He started the Popak firm where he is now handling catastrophic injury cases like car accident cases, trucking cases, malpractice cases, big negligence cases, wrongful death cases. So if you or someone you know have a case like this, the consultation with Popak's firm is free. Give him a call. See if you have a case. It's thepopakfirm.com, thepopakfirm.com, or you can call 877-POPAKAF, P-O-P-O-K-A-F. So 1-877-P-O-P-O-K-A-F. give Michael Popak a call and I'm really proud of you Popak thanks for all the hard work you're

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