EFTA00175139.pdf

Department of Justice EXECUTIVE SECRETARIAT CONTROL SHEET DATE OF DOCUMENT: 2/21/2020 WORKFLOW ID: 4392040 DATE RECEIVED: 2/21/2020 DUE DATE: 3/10/2020 FROM: The Honorable Ben Sasse* United States Senate Washington, DC 20510 TO: AG MAIL TYPE: Congressional Priority SUBJECT: (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. DATE ASSIGNED ACTION COMPONENT & ACTION REOUESTED 02/25/2020 OPR Prepare response for AAG/OLA signature. INFO COMPONENT: OAG, ODAG, BOP, CRM, EOUSA, FBI, JMD, O1G, OLA COMMENTS: 02/25/2020: Per OLA, assign to OPR. FILE CODE: EXECSEC POC: EFTA00175139 BEN SASSE COMMITTEES: NEBRASKA FINANCE INTELLIGENCE linked *tato ,*enate JUDICIARY BANKING 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, 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 ofa 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/public./_cache/files/le5e07ee-0138-4441-9e61-b6ec7037e4d5/-untitled-.pdf. 3 James Hill, Exclusive: Floridafeds knew ofNew 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 LINCOLN OFFICE OMAHA OFFICE SCOTTSBLUFF OFFICE WASHINGTON DC OFFICE 4111 FOURTH AVENUE 1128 LNICOL N MALL 304 P4cAni 16877. CIRCLE 115 RAILWAY STREET 107 RUSSELL SENATE OfICE SLOG KEARNEY. NE 68845 LINCOLN. NE 68509 0/44H4. NE 68118 SCOTTSBLUFF, NE 09361 WASHINGTON. DC 20510-2709 13081233-3677 14021476-1400 (402) 550-8040 13081632.6032 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 [email protected]> 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 [email protected]> 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: 12/3/2018 WORKFLOW ID: 4167070 DATE RECEIVED: 12/4/2018 DUE DATE: FROM: The Honorable Ben Sasse* United States Senate Washington, DC 20510 TO: CRM MAIL TYPE: Congressional Priority SUBJECT: (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. DATE ASSIGNED ACTION COMPONENT & ACTION REQUESTED 09/24/2019 OLA For appropriate handling. Advise ES of any action taken. INFO COMPONENT: OAG, ODAG, CRM, OLA, OPR COMMENTS: 10/15/2019: OLA replied by kr dtd 10/07/19. cc: CHMN files. 09/24/2019: Per OLA WF for OLA to respond - see attached email. 08/21/2019: Per OLA no response necessary. cc: HMN files. 04/10/2019: Per EOUSA reassign to OLA or handling. 12/06/2018: Per O assign to EOUSA for drafting. FILE CODE: CHMN FILE: SASSE EXECSEC POC: EFTA00175143  Department of Justice EXECUTIVE SECRETARIAT CONTROL SHEET DATE OF DOCUMENT: 12/3/2018 WORKFLOW ID: 4167042 DATE RECEIVED: 12/4/2018 DUE DATE: FROM: The Honorable Ben Sasse* United States Senate Washington, DC 20510 TO: OPR MAIL TYPE: Congressional Priority SUBJECT: (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. DATE ASSIGNED ACTION COMPONENT & ACTION REQUESTED 12/06/2018 OPR Prepare response for AAG/OLA signature. INFO COMPONENT: OAG, ODAG, CRM, EOUSA, OLA COMMENTS: 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. FILE CODE: CHMN FILE: SASSE EXECSEC POC: EFTA00175144