Request to unseal Epstein grand jury transcripts likely to disappoint, ex-prosecutors say
Attorney Sarah Krissoff, an assistant U.S. attorney in Manhattan from 2008 to 2021, called the request in the prosecutions of Epstein and imprisoned British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell 'a distraction.'
' The president is trying to present himself as if he's doing something here and it really is nothing,' Krissoff told The Associated Press in a weekend interview.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche made the request Friday, asking judges to unseal transcripts from grand jury proceedings that resulted in indictments against Epstein and Maxwell, saying 'transparency to the American public is of the utmost importance to this Administration.'
The request came as the administration sought to contain the firestorm that followed its announcement that it would not be releasing additional files from the Epstein probe despite previously promising that it would.
Epstein is dead while Maxwell serves a 20-year prison sentence
Epstein killed himself at age 66 in his federal jail cell in August 2019, a month after his arrest on sex trafficking charges, while Maxwell, 63, is serving a 20-year prison sentence imposed after her December 2021 sex trafficking conviction for luring girls to be sexually abused by Epstein.
Krissoff and Joshua Naftalis, a Manhattan federal prosecutor for 11 years before entering private practice in 2023, said grand jury presentations are purposely brief.
Naftalis said Southern District prosecutors present just enough to a grand jury to get an indictment but 'it's not going to be everything the FBI and investigators have figured out about Maxwell and Epstein.'
'People want the entire file from however long. That's just not what this is,' he said, estimating that the transcripts, at most, probably amount to a few hundred pages.
'It's not going to be much,' Krissoff said, estimating the length at as little as 60 pages 'because the Southern District of New York's practice is to put as little information as possible into the grand jury.'
'They basically spoon feed the indictment to the grand jury. That's what we're going to see,' she said. 'I just think it's not going to be that interesting. ... I don't think it's going to be anything new.'
Ex-prosecutors say grand jury transcript unlikely to be long
Both ex-prosecutors said that grand jury witnesses in Manhattan are usually federal agents summarizing their witness interviews.
That practice might conflict with the public perception of some state and federal grand jury proceedings, where witnesses likely to testify at a trial are brought before grand juries during lengthy proceedings prior to indictments or when grand juries are used as an investigatory tool.
In Manhattan, federal prosecutors 'are trying to get a particular result so they present the case very narrowly and inform the grand jury what they want them to do,' Krissoff said.
Krissoff predicted that judges who presided over the Epstein and Maxwell cases will reject the government's request.
With Maxwell, a petition is before the U.S. Supreme Court so appeals have not been exhausted. With Epstein, the charges are related to the Maxwell case and the anonymity of scores of victims who have not gone public is at stake, although Blanche requested that victim identities be protected.
'This is not a 50-, 60-, 80-year-old case,' Krissoff noted. 'There's still someone in custody.'
Appeals court's 1997 ruling might matter
She said citing 'public intrigue, interest and excitement' about a case was likely not enough to convince a judge to release the transcripts despite a 1997 ruling by the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that said judges have wide discretion and that public interest alone can justify releasing grand jury information.
Krissoff called it 'mind-blowingly strange' that Washington Justice Department officials are increasingly directly filing requests and arguments in the Southern District of New York, where the prosecutor's office has long been labeled the "Sovereign District of New York" for its independence from outside influence.
'To have the attorney general and deputy attorney general meddling in an SDNY case is unheard of,' she said.
Cheryl Bader, a former federal prosecutor and Fordham Law School criminal law professor, said judges who presided over the Epstein and Maxwell cases may take weeks or months to rule.
'Especially here where the case involved witnesses or victims of sexual abuse, many of which are underage, the judge is going to be very cautious about what the judge releases,' she said.
Tradition of grand jury secrecy might block release of transcripts
Bader said she didn't see the government's quest aimed at satisfying the public's desire to explore conspiracy theories 'trumping — pardon the pun — the well-established notions of protecting the secrecy of the grand jury process.'
'I'm sure that all the line prosecutors who really sort of appreciate the secrecy and special relationship they have with the grand jury are not happy that DOJ is asking the court to release these transcripts,' she added.
Mitchell Epner, a former federal prosecutor now in private practice, called Trump's comments and influence in the Epstein matter 'unprecedented' and 'extraordinarily unusual' because he is a sitting president.
