US Justice Department Faces Bipartisan Outcry Over Monitoring of Congress’s Epstein File Searches
A dispute has erupted between the US Department of Justice (DOJ) and members of Congress over the monitoring of lawmakers’ activities while reviewing unredacted documents related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The controversy centers on reports that the DOJ tracked the search queries of congressional staff and investigators accessing sensitive files, prompting accusations of violating the separation of powers.
The issue came to a head during a House Judiciary Committee hearing on February 11, 2026, when Attorney General Pam Bondi presented printed material showing specific files and emails accessed by Representative Pramila Jayapal, a Democrat. Lawmakers from both parties expressed outrage. The top Democrat on the committee, Representative Jamie Raskin, called it a “serious breach of trust” and a potential constitutional violation, vowing to investigate what he described as the DOJ “spying on members of Congress conducting oversight.”
Representative Jayapal characterized the tracking as “totally unacceptable” on social media, noting that department officials monitored searches made on government computers required for the review. “It is totally inappropriate and against the separation of powers for the DOJ to surveil us as we search the Epstein files,” she stated.
Access to the unredacted materials was provided under the Epstein Files Transparency Act in a secure DOJ setting, where lawmakers had to use department-owned devices. Some Republicans, including Representatives Nancy Mace and James Comer, confirmed they believed their activity was being logged and timestamped. House Speaker Mike Johnson also condemned any monitoring of lawmakers as “inappropriate.”
The DOJ responded by stating that logging searches on its systems is a standard security measure to protect sensitive information, particularly the identities of victims. However, the department did not directly address lawmakers’ specific concerns about congressional oversight being compromised.
This clash adds to existing congressional frustration with the DOJ’s broader handling of the Epstein files—a vast archive of millions of pages, videos, and images related to historic investigations. Critics across the political spectrum have long accused the department of delaying releases and over-redacting documents that could reveal associates of Epstein. The latest incident intensifies calls for transparency and underscores ongoing tension between legislative oversight and executive branch control of sensitive materials. Lawmakers have indicated they will pursue further accountability over how search data was collected and used.
