Republican infighting continues as to when and how to release files from the Jeffrey Epstein investigation.
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson said on “Meet the Press” Sunday morning that his driving reason for not supporting the bipartisan push to disclose more information about the investigation into Jeffrey Epstein was to “protect the innocent” victims.
In an interview with the show’s host, Kristen Welker, Johnson said he wants the release of all “credible evidence.” On Tuesday, the Louisiana Republican announced he would send lawmakers home early for August recess, which many see as an attempt to avoid votes on releasing the Epstein files.
“Our main concern though,” he continued, “is the protection of the innocent victims. These are minors in many cases who were subjected to unspeakable crimes, abject evil. They’ve already suffered great harm, we do not need their names being unmasked.”
Yet, these minors are now grown women, and several of them have said they want more information released, have critiqued President Donald Trump and his administration’s handling of the investigation, and feel dragged along, according to interviews with victims conducted by multiple news outlets. House members from both sides of the political aisle have joined forces to craft legislation to get the files from the Department of Justice, which has also repeatedly held that information related to victims’ identities will be redacted. The DOJ and Trump’s own attorney general, Pam Bondi, have also said that they plan to review and redact files “to protect the identities of Epstein’s victims.”
Also on MTP Sunday morning were US representatives Ro Khanna, a Democrat from California, and Thomas Massie, a Republican from Kentucky. The pair have been touring news networks together to call for the release of the Epstein investigation.
Massie firmly rejected Johnson’s claim that releasing the files would harm victims, calling the argument a “straw man” that some are “hiding behind.” Khanna also dismissed the argument, pointing out that Brad Edwards, a lawyer for over 200 of Epstein’s victims, has supported the release of more information about the investigation.