He said it was not surprising that some former prosecutors are alarmed that the request to unseal the grand jury materials came two days after the firing of Manhattan Assistant U.S. Attorney Maurene Comey, who worked on the Epstein and Maxwell cases.
'If federal prosecutors have to worry about the professional consequences of refusing to go along with the political or personal agenda of powerful people, then we are in a very different place than I've understood the federal Department of Justice to be in over the last 30 years of my career,' he said.
Krissoff said the uncertain environment that has current prosecutors feeling unsettled is shared by government employees she speaks with at other agencies as part of her work in private practice.
'The thing I hear most often is this is a strange time. Things aren't working the way we're used to them working,' she said.
___
Associated Press Writers Eric Tucker and Alanna Durkin Richer contributed to this report
Solve the daily Crossword
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
22 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Trump's AI Action Plan aims to block chip exports to China but lacks key details
The Trump administration wants its AI technology to be considered an industry leader both on home soil and abroad. But it also doesn't want the U.S.'s AI prowess to empower or embolden a foreign adversary. That's quite the balance to strike. If President Trump's AI Action Plan, which was released on Wednesday, is any indicator, the administration seems to still be figuring out the right course of action to achieve those goals. 'America currently is the global leader on data center construction, computing hardware performance, and models,' the plan stated. 'It is imperative that the United States leverage this advantage into an enduring global alliance, while preventing our adversaries from free-riding on our innovation and investment.' The plan mentions strengthening AI chip export controls through 'creative approaches' followed by a pair of policy recommendations. The first calls on government organizations, including the Department of Commerce and National Security Council, to work with the AI industry on chip location verification features. The second is a recommendation to establish an effort to figure out enforcement for potential chip export restrictions; notably, it mentions that while the U.S. and allies impose export controls on major systems required for chip manufacturing, there isn't a focus on many of the component sub-systems — a hint at where the administration wants the DOC to direct its attention. The AI Action plan also talks about how the U.S. will need to find alignment in this area with its global allies. 'America must impose strong export controls on sensitive technologies,' the plan states. 'We should encourage partners and allies to follow U.S. controls, and not backfill. If they do, America should use tools such as the Foreign Direct Product Rule and secondary tariffs to achieve greater international alignment.' The AI Action plan never gets into detail on exactly how it will achieve Al global alliances, coordinate with allies on export chip restrictions, or work with U.S.-based AI companies on chip location verification features. Instead, the AI Action plans lay out what foundational building blocks are required for future sustainable AI chip export guidelines, as opposed to policies implemented on top of existing guidelines. The upshot: chip export restrictions are going to take more time. And there's ample evidence, beyond the AP Action plan, to suggest it will. For instance, the Trump administration has contradicted itself multiple times on its export restriction strategy in the past few months — including just last week. In July, the administration gave semiconductor firms, like Nvidia and AMD, the green light to start selling AI chips they had developed for China, just months after rolling out licensing restrictions on the same AI chips that effectively pulled Nvidia out of the Chinese market. The administration also formally rescinded the Biden administration's AI Diffusion Rule in May, just days before it was supposed to go into effect. The AI Diffusion rule put a cap on how much AI computing capacity some countries were allowed to buy. The Trump administration is expected to sign multiple executive orders July 23. Whether these will contain detailed plans on how it will reach its goals is unclear. While the AI Action Plan talks at length about figuring out how to expand the U.S. AI market globally, while maintaining dominance, it's light on the specifics. Any executive order regarding chip export restrictions will likely be about getting the proper government departments together to figure out a path forward, as opposed to formal guidelines, quite yet. Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
22 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Jesse Powell cleared by DoJ, slams FBI raid as ‘personally devastating'
