Justice Department Under Fire for Blocking Access to Epstein-Related DEA Case File (3/20/26)

0:00President Barack Obama. Virginia, we are counting on you. Republicans want to steal enough seats in Congress to raid the next election and wield unchecked power for two more years. But you can stop them by voting yes by April 21st. Help put our elections back on a level playing field and let voters decide not politicians. Vote yes by April 21st. Paid for by Virginians for fair elections. Hi, my name is Mira Patasson. I'm an author and I'm an activist. And GoFundMe is my go-to platform for fundraising. The first GoFundMe I did was to raise money for a chat book or a collection of poetry and essays and short stories. So we started to GoFundMe and our goal was 7,000. What I've learned is so special about GoFundMe is that it's a whole collection of people offering

1:00anything from like $4 to $400. And each time you get a ping that someone donated, even if it is just $4, it's so exciting. So if you have a goal and you get there, you can keep making it bigger and bigger and bigger. We did go past our goal. It was amazing. GoFundMe is the world's number one fundraising platform trusted by over 200 million people. Start your GoFundMe today at GoFundMe.com. That's GoFundMe.com. GoFundMe.com. What's up everyone and welcome to another episode of the Epstein Chronicles. A few weeks ago, we were talking about a memorandum that dropped as part of the Epstein files. That named Jeffrey Epstein as a target in an investigation that was being conducted by the DEA and Senator Ron Wyden has now accused the top justice department official of blocking the release of the documents related to that investigation.

2:03And the official that he accused was Todd Blanche. Now again, it doesn't shock me. And I think that Todd Blanche is up to his eyeballs in this cover up. Why are you being so evasive about an investigation? That named Jeffrey Epstein as a target that had to do with organized crime. What's the big deal? Why not just put it all out there? Well, I'll tell you why because it's embarrassing for them. They let Jeffrey Epstein walk on everything, whether it was drugs, money laundering, immigration fraud, or abusing girls and kids. All of that's okay. As long as Jeffrey Epstein does whatever he did for whoever he was doing it for, that's basically what Todd Blanche is telling you. That's what the DOJ is saying. And that's certainly what Pam Bondi is saying. And what I'm telling you is that I reject that wholly. I don't believe it. I don't believe any of the nonsense they're pitching us about what happened here. And I think that every single time

3:04they open their mouths, they dig that hole deeper because when all is said and done, they're going to be the ones that are left holding the bag. If anyone gets in trouble for this, it's going to end up being Pam Bondi, Todd Blanche, Cash Patel. They're the ones with exposure here. And if and when this turns into something else when we have a new administration, then it's going to be those three, especially that are going to be asking very hard questions. And they're not going to be afforded the liberty to answer like unhinged jackasses because they're going to be facing criminal charges. And I think that's the only place we can end up if an investigation is ever kicked off. Now, of course, there's always the chance that, you know, it doesn't happen. The next administration just moves on like the other administrations have. But I just don't see that happening this time around considering the people that are involved. Do you really see anybody letting Pam Bondi

4:06or Todd Blanche off the hook at this point? I doubt it. And they better hope that the Democrats don't win the house and the Senate because if they do, it's going to be bad news for two years. Today's article is from CBS News and the headline, Justice Department Block Release of Secret Epstein Drug Profile, Senator Ron Wyden says this article was authored by Daniel Routnik, Cara Tapachnik, and Graham Kates. Democratic Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon accused the top justice department official of blocking the release of a document related to a secret investigation of drug trafficking and prostitution by Jeffrey Epstein. Now, look, it shouldn't shock anybody that Epstein had his fingers in many pies. We all know about the gun running and we all know about the women. So is it that big of a shock that Epstein might have been involved in some kind of narcotics operation as a money man because I'm guessing that's what he was,

5:07all good transnational drug organizations need a good money man. So was Epstein bundling their money? Was he laundering it? Who knows? And I think that's what Ron Wyden is trying to get to the bottom of. Wyden said Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche blocked the release of an unredacted 2015 memorandum prepared by the Justice Department's organized crime, drug enforcement task forces, an entity charged with coordinating complex drug and money laundering investigations across government agencies. Well, you can't have any kind of serious narcotics organization without engaging in money laundering. That money that you make on the street has to be colored up. It has to be washed and what better way to do it than have somebody like Jeffrey Epstein involved. Now, again, look, that speculation. I don't know if it's true, but it looks like that's what the DOJ and the DEA were investigating. And it certainly would make sense to me what Epstein's gonna have a moral dilemma

6:08about being involved with drugs. CBS News reported in February that the heavily redacted memo included in the more than 3 million Epstein files released in January shows that convicted sex offender was the subject of a drug enforcement administration probe that stretched at least five years. Blanche said in a social media post a sitting US Senator has completely fabricated a story for clicks. No one's blocking anything. He added that the memo is available to members of Congress unredacted in our reading room, but Wyden never visited. Hold up. So it's unredacted in the room, but not for us. How can we can't see it? That seems to give merit to the fact that it was real. If they're keeping it under safeguard and not letting the public see it, what does that tell you? The Senator responded to Blanche in a series of social media posts accusing him an attorney general, Pam Bondi, of hiding files in a black box, adding, DOJ is surveilling members of Congress who go to view them.

