The Department of Justice (DOJ) is countering remarks made by a senior official featured in a covertly recorded video by far-right activist James O’Keefe, in which the official discusses the case of disgraced financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Joseph Schnitt, a deputy chief of staff at the Office of Enforcement Operations, appeared on camera implying that the government might redact the name of any Republican implicated in the Epstein documents and speculating that Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell was moved to a lower security facility as part of a deal. These remarks were released by O’Keefe on Thursday.
In response, both Schnitt and the Justice Department have aimed to minimize the importance of Schnitt’s statements and clarify the context of the video.
“The comments in this video completely lack any connection to reality and show a total misunderstanding of the DOJ’s review process,” the Justice Department stated. “The DOJ is dedicated to transparency and is cooperating with the House Oversight Committee’s request for documents.”
The department also shared a statement from Schnitt to his director, Jeffrey Pollak, wherein Schnitt detailed that he went on two dates in August with a woman named Skylar, whom he met on the dating app Hinge. Schnitt noted that her online profile is now unavailable.
“She claimed she was an au pair in Georgetown and gave no indication she was a reporter or was recording our date,” Schnitt explained in the statement, which was shared on social media. “If I had known, the first date would have ended immediately and there wouldn’t have been a second one.”
Schnitt went on to say that his comments captured in the video were based on what he had “learned in the media and not from anything I’ve done at or via work.”
“I have no knowledge of the circumstances surrounding Ms. Maxwell other than what is reported in the news,” Schnitt said. “I also never divulged anything about what I do at work. I recall that she asked if I had any knowledge about Maxwell and I specifically said I only know what’s been reported in the media.”
O’Keefe is the founder of O’Keefe Media Group. He previously led the right-wing group Project Veritas. The organizations have produced videos, often deceptively edited, in which members secretly record conversations with their subjects to gather incriminating or unflattering information.
In the video posted Thursday, Schnitt can be seen saying the government was offering Maxwell “something to keep her mouth shut.” The Epstein associate sat in late July for interviews with a top DOJ official, and she has indicated she is interested in a pardon.
Schnitt also is seen saying of the Epstein files, “They’ll redact every Republican or conservative person in those files, leave all the liberal, Democratic people in those files.”
Epstein, accused in several cases of sex trafficking young girls, ran in high-powered circles with figures like President Trump, former President Clinton, Britain’s Prince Andrew and a number of other celebrities and ultrawealthy people. Maxwell was convicted of sex trafficking. No other individuals have been charged in relation to Epstein’s alleged crimes.
His death has been the source of various conspiracy theories among people who claim there is a cover-up to protect powerful figures.
Lawmakers in both parties have pushed for additional disclosures about the Epstein case. The DOJ has turned over thousands of documents to lawmakers, though Trump has dismissed the bipartisan calls for more transparency as a “Democrat hoax” and argued his administration has provided enough information.
