EFTA00175139.pdf

Department of Justice EXECUTIVE SECRETARIAT CONTROL SHEET DATE OF DOCUMENT: DATE RECEIVED: FROM: TO: MAIL TYPE: SUBJECT: DATE ASSIGNED 02/25/2020 INFO COMPONENT: COMMENTS: FILE CODE: EXECSEC POC: 2/21/2020 WORKFLOW ID: 4392040 2/21/2020 DUE DATE: 3/10/2020 The Honorable Ben Sasse* United States Senate Washington, DC 20510 AG Congressional Priority (Rec'd from OLA via email) Writing regarding Jeffrey Epstein, who was found dead by apparent suicide while in federal custody in April. Mentions the Department owes the American people a full accounting of its handling of the Epstein matter, including the sweetheart deal he received from prosecutors that allowed him to evade meaningful consequences. Further mentions his previous letter including the Department's response that the Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) had opened an investigation into allegations that Department attorneys may have committed professional misconduct in the manner in which the Epstein criminal matter was resolved. Urging OPR to conclude its investigation as expeditiously as possible and to release any claims of privilege and allow attorney Marie Villafana to disclose any and all relevant testimony to the Senate Judiciary Committee. See WFs 4167070, 4167042 and related cones in ES. ACTION COMPONENT & ACTION REOUESTED OPR Prepare response for AAG/OLA signature. OAG, ODAG, BOP, CRM, EOUSA, FBI, JMD, O1G, OLA 02/25/2020: Per OLA, assign to OPR. EFTA00175139 COMMITTEES: BEN SASSE NEBRASKA linked *tato ,*enate WASHINGTON, DC 20510 February 21, 2020 The Honorable William P. Barr Attorney General U.S. Department of Justice 950 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, DC 20530 Dear General Barr, FINANCE INTELLIGENCE JUDICIARY BANKING I write to you today in regards to Jeffrey Epstein, the wealthy financier who ran an international child sex trafficking ring and was found dead by apparent suicide while in federal custody in August. As you and I have previously discussed, the Department owes the American people a full accounting of its handling of the Epstein matter, including the sweetheart deal he received from prosecutors that allowed him to evade meaningful consequences for his sickening behavior for more than a decade. As you are aware, shortly after The Miami Herald published its investigation of this deal,' I wrote to the Department urging an investigation. Last February, Assistant Attorney General Stephen Boyd wrote to me to announce that the Department's Office of Professional Responsibility had "opened an investigation into allegations that Department attorneys may have committed professional misconduct in the manner in which the Epstein criminal matter was resolved."' I applaud the Department's commitment to get to the bottom of the issue and urge the expeditious completion of this investigation. As the investigation has now continued for more than a year without the release of its findings, various media reports have continued to add to the disturbing picture painted by The Miami Herald's investigation. Yesterday, ABC News reported that "[a] woman whose allegations of childhood sex abuse in New York were central to last year's indictment of Jeffrey Epstein was questioned by the FBI and subpoenaed for testimony by federal prosecutors in Florida more than a decade ago in connection with the first federal investigation into Epstein's alleged child sex trafficking" but that her testimony before the grand jury had not yet been secured before prosecutors sealed the sweetheart deal with Epstein.' In response a request for comment on this report, an attorney for Marie Villafafla, the former Assistant U.S. Attorney who led the Department's handling of the matter, commented: "Because the Department of Justice has declined to waive privilege over the Epstein matter, Ms. Villafatia is prohibited from ' Julie K. Brown, How aniture Trump Cabinet member gave a serial sex abuser the deal of a lifetime, MIAMI HERALD, Nov. 28, 2018, https://www.miamiherald.cominewsilocaUarticle220097825.html. 2 Letter from Stephen Boyd, Assistant Att'y Gen., U.S. Dep't of Justice, to Ben Sasse (Feb. 6, 2019), available at https://www.sasse.senate.gov/publ ic./_cache/fi les/le5e07ee-0138-4441-9e61-b6ec7037e4d5/-untitled-.pdf. 3 James Hill, Exclusive: Florida feds knew of New York victim in Epstein indictment I! years earlier, ABC NEWS, Feb. 20, 2020, https://abcnews.go.com/US/exclusive-florida-feds-knew-york-victim-epstein- indictment/story?id=69088738&cid-social_twitter abcn. KEARNEY OFFICE 4111 FOURTH AVENUE KEARNEY. NE 68845 13081233-3677 LINCOLN OFFICE 1128 LNICOL N MALL LINCOLN. NE 68509 14021476-1400 OMAHA OFFICE 304 P4cAni 16877. CIRCLE 0/44H4. NE 68118 (402) 550-8040 SCOTTSBLUFF OFFICE 115 RAILWAY STREET SCOTTSBLUFF, NE 