In a move challenging the Department of Justice (DOJ), which is currently facing heavy backlash for not releasing the Epstein files to Americans, Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) has unveiled the SHRED Act.
Notably, Luna leads a declassification task force that deals with the JFK and Epstein files.
The legislation, dubbed the Stopping High-level Record Elimination and Destruction (SHRED) Act of 2025, would carry a mandatory sentence of 20 years for any government employee or official caught concealing, removing or mutilating federal documents.
Current federal law states that anyone who engages in obstructing government records “with the intent to impede, obstruct, or influence the investigation or proper administration of any matter within the jurisdiction of any department or agency of the United States” could receive a fine or up to 20 years behind bars, as Fox News reported.
As the outlet pointed out, Luna’s legislation comes as she clashes with the DOJ for delaying the release of of the JFK and Epstein files, among other essential documents.
Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel have been criticized heavily in the past days for delaying the full release of such files. Notably, Bondi released the first phase of the Epstein files on Feb. 27, but has done very little since.
In a statement to Fox News Digital this week, Luna said that the DOJ has not adequately communicated with her task force on such matters.
“The DOJ has not been really responsive,” the Florida congresswoman said.
“Even if they are, you know, conducting a criminal investigation, you should probably pick up the phone and call us, and not talk about it on the news,” she added.
In a bombshell revelation, conservative commentator Benny Johnson spoke with an FBI whistleblower, who alleged that agents in the agency were destroying evidence relating to the Epstein files after Patel took over, as Fox News reported.
“The FBI is working day and night to destroy files on these servers. Can’t be restored. I’m sure there’s info about Epstein and subversion against Americans,” the whistleblower claimed.
On Friday morning, Bondi revealed that the DOJ has received a “truckload” of unreleased documents relating to Jeffrey Epstein.
The attorney general made similar comments last week but did not provide a timeline for the release of such files during an interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity.
The attorney general said on Friday that Patel is “going to give me a deadline on when he can go through [the documents] to protect, of course, the victims of s*x trafficking,” adding that the DOJ and FBI will “get out as much as we can as fast as we can.”
Following the release of the phase one Epstein documents in late February, Luna said the DOJ never allowed the task force to review the files.
“I nor the task force were given or reviewed the Epstein documents being released today… A NY Post story just revealed that the documents will simply be Epstein’s phonebook,” she said on X. “THIS IS NOT WHAT WE OR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ASKED FOR and a complete disappointment. GET US THE INFORMATION WE ASKED FOR!”
