95.1 The Bee

On Tuesday, the Justice Department released a third batch of documents and photos tied to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, unveiling nearly 30,000 additional pages that include references to President Donald Trump and former President Bill Clinton, along with investigative records, emails, photos and court materials. The Justice Department says it will continue releasing records while maintaining legally required protections for Epstein’s victims.

The disclosure, mandated by Congress under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, includes more than 11,000 files drawn from FBI and DOJ records, media clippings, videos and internal correspondence. The department has released the materials in stages, with officials noting that hundreds of thousands of pages are expected overall.

Among the most closely examined documents is a January 2020 email from a federal prosecutor in New York that discusses flight records connected to Epstein’s private jet. The message states, “for your situational awareness, wanted to let you know that the flight records we received yesterday reflect that Donald Trump traveled on Epstein’s private jet many more times than previously has been reported (or that we were aware), including during the period we would expect to charge in a [Ghislaine] Maxwell case.”

According to the email, Trump appeared as a passenger on at least eight flights between 1993 and 1996, including four trips on which Ghislaine Maxwell was also listed. The message adds that Trump traveled at various times with Marla Maples, his daughter Tiffany, and his son Eric. It further notes that “on one flight in 1993, he and Epstein are the only two listed passengers; on another, the only three passengers are Epstein, Trump, and then-20-year-old [redacted]. On two other flights, two of the passengers, respectively, were women who would be possible witnesses in a Maxwell case.”  The sender and recipient of the email were redacted, and the document does not allege wrongdoing by Trump. Flight logs included in the release show the trips were largely domestic, involving locations such as New Jersey, Palm Beach and Washington, D.C.

The newly released files also contain unverified, anonymous tips submitted to the FBI, including one from October 27, 2020, in which a tipster claimed a woman alleged Trump and Epstein raped her in the 1990s. The woman was described as fearful of contacting authorities. It remains unclear whether the FBI investigated the secondhand allegation.

Another notable document is a note signed “J. Epstein” and addressed to disgraced former gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar. The note reads in part, “Dear L.N., As you know by now I have taken the ‘short route’ home.” It continues with references to shared beliefs and includes the line that “our president also shares our love of young, nubile girls,” before concluding, “Life is unfair.” The envelope bears an Aug. 13, 2019 postmark from Northern Virginia, three days after Epstein died in federal custody. Investigators ruled his death a suicide.  The DOJ said there are inconsistencies surrounding the letter, including the postmark location and a return address listing the wrong jail. An FBI request for handwriting analysis was included in the files, though no conclusion was provided. Authorities say they are still reviewing the document’s authenticity.

The DOJ acknowledged that the new batch contains multiple references to Trump, while cautioning that some materials include “untrue and sensationalist claims made against President Trump that were submitted to the FBI right before the 2020 election.” In a statement posted on X, the department said, “The Department of Justice has officially released nearly 30,000 more pages of documents related to Jeffrey Epstein. Some of these documents contain untrue and sensationalist claims made against President Trump… To be clear: the claims are unfounded and false.”

The latest release also sheds light on investigative discussions surrounding Epstein’s alleged associates. Emails from 2019 reference “10 co-conspirators,” while later correspondence discusses possible charges. Details about the alleged co-conspirators were sparse, describing one as a “wealthy business man in Ohio” and noting that several individuals were served grand jury subpoenas in Florida, Boston, New York City and Connecticut. The status of others was listed as unknown. To date, Maxwell, who was convicted in 2021 and is serving a 20-year sentence, remains the only person prosecuted as Epstein’s accomplice.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer criticized the lack of clarity, writing on X, “Who are these 10 co-conspirators? Why haven’t we seen those memos? Where are the grand jury records? Where are the FBI records? What are they hiding? Tens of thousands of files released shed no light on who they are. More questions than answers.”

The latest released files/photos can be accessed on the Justice Department’s website – HERE.

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Former U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse revealed Tuesday that he has been diagnosed with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer, sharing the news publicly on social media. In his message, Sasse underscored gratitude for family and faith while acknowledging the gravity of his condition, blending seriousness with resolve as he confronts what lies ahead.

Sasse, 53, wrote on X: “Last week I was diagnosed with metastasized, stage-four pancreatic cancer, and am gonna die” he said, calling the illness aggressive and incurable. Sasse added, “Advanced pancreatic is nasty stuff; it’s a death sentence. But I already had a death sentence before last week too — we all do… Death is a wicked thief, and the bastard pursues us all. Still, I’ve got less time than I’d prefer. This is hard for someone wired to work and build, but harder still as a husband and a dad.”

Sasse said the diagnosis has deepened his appreciation for time spent with his wife, Melissa, and their three children, praising how his family has grown closer over the past year. Announcing the news during the holiday season, he noted that Christmas was not “the worst” moment to do so: “As a Christian, the weeks running up to Christmas are a time to orient our hearts toward the hope of what’s to come.” Despite the prognosis, Sasse emphasized his determination to keep going. “I’ll have more to say. I’m not going down without a fight,” he wrote. “One sub-part of God’s grace is found in the jawdropping advances science has made the past few years in immunotherapy and more. Death and dying aren’t the same — the process of dying is still something to be lived.”

Sasse represented Nebraska in the U.S. Senate from 2015 until early 2023. During his tenure, the conservative lawmaker was occasionally outspoken against leaders within his own party and was one of seven Republicans who voted to convict then-President Donald Trump during the second impeachment trial following the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack. Trump was ultimately acquitted. Before entering politics, Sasse built an academic career, earning degrees from Harvard University, Oxford University, St. John’s College, and a doctorate in history from Yale University.