09361 13081632.6032 WASHINGTON DC OFFICE 107 RUSSELL SENATE Of ICE SLOG WASHINGTON. DC 20510-2709 12021224-4224 EFTA00175140 discussing this matter and her opinions on the outcome in greater detail.... If the Department were to waive that privilege, she believes it would provide a fuller and more accurate picture of how she handled this matter and how she advocated for victims at every turn.' Like so many others who want to see justice done, I urge the Office of Professional Responsibility to conclude its investigation as expeditiously as possible, but it should not hinder the ability of Congress and the American public to bring more information to light when possible. Given how central of a role Ms. Villafatla played in this matter, her claims must be aired. As such, will you release any claims of privilege and allow her disclose any and all relevant testimony to the Senate Judiciary Committee? Thank you for your resolve to pursue justice in this matter. Sincerely. Ben Sassc United States Senator 11d 2 EFTA00175141 From: Sent: Friday. February 21. 2020 5:25:59 PM To: DOJExecSec (JMD) CC: Subject: FW: Letter from Sen. Sasse to AG Barr Pls log & assign to OPR. Thanks. From: Sent: Friday, February 21, 2020 4:58 PM To Cc Subject: Fwd: Letter from Sen. Sasse to AG Barr - please log in. ■ - can you provide assignment guidance and track? Thanks! Sent from my iPhone Begin forwarded message: From: "Payne, William (Sasse)" <william payne@sasse.senate.gov> Date: February 21, 2020 at 4:49:16 PM EST To: Cc: "DOJ Correspondence (SMO)" Subject: Re: Letter from Sen. Sasse to AG Barr Apologies—forgot attachment! From: "Payne, William (Sasse)" <william payne@sasse.senate.gov> Date: Friday, February 21, 2020 at 4:46 PM To: Cc: "DOJ Correspondence (SMO)' Subject: Letter from Sen. Sasse to AG Barr Hello, Attached is a letter from Sen. Sasse to AG Barr. Please acknowledge receipt. Thanks, Will William R. Payne Chief Counsel to Sen. Ben Sasse U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary william paynePiudiciarv-reo.senatesov (202) 224-4224 EFTA00175142 Department of Justice EXECUTIVE SECRETARIAT CONTROL SHEET DATE OF DOCUMENT: DATE RECEIVED: FROM: TO: MAIL TYPE: SUBJECT: DATE ASSIGNED 09/24/2019 INFO COMPONENT: COMMENTS: FILE CODE: EXECSEC POC: 12/3/2018 WORKFLOW ID: 4167070 12/4/2018 DUE DATE: The Honorable Ben Sasse* United States Senate Washington, DC 20510 CRM Congressional Priority (Reed from OLA via email) Ltr from Chmn Sasse, Subcomte on Oversight, Agency Action, Federal Rights and Federal Courts, stating on 11/28/2018 the Miami Herald published the results of a lengthy investigation into the crimes of Jeffrey Epstein. Expressing concern that federal prosecutors appeared to craft a secret, sweetheart deal and concealed it from the women and girls that were abused, in apparent violation of federal law. Requesting his team be briefed on the Department's decision-making process in the course of this matter NLT 12/07/2018. See WF 4167042. ACTION COMPONENT & ACTION REQUESTED OLA For appropriate handling. Advise ES of any action taken. OAG, ODAG, CRM, OLA, OPR 10/15/2019: OLA replied by kr dtd 10/07/19. cc: CHMN files. 09/24/2019: Per OLA 08/21/2019: Per OLA 04/10/2019: Per EOUSA 12/06/2018: Per O CHMN FILE: SASSE WF for OLA to respond - see attached email. no response necessary. cc: HMN files. reassign to OLA or handling. assign to EOUSA for drafting. EFTA00175143 Department of Justice EXECUTIVE SECRETARIAT CONTROL SHEET DATE OF DOCUMENT: DATE RECEIVED: FROM: TO: MAIL TYPE: SUBJECT: DATE ASSIGNED 12/06/2018 INFO COMPONENT: COMMENTS: FILE CODE: EXECSEC POC: 12/3/2018 WORKFLOW ID: 4167042 12/4/2018 DUE DATE: The Honorable Ben Sasse* United States Senate Washington, DC 20510 OPR Congressional Priority (Reed from OLA via email) Ltr from Chmn Sasse, Subcomte on Oversight, Agency Action, Federal Rights and Federal Courts, stating on 11/28/2018 the Miami Herald published the results of a lengthy investigation into the crimes of Jeffrey Epstein. Expressing concern that federal prosecutors appeared to craft a secret, sweetheart deal and concealed it from the women and girls that were abused, in apparent violation of federal law. Requesting OPR open an investigation into the instances identified in this reporting of possible misconduct by DOJ attorneys and a response in writing NLT 12/07/2018. See WF 4167070. ACTION COMPONENT & ACTION REQUESTED OPR Prepare response for AAG/OLA signature. OAG, ODAG, CRM, EOUSA, OLA 02/06/2019: OLA submitted supplemental response Itr dtd 02/06/19. Also providing a copy of ltr dtd 01/14/19 from Sen. Sasse. cc: Chmn files. 12/21/2018: OPR replied by ltr dtd 12/14/18. (OLA approved signature level change from OLA to OPR). cc: Chmn files. 12/06/2018: Per OLA, assign to OPR. CHMN FILE: SASSE EFTA00175144