Jesse Powell cleared by DoJ, slams FBI raid as 'personally devastating' originally appeared on TheStreet. The U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ) has closed its investigation into the co-founder of cryptocurrency trading platform Kraken, and no charges were filed. The probe originated from a September 2022 FBI raid on Powell's Los Angeles residence, conducted by agents who claimed they suspected Powell had committed cyberstalking and tampered with the online accounts of the Verge Center for the Arts, a Sacramento-based nonprofit. In 2022, the Verge leadership removed Powell as a board member of the organization for violating the group's basic 'principles'. Powell went on to sue Verge and its leaders for fraud and defamation.A U.S. attorney stated that a properly authorized investigation into allegations of criminal conduct had been opened, according to The New York Times, and the case was closed in April of this year. But the letter also said that authorities hold the option to reopen the investigation later on. In a statement to the New York Times on Tuesday, Jesse Powell said the FBI's raid on his home had been "personally and professionally devastating". He said he plans to press ahead with his lawsuit against Verge, the nonprofit he founded in 2007. Interestingly, on X, the founder wrote, "very glad to have this behind me. It never made sense, but neither does @rstormsf's trial. How quickly you can have your life upended. I am grateful for those who saw through it, and for my stellar legal team now, turning my attention back to Kraken." FBI crackdowns on crypto firms Powell's statement was also in solidarity with Roman Storm, the developer of Tornado Cash—a crypto mixing service that is supposed to make digital transactions untraceable. In 2022, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the US Treasury Department blacklisted another DeFi company, Tornado Cash, stating that it had facilitated the laundering of cybercrime proceeds, including over $455 million stolen by Lazarus, a North Korean hacking group, according to FBI also went after Samourai Wallet, in 2024, a Bitcoin wallet service which bears some resemblance to Tornado Cash, arresting its founders on charges of conspiring to launder money. During the administration of President Joe Biden, the crypto industry came under increased scrutiny, with a number of exchanges and their founders accused of money laundering and other crimes. Now, led by President Donald Trump, many of the cases are being dismissed, and some of the people involved were even granted presidential pardons. Jesse Powell cleared by DoJ, slams FBI raid as 'personally devastating' first appeared on TheStreet on Jul 23, 2025 This story was originally reported by TheStreet on Jul 23, 2025, where it first appeared. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
22 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Congressional committees push back on Trump's proposed NOAA budget cuts
Lawmakers from both parties have so far rejected steep cuts to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) proposed by the Trump administration and reiterated their support for a fully staffed National Weather Service (NWS) during recent committee meetings, which included key appropriations markup sessions. While the House and Senate spending bills for fiscal year 2026 are still in the early stages of the legislative process, initial drafts indicate bipartisan pushback against the significant cuts outlined in the administration's budget proposal, released earlier this year. For fiscal year 2026, which begins Oct. 1, the Trump administration proposed cutting NOAA's budget by roughly 25%, including the elimination of its research division, the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR) and making major reductions to other key offices such as the National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), the world's largest provider of weather and climate data. MORE: After Texas flood, elected leaders say cuts to FEMA, NOAA could affect weather response The budget proposal stated, "The FY 2026 budget eliminates all funding for climate, weather, and ocean Laboratories and Cooperative Institutes. It also does not fund Regional Climate Data and Information, Climate Competitive Research, the National Sea Grant College Program, Sea Grant Aquaculture Research, or the National Oceanographic Partnership Program." The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies advanced a spending bill with bipartisan support last week that would fund NOAA at levels mostly in line with budgets of previous years. The fiscal year 2026 Commerce, Justice, Science appropriations bill provides roughly $5.8 billion to NOAA in 2026, a 6% decrease from the previous year. However, it restores a majority of funding for NOAA's Operations, Research and Facilities (ORF) account, which includes OAR. While specific spending details have not yet been released, this would likely spare many critical research labs and climate institutes from potential cuts. During the July 15 markup session, Subcommittee Chairman Hal Rogers, R-Ky., expressed his support for the National Weather Service, emphasizing the recent toll of devastating flooding hitting the country. "Flooding has inflicted much pain on this nation over the last few months," he said. "From my district in Kentucky to Texas, now is the time to ensure the National Weather Service is equipped with the funding it needs to warn and protect our citizens." MORE: Senate considers Neil Jacobs, 'Sharpiegate' scientist, as NOAA administrator At the start of the markup session, Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., the subcommittee's ranking Democrat, voiced concerns over both the proposed NOAA budget and recent staffing and funding cuts at the National Weather Service. "Weather forecasts are not waste, fraud and abuse," she said. "I ask my colleagues, did anyone come to your town halls and complain that the National Weather Service has too many meteorologists? Too many people issuing advisories, watches and warnings on severe storms?" DeLauro also cited concerns from Bill Turner, Connecticut's state emergency management director, who said the situation is "a very fragile house of