Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Wednesday he will sign a bill to release the Jeffrey Epstein grand jury documents.
“All files related to Jeffrey Epstein’s criminal activity should be made public,” DeSantis said in a statement. “While the federal government continues to stonewall accountability, I’m glad the Legislature has taken action to release the grand jury material from the Florida state case. I will sign the bill into law.”
All files related to Jeffrey Epstein’s criminal activity should be made public.
While the federal government continues to stonewall accountability, I’m glad the Legislature has taken action to release the grand jury material from the Florida state case.
I will sign the bill… https://t.co/3VjOMMt69a
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) February 21, 2024
The Florida Senate passed a bill with a unanimous vote of 37-0, paving the way for the release of documents from a 2006 grand jury investigation into Epstein, a convicted sex offender who died in 2019. Introduced by Boca Raton Democratic Senator Tina Polsky, the bill received support, with unanimous consensus on the matter. The legislation aims to shed light on Epstein’s legal proceedings in Florida, where he was accused of soliciting minors for sexual activities but received a relatively lenient sentence, according to Florida’s Voice.
The bill’s counterpart in the Florida House of Representatives, spearheaded by Highland Beach Republican Rep. Peggy Gossett-Seidman, also saw unanimous approval last week, the outlet stated. Gossett-Seidman has emphasized the importance of providing Epstein’s victims with access to the testimonies and evidence presented during the Florida case. (RELATED: Judge Loretta Preska Orders Epstein Island Images To Be Redacted After Court Accidentally Releases Them)
A key provision of the legislation is its applicability to cases where the subject of the grand jury investigation is deceased, as is the case with Epstein. It specifically targets investigations related to criminal or sexual misconduct involving minors, Florida Voice reported. Despite this move towards transparency, the bill allows for the possibility of redactions and other limitations on the release of testimony to protect sensitive information.
With the Senate’s approval, the bill now awaits DeSantis’ signature.