AXIOS (Rebecca Falconer) - DOJ ordered to release unredacted Epstein files or explain why it can't
A federal judge on Thursday ordered the U.S. Department of Justice to release additional unredacted Jeffrey Epstein records or explain by July 2 why it can't. Why it matters: The ruling could force the DOJ to release previously withheld Epstein records or publicly explain why they remain sealed. Driving the news: U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan in D.C. gave the DOJ until July 2 to comply with a preliminary injunction in media legal analyst Katie Phang's lawsuit alleging the department failed to comply with last year's Epstein Act . - The department has already released 3.5 million pages under the law, but Phang argues it still improperly withheld or redacted additional material. - Phang alleges in her suit against acting Attorney…