cards right now, and we need them to continue… It really could be catastrophic in a lot of ways for our state if they go down that path of stopping the National Weather Service and their functionality." The bill now advances to the full committee for a markup on Thursday, July 24. The Senate's version of the bill allocates approximately $6.14 billion to NOAA for fiscal year 2026, just below the $6.18 billion approved for 2025. While this represents a modest overall decrease, the Senate Committee on Appropriations voted to boost spending for the agency's Operations, Research and Facilities (ORF) account, adding $68.7 million. The increase means more available funding that could go to key offices such as OAR, NWS and NESDIS (National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service). MORE: Hurricane season is here and meteorologists are losing a vital tool for forecasting them The current Senate bill explicitly signals support for NOAA's mission, including weather and climate research. "The Committee strongly supports Climate Laboratories and Cooperative Institutes for their critical role in delivering high-quality weather information and driving economic benefits across the United States," the bill states. The bill also addresses staffing concerns at local NWS offices across the country and provides additional funding to ensure they become fully staffed. The bill's authors write, "Insufficient staffing levels risk compromising public safety and the NWS's mission to protect lives and property. The Committee provides an additional $10,000,000 for Analyze, Forecast and Support and urges the NWS to prioritize recruitment, retention, and training initiatives to ensure all weather forecast offices (WFOs) are fully staffed." While introducing the bill, Jerry Moran, R- Kan., chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Science and Justice, said, "NOAA, and particularly the National Weather Service, is a hugely important component of what this bill funds, and this bill recognizes that importance." He added that the bill "fully funds the National Weather Service" and "eliminates any reduction in the workforce." However, Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, raised concerns that the bill still gave too much discretion to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to determine the staffing levels needed to fulfill the agency's mission and statutory obligation -- "the Office of Management and Budget which clearly made the judgment that the National Weather Service has too many human beings working," Schatz said. He introduced an amendment that would have required the administration to maintain full-time staffing at levels in place as of Sept. 30, 2024, but it was rejected along party lines. The Senate Committee on Appropriations approved the Fiscal Year 2026 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act on July 17 by a vote of 19-10. MORE: How job cuts at NOAA could impact weather forecasting What does the Trump Administration want to cut? The administration's budget proposal calls for eliminating the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR) as a NOAA Line Office, with several of its functions transferred to the National Weather Service and the National Ocean Service. OAR leads NOAA's weather and climate research and develops many of the forecasting tools meteorologists rely on to produce timely and accurate forecasts. The proposed budget would include shutting down NOAA's nationwide network of research labs and cooperative institutes. Among them is the Global Systems Laboratory in Boulder, Colorado, where the High-Resolution Rapid Refresh (HRRR) model, a critical tool in modern weather forecasting, was first developed more than a decade ago. The HRRR model helps meteorologists track everything from severe thunderstorms to extreme rainfall to wildfire smoke. The Global Monitoring Laboratory, also based in Boulder, oversees operations at Mauna Loa Observatory on Hawaii's Big Island. This observatory has maintained the world's longest continuous observation of atmospheric carbon dioxide and has been crucial to our understanding of how human-caused greenhouse gas emissions fuel global warming. NOAA's Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory (AOML) in Miami, Florida, plays a vital role in operational hurricane forecasting. The lab develops cutting-edge tropical weather models that have significantly improved forecast accuracy in recent decades. National Hurricane Center (NHC) forecasters set a record for forecast track accuracy in 2024, according to a NOAA report. NHC issued 347 official forecasts during the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, and its track predictions set accuracy records at every forecast time period. MORE: DOGE now has access to NOAA's IT systems; reviewing DEI program, sources say Who will lead NOAA next? Earlier this month, during a confirmation hearing, Dr. Neil Jacobs, President Donald Trump's nominee to head NOAA, said he supports the administration's proposal to significantly cut the agency's budget arguing the reductions could be achieved by shifting work from research to operations without impacting "mission essential functions." Jacobs also said if confirmed, he would "ensure that staffing the weather service offices is a top priority," adding that, "It's really important for the people to be there because they have relationships with the people in the local community. They're a trusted source." NOAA's 2025 budget costs Americans less than $20 per person this year. ABC News reached out to NOAA for comment, but did not immediately hear back.