Attorney General Bonta: We Demand Justice for Epstein Survivors
OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta, alongside a coalition of 17 attorneys general, today joined a comment letter urging Congress to swiftly pass the Epstein Files Transparency Act II (EFTA II).
“The systemic cover-up of this global pedophilic sex trafficking ring is a glaring stain on our nation, and it is time to clean house. For too long, those in power have silenced these survivors and hidden behind redactions. That cover-up must end,” said Attorney General Bonta. “We must make survivor voices louder than the corrupt systems that are protecting their abusers. Passing EFTA II will grant my office legal tools needed to help pursue justice and criminal accountability right here in California. This letter sends a strong message to Congress and the Trump Administration that we are done waiting for them to do the right thing — the states are joining together because protecting children transcends politics."
Congressional efforts to pass the Epstein Files Transparency Act (EFTA I) succeeded on November 19, 2025, after overcoming initial resistance from House Republican leadership and President Trump. The statute mandated that the United States Department of Justice (US DOJ) publicly release all unclassified records, communications, and investigative materials related to Jeffrey Epstein and his associates in a searchable format within 30 days. While the law explicitly prohibited withholding information to protect public figures from exposure, it permitted narrow exceptions for victim privacy, child sexual abuse materials, national security, and active investigations. Ultimately, the US DOJ missed its December 19, 2025, deadline with an initial production that was incomplete and haphazard.
The proposed EFTA II aims to enforce compliance with EFTA I by allowing state and local authorities to sue the U.S. Attorney General over unlawfully withheld or redacted records. Co-sponsored by Representatives Thomas Massie and Ro Khanna, the bill establishes broad legal standing for states, residents, and law enforcement agencies suffering investigative or informational harm, exempts requests from agency regulations that could prevent the disclosure, and introduces criminal penalties for non-compliant DOJ employees. Although currently stalled in the House Judiciary Committee due to leadership opposition, the authors announced in mid-September 2026 that they secured 218 commitments for a discharge petition to force a floor vote during the upcoming post-election lame-duck session.
In sending this letter, Attorney General Bonta joins the attorneys general of Arizona, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin.
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