Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Wednesday that he will sign a bill to release Jeffrey Epstein grand jury documents.
“All files related to Jeffrey Epstein's criminal activities should be made public,” DeSantis said. statement. “I am pleased that Congress has taken steps to release grand jury materials from the Florida case in the face of the federal government’s stubborn refusal to uphold accountability. I will sign the bill into law.”
All files related to Jeffrey Epstein's criminal activities should be made public.
We are glad that Congress has taken steps to release the grand jury materials from the Florida case, given the federal government's stubborn refusal to uphold accountability.
Sign the bill… https://t.co/3VjOMMt69a
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) February 21, 2024
The Florida Senate unanimously passed the bill 37-0, paving the way for the release of documents from the 2006 grand jury investigation into Epstein, the convicted sex offender who died in 2019. Boca Raton Democratic Sen. Tina Polsky introduced it. The bill received support and there was unanimous agreement on this issue. The bill aims to shed light on Epstein's legal proceedings in Florida. Mr. Epstein was charged with soliciting sexual acts from a minor, but received a relatively light sentence. according to In the voice of Florida.
A similar bill in the Florida House of Representatives, sponsored by Highland Beach Republican Rep. Peggy Gossett Seidman, was also approved unanimously last week, the newspaper reported. Gossett Seidman emphasized the importance of providing Epstein's victims access to the testimony and evidence presented in the Florida case. (Related: Judge Loretta Preska orders redacting of Epstein Island images mistakenly released by court)
An important provision of the law is that it applies to cases where the person being investigated by the grand jury has died, such as the Epstein case. The investigation specifically targets crimes involving minors and sexual misconduct, Florida Voice reports. Despite this move toward transparency, the bill allows for possible redactions and other restrictions on the release of testimony to protect sensitive information.
With Senate approval, the bill now awaits DeSantis' signature.
