U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan ruled Thursday that Todd Blanche effectively conceded the Justice Department violated the Epstein Files Transparency Act and also failed to meet a 1 p.m. court deadline.
Blanche had acknowledged some redaction errors but argued they were unavoidable because Congress gave DOJ a tight timeline to assemble and disclose the Epstein-related files.
Sullivan rejected DOJ's argument that the law cannot be privately enforced, saying the Administrative Procedure Act gave plaintiff Katie Phang standing to sue over the department's noncompliance.
The April lawsuit grew out of public anger over the government's handling of Epstein investigations, and the ruling adds pressure on Blanche, who has led DOJ since April and faces an attorney general confirmation hearing next month.