He resigned from the Senate to become president of the University of Florida but stepped down from that role in mid-2024, citing serious health challenges faced by his wife, including epilepsy and memory issues linked to a past aneurysm and strokes.

Medical experts note that stage-four pancreatic cancer is the most advanced form of the disease, meaning it has spread to other organs. It is often detected late due to the lack of early symptoms and routine screening. According to national cancer data, pancreatic cancer typically affects older adults, with the average age of diagnosis around 70, making Sasse’s case at 53 relatively uncommon. Tens of thousands of Americans are diagnosed each year, and the disease remains among the deadliest cancers.

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Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Monday he will move to force a Senate vote on legal action against the Justice Department over its failure to fully release records tied to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, escalating a growing bipartisan dispute over compliance with a recently enacted transparency law. Schumer’s resolution would direct Senate leadership to initiate or join civil litigation in federal court to compel full compliance; he plans to force consideration of the measure when the Senate returns from recess in January, though passage could require unanimous consent.

Schumer’s announcement follows the Justice Department missing a congressionally mandated deadline to make public the complete, unclassified Epstein files under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which was signed into law in November. While thousands of pages were released Friday, lawmakers and victims’ advocates argue the disclosure fell well short of what the statute requires.

Schumer said in a statement: “The law Congress passed is crystal clear: release the Epstein files in full so Americans can see the truth. Instead, the Trump Department of Justice dumped redactions and withheld the evidence — that breaks the law.”  Schumer called the limited disclosure a “blatant cover-up” and accused Attorney General Pam Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche of shielding President Donald Trump from scrutiny.

Attorneys representing Epstein survivors sharply criticized the release, saying large portions remain hidden: “We are told that there are hundreds of thousands of pages of documents still unreleased,” they argued, stating that excessive redactions and omissions violate the law. Another group of survivors said the public “received a fraction of the files,” calling for hearings, formal demands, and court action.

Justice Department has defended its pace, saying it is balancing transparency with victim protections. In a fact sheet released Sunday, the DOJ said more than 200 attorneys are reviewing files individually to ensure legally required redactions and stressed that no redactions are intended to shield public figures: “this is an arduous process, as each document and photograph must be individually reviewed by DOJ and the Southern District of New York for potential redactions to protect victims or potential victims,” the department said.  And on NBC’s “Meet the Press,”  Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche acknowledged the agency missed the deadline, but said ongoing reviews are necessary to prevent further harm, dismissing threats of legal action.

Epstein died by suicide in federal custody in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. The Justice Department has said he abused more than 1,200 women and girls.

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The Trump administration announced Monday it is pausing leases for five major offshore wind projects along the East Coast, citing national security risks identified by the Department of Defense.

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said the decision follows classified Pentagon assessments and long-standing concerns outlined in unclassified government reports. “Today’s action addresses emerging national security risks, including the rapid evolution of the relevant adversary technologies, and the vulnerabilities created by large-scale offshore wind projects with proximity near our east coast population centers,” Burgum said in a statement,  emphasizing the administration’s broader energy stance: “Due to national security concerns identified by @DeptofWar, @Interior is PAUSING leases for 5 expensive, unreliable, heavily subsidized offshore wind farms! ONE natural gas pipeline supplies as much energy as these 5 projects COMBINED. @POTUS is bringing common sense back to energy policy & putting security FIRST!”

The Interior Department said unclassified analyses have found that the movement of large turbine blades and their reflective towers can interfere with radar systems, a phenomenon known as “clutter,” which can obscure real targets and create false signals. A 2024 Department of Energy report noted that adjusting radar thresholds to manage clutter could also cause systems to miss actual threats.

The pause affects Vineyard Wind 1, Revolution Wind, Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind, Sunrise Wind, and Empire Wind, with projects located off the coasts of Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Virginia and New York. Two smaller offshore wind facilities — one off Rhode Island operating since 2016 and another off New York that came online in 2023 — are not impacted.

Several of the paused projects are already partially built or nearing completion. Vineyard Wind 1, located about 15 miles south of Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket, has roughly half of its 62 turbines operating and is expected to eventually power more than 400,000 Massachusetts homes and businesses. Revolution Wind off Rhode Island is about 80% complete. Dominion Energy’s Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project, the largest in the U.S. with 176 turbines, was slated to be operational by the end of 2026. Sunrise Wind and Empire Wind, both off Long Island, are also under construction.

The decision comes weeks after Judge Patti Saris of the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts struck down President Trump’s earlier executive order on Jan. 20th that broadly blocked new wind energy leasing, calling it unlawful. That ruling followed a lawsuit brought by a coalition of attorneys general from 17 states and Washington, D.C.

However, the pause drew swift criticism from state leaders and environmental groups. Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont called the move “yet another erratic, anti-business move by the Trump administration that will drive up the price of electricity in Connecticut and throughout the region. This project is nearing completion and providing good-paying clean energy jobs.”

The Sierra Club’s legislative director Melinda Pierce also condemned the action: “The Trump administration’s vengeance towards renewable energy knows no end. Americans need cheaper and more reliable energy that does not come at the expense of our health and futures.” Dominion Energy spokesperson Jeremy Slayton said Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind was developed “in close coordination with the military” and noted its pilot turbines have operated for five years without security issues.

According to the Department of Energy, wind energy currently provides about 10% of U.S. electricity and remains the nation’s largest source of renewable power.

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