The US Justice Department on Friday began releasing the long-awaited records from the investigation into the politically explosive case of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.The files are expected to shed light on the disgraced financier’s connections with high-profile business executives, celebrities and politicians, including President Donald Trump.Trump, once a close friend of Epstein, fought for months to prevent the release of the records related to the investigation of Epstein, who died in a New York jail cell in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.The Republican president eventually caved to pressure from Congress, including from his own party, and signed a law last month compelling publication of the materials.Friday was the deadline set by Congress for release of the records.Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, in an interview with “Fox and Friends,” said several hundred thousand documents would be released on Friday and several hundred thousand more in