Rep. Khanna names 6 men he says were redacted from Epstein files for "no apparent reason"
Massie reviewed the files with Khanna and identified documents that led the Justice Department to unredact the names.

SOURCE CHECK
TAP FOR WHYCBS News is an established national newsroom with a substantial record of original reporting and recognizable editorial standards. The article attributes claims to named officials and other sources and includes relevant responses and caveats.
- Source type — Established national news organization with a substantial reporting operation.
- Editorial standards — The reporting attributes key claims to officials and a lawyer, and distinguishes file references from evidence of wrongdoing.
- Author attribution — The article names its reporter.
- Transparency — The article identifies the documents and parties it contacted, while noting that it was still seeking comment from some people.
The article cites reviewed documents, reports the lawmakers’ account alongside Justice Department responses, and includes a lawyer’s statement for Wexner. It also explicitly cautions that the records do not establish wrongdoing; comment from several named men was not available.
HOW WE SCORE ↗The article presents the lawmakers’ concerns and the Justice Department’s defense, as well as a response on Wexner’s behalf and cautions about the significance of appearing in the files. Some of the named men had not commented by publication.
- Counterarguments presented — The Justice Department explains that some names were random lineup subjects and that inadvertent redactions can occur.
- Source diversity — Includes lawmakers, department officials and a lawyer representing Wexner.
- Omitted context — The article says it had not yet reached several of the men for comment.
- Loaded language — Strong language is attributed to the people making the claims rather than adopted as the article’s own verdict.
The article presents Khanna’s criticism alongside the Justice Department’s explanation and includes caveats about what the records do and do not show. Its language is predominantly factual and attributed.
- Language tone — Mostly neutral language, with charged phrases presented as direct quotations.
- Source selection — Includes statements from Khanna, Blanche, a Justice Department spokesperson and Wexner’s lawyer.
- Framing — Reports the redaction dispute while clarifying that inclusion in files is not evidence of wrongdoing.
Rep. Ro Khanna read the names of six men whose identities had been redacted in Epstein-related files, criticizing the Justice Department’s handling of the records. The department said some names were included by mistake and stressed that appearing in the files does not itself indicate wrongdoing.
Khanna said he found the names while reviewing unredacted files with Rep. Thomas Massie. The six men were Leslie Wexner, Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, Salvatore Nuara, Zurab Mikeladze, Leonic Leonov and Nicola Caputo. The article says the files do not appear to directly implicate the men in crimes, and Khanna did not allege specific criminal wrongdoing.
The Justice Department partially unredacted the names after Massie pointed to documents containing them. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said some men were “completely random” people selected for an FBI lineup, while a department spokesperson said inadvertent redactions can occur in the millions of pages reviewed. A lawyer for Wexner said he cooperated with prosecutors and was not a target; Rep. Jamie Raskin separately said he saw names redacted for “mysterious or baffling or inscrutable reasons.”
Community verdict
22 VOTESCounts every outlet’s report of this story. See all 19
- Readers of left-leaning coverage: 56% good look
- Readers of right-leaning coverage: not enough votes yet
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Votes cast on this page: ▲ 0 · ◆ 0 · ▼ 0
People in this story
SWIPE →Representative who reviewed the files with Khanna and pointed to documents containing the names
Representative who read the names on the House floor and criticized their redaction
Khanna's version of this story ↗Deputy attorney general who defended the department’s handling of the redactions
President who signed the Epstein Files Transparency Act
Representative who described seeing names redacted for unclear reasons
Part of a bigger story
13 OUTLETS- ARTICLES
- 19
- OUTLETS
- 13
- AVG CRED
- 65
- Attack of the Fanboy · Justice Department's latest disclosure sparks chaos as lawmakers accuse DOJ of flouting its final obligation under Epstein Files Transparency Act
- The Independent · Trump's communications chief uses derogatory slur in rant against lawmakers over the Epstein files
- The Last Refuge · Thomas Massie Accuses Four Random, Innocent Men of Being Pedophiles and Sex Traffickers, Because Their Names Appeared in Epstein Files
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