Deputy US Attorney General Todd Blanche has announced that the Justice Department's review of the Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell sex-trafficking case is officially concluded. Speaking in interviews with ABC News and CNN, Blanche emphasised the government's commitment to victims but stated that prosecutors cannot manufacture evidence where it does not exist.
Victims' Attorney Slams Justice Department Handling
Jennifer Freeman, an attorney representing victims in the Epstein case, has launched scathing criticism of the Department of Justice's approach to the massive document release. Freeman described the handling of the Epstein files as "a mess from the start" and accused federal authorities of attempting to wash their hands of what she called "one of the largest law enforcement failures in US history."
"Victim-survivors and their advocates won't allow the federal government to simply dump a couple million documents and move on," Freeman stated. She further alleged that the Justice Department has been "hiding the names of perpetrators while exposing survivors" through the document disclosures.
Latest Disclosures Raise Questions
The release of approximately 3.5 million pages of documents related to Epstein on Friday has prompted renewed scrutiny. Some documents suggest potential involvement of other men in Epstein's sexual abuse activities, raising questions about official contentions that insufficient evidence exists to investigate third parties for potential criminal involvement.
Grammy Awards Feature Political Statements
Meanwhile, at Sunday's Grammy Awards ceremony, several prominent musicians used the platform to express political views. Bad Bunny, who won three awards including album of the year, used his acceptance speech to call out anti-immigration sentiment, stating: "We're not savage, we're not animals, we're not aliens, we're humans and we are Americans."
Multiple artists, including Justin Bieber and Carole King, wore anti-ICE pins during the ceremony, while Billie Eilish used her song of the year acceptance speech to declare: "No one is illegal on stolen land."
Federal Agents Identified in Fatal Shooting
In separate developments, government documents have reportedly identified the two federal officers involved in the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis. According to ProPublica, border patrol agent Jesus Ochoa, 43, and Customs and Border Protection officer Raymundo Gutierrez, 35, were the agents who fired their weapons during the confrontation that resulted in Pretti's death.
The shooting has sparked widespread demonstrations and renewed calls for criminal inquiries into federal immigration enforcement actions. CBP, the agency employing both men, has declined to publicly name the agents involved and has released minimal additional information about the incident.
Mormon Women's Group Achieves Redistricting Victory
In Utah, Mormon Women for Ethical Government has achieved a significant political victory against a Republican-led redistricting initiative. What began as a Facebook group in 2017 has evolved into one of the state's most effective civic forces, successfully suing the Utah state legislature over congressional redistricting that favoured Republican candidates.
The group's action has resulted in state lawmakers being required to draw new maps that could potentially create a Democratic congressional seat in the 2026 midterm elections.
Additional News Developments
In other news, actor John Lithgow has criticised JK Rowling's views on transgender rights as "ironic and inexplicable," while expressing distress over backlash to his decision to play Albus Dumbledore in the upcoming Harry Potter series. Democrat Taylor Rehmet has won a special election for the Texas state senate, flipping a reliably Republican district.
The John F Kennedy Center will halt entertainment events for two years starting on 4 July during renovations, according to a post by Donald Trump on Truth Social. Meanwhile, Amazon's Melania Trump documentary has reportedly earned $7 million in its US opening weekend against production and promotion costs totalling $75 million.
Climate and Technology Developments
Fossil fuel companies could face financial responsibility for climate damage under proposed UN tax rules currently under negotiation. The proposed framework could also include a global wealth tax targeting the ultra-rich.
In technology news, TikTok has experienced a turbulent first week under American ownership, facing a major outage, user backlash over perceived censorship, and an inquiry by the California governor alongside competition from emerging rivals.
Finally, investigations have been launched in Rome after claims emerged that an angel in a landmark church was restored in the likeness of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
