A South Carolina congresswoman just accused the Department of Justice of spying on lawmakers while they reviewed explosive Epstein files that vanished from public view within hours of their release.
Story Snapshot
- DOJ removed Epstein investigation files from its website after releasing them on January 30, 2026, sparking outrage from Rep. Nancy Mace
- Tracking software monitored congressional search histories while lawmakers reviewed unredacted documents, raising separation of powers concerns
- Attorney General Pam Bondi refused to apologize to Epstein victims during House testimony and carried records of lawmakers’ search activities
- Mace demands answers, arrests, and a special task force to investigate decades of cover-ups spanning four presidential administrations
- Zero arrests have followed the file releases despite evidence showing trafficking occurred in every U.S. state
When Transparency Becomes a Disappearing Act
The Epstein Files Transparency Act passed in late 2025 over President Trump’s objections, forcing the DOJ to release millions of unclassified documents related to Jeffrey Epstein’s sex trafficking network. On January 30, 2026, the agency posted files publicly, then promptly scrubbed them from its website. Rep. Nancy Mace discovered this vanishing act after reviewing unredacted documents in a secure setting, where DOJ software tracked which sections she and other lawmakers searched. The revelation that executive branch agencies monitored congressional activities sent shockwaves through Capitol Hill, with House Speaker Mike Johnson condemning the practice as inappropriate government overreach.
Congressional Confrontation Exposes Deeper Fractures
During House Judiciary Committee testimony in early February, Attorney General Pam Bondi refused to apologize to Epstein’s victims and accused Rep. Pramila Jayapal of engaging in “theatrics.” Victim advocate Marina Lacerda responded publicly, saying Bondi “dehumanized” survivors. What stunned committee members most was Bondi carrying documentation of lawmakers’ search histories into the hearing. Mace viewed this as both a constitutional violation and a deliberate intimidation tactic. The confrontation highlighted a troubling dynamic where victims seeking justice face institutional resistance while perpetrators remain unnamed and uncharged, despite documentary evidence spanning decades.
A Pattern Spanning Four Administrations
Mace framed the DOJ’s inaction as a bipartisan failure stretching back to the George W. Bush administration. The 2008 Florida non-prosecution agreement shielded Epstein and his co-conspirators from federal charges, setting a precedent for elite impunity that persisted through Obama, Trump, and Biden years. Epstein’s 2019 death in custody ended federal prosecution prospects but intensified demands for transparency about his network. The newly released files revealed trafficking operations touching every American state and multiple countries, prompting resignations among European leaders while U.S. officials remained largely silent. Mace noted this disparity with frustration, questioning why foreign governments showed more accountability than American institutions.
The Fight for Accountability Intensifies
Mace sent a formal letter to Bondi demanding explanations for the file removals and the absence of arrests. She announced plans to send similar demands to the CIA and compile a list of names from the Oversight Committee for potential subpoenas and sworn testimony. Her blunt declaration captured the moment’s urgency: “If the DOJ is not going to do their job, then I will do their job for them.” She called for jail time for anyone who enabled cover-ups and pushed for a special task force to investigate systemic failures. The congresswoman emphasized that document releases mean nothing without prosecutions, pointing to victims who suffered exposure of their personal information without seeing perpetrators face consequences.
The stakes extend beyond partisan politics into fundamental questions about justice and power. When agencies tasked with protecting citizens instead monitor Congress members investigating abuse, the system’s integrity collapses. Victims deserve more than performative transparency followed by digital memory-holing. They deserve arrests, trials, and accountability that matches the scale of crimes documented across two decades and fifty states. Mace’s confrontational approach may prove the only leverage capable of forcing action from institutions that have consistently chosen protecting the powerful over serving the vulnerable. Whether her efforts yield arrests or merely more bureaucratic resistance will test whether American justice applies equally or remains a privilege reserved for those outside elite circles.
Sources:
Rep. Nancy Mace Demands DOJ Explain Why Epstein Files Were Removed from Public
Rep. Mace Presses DOJ for More Action After Viewing Unredacted Epstein Files