7:12And honestly, I wouldn't be shocked if they're doing surveillance on everybody who goes to the website. I mean, do you think that's a step too far? Maybe I'm just paranoid, but I don't trust the DOJ to do anything. Never mind safeguard my rights. Wyden wrote in his letter to Blanche on Wednesday that investigators for the Senate Finance Committee were told the DEA was prepared to comply with his request for an unredacted copy of the memo until Blanche intervened sometime during the last three weeks. Why would Blanche do that? What is Blanche hiding? I mean, besides the fact that he's best friends with Glaine Maxwell. You know, Miss Chick-fil-A, Miss Pet the Puppy, Miss Enjoyer Life? Yeah, that Glaine Maxwell. It has come to my attention that you're preventing the Drug Enforcement Administration from producing an unredacted copy of a report. I requested regarding drug trafficking

8:12and money laundering by Jeffrey Epstein and several associates, Wyden wrote. Your alleged interference in this matter is highly disturbing. I happen to agree. And what's really frustrating is that Blanche and Bondi refuse to answer any questions. So there's no real oversight. Nobody knows what's going on. And there's no levers to pull to force the issue. Wyden added that he believes the government had apple evidence that Epstein was involved in drug trafficking and likely pumping his victims, including underage girls, with incapacitating drugs to facilitate abuse. Very possible. We've heard a lot about drugs. Now, we know that Epstein didn't do drugs himself. At least that's what we've heard. But does that mean he was against administering drugs to people highly unlikely? In fact, we know that there was a lot of Xanax being used.

9:12We know that there was a lot of pills being used. And we also know that that is a method that's used by these traffickers to make the girls or people that are in their clutches more compliant. The redacted document shows the DEA's investigation, targeted Epstein and 14 others, for suspicious money transfers, possibly linked to illegal narcotics. Sources tell CBS News that internal case coding indicates the DEA agents were targeting club drugs, which included ketamine, ecstasy, and GHB. The document indicates the case was related to the drug, MDMA, otherwise known, as ecstasy. Well, I wonder who the other people are. Now, remember, we have had plenty of instances where drug operations were being funded by government entities and being run off the books. Now, I'm not saying that's what was going on here, but if Epstein's involved, you just never know.

10:13Hi, this is Alex Cantrowitz. I'm the host of Big Technology Podcast, a longtime reporter and an on-air contributor to CNBC. And if you're like me, you're trying to figure out how artificial intelligence is changing the business world and our lives. So each week on Big Technology, I bring on key actors from companies building AI tech and outsiders trying to influence it. Asking where this is all going, they come from places like Nvidia, Microsoft, Amazon, and plenty more. So if you want to be smart with your wallet, your career choices, and meetings with your colleagues and at dinner parties, listen to Big Technology Podcast, or ever you get your podcasts. Every day, the world gets a little weirder, and a lot more awesome. Cool stuff daily takes a look at everything from mining in space to the latest in the fight against cancer to how AI is basically changing everything. It's all the cool stuff you didn't know you needed to know. Join us for cool stuff daily as we take a quick look at science, tech, and the, wait, what, stories that make you sound way smarter at dinner.

11:16Subscribe to cool stuff daily now because the future's happening fast and it's way too fun to miss. It's not just news. It's emotionally unstable lunatic in the newsroom. Listen today. DEA reporting indicates the above individuals are involved in illegitimate wire transfers, which are tied to illicit drugs and or prostitution activities occurring in the US Virgin Islands and New York City. The 2015 document says, the 69 page memo is marked law enforcement sensitive and conceals the names of the 14 other targets.

12:18Well, I wonder why. Always nice to conceal the names of the co-conspirators, right? The document appears to stem from a request by the DEA to an organized crime drug enforcement task force, Fusion Center in Virginia for a complete workup on case targets, a law enforcement source told CBS News. The Fusion Center then ran the names against all the major federal law enforcement databases and produced the information for the task force. So let's see all the work. Why are they being coy about this? What are they trying to hide? Where they selling crack in America again? Do they have some more rebels they need to fund? A law enforcement source told CBS News that for the DEA to open the case, there would have had to have been a drug nexus and the Fusion Center's involvement indicated the investigation was significant. Earlier this month, CBS News submitted a Freedom of Information Act request to the DEA for additional information relating to the agency's case.

13:22That request was denied by the agency citing the memo's release could reasonably be expected to interfere with enforcement proceedings. Among other reasons. So in other words, get stuffed. We're not giving you anything. So this is still an ongoing investigation. Is that what they're trying to tell us? That seems weird. Law enforcement sources said the memo might be withheld because it could contain enforcement actions connected to the case or confidential information or informant names could be listed. Redact them simple redact them. Epstein was arrested and jailed in July 2019 after a separate investigation by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York. Sources involved in that case told CBS News the prosecutors were not aware of the earlier DEA investigation. His death in jail weeks later was ruled a suicide. How the fuck aren't you aware? Aren't you the SDNY?

14:23You don't reach out to everybody and say, look, this is the guy we're going after. Does anybody have any info on him? Well, under normal circumstances, that's what they would do. But like all things Epstein, there's nothing normal about any of this. So, like usual, we'll keep on keeping on and we'll see where it all ends up. Until then, that's going to do it for this one. All the information that goes with this episode can be found in the description box. The sun shining, birds are singing and all feels right in the world. Until the season changes and suddenly you lose your motivation to get out of bed. In fact, one in five people experience some form of depression no matter the season or time of year. At the American Psychiatric Association Foundation, our vision is to build a mentally healthy nation for all because we want you to live your best life and be your best you all year round. Please visit mentallyhealthination.org to learn more.

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