A West Virginia senator is calling for transparency regarding records in the Jeffrey Epstein sex trafficking organization, a day after President Donald Trump called the ordeal a “hoax.â€
During a media call Thursday, U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., answered a question about whether she would support a congressional action to push for the release of government files related to Epstein.
This photo provided by the New York State Sex Offender Registry shows Jeffrey Epstein, March 28, 2017.
New York State Sex Offender Registry
“I think that transparency is always the best policy here,†she said. “I don’t think this issue is going to go away, nor maybe should. You know, maybe it shouldn’t. Because I think it’s been talked about for years and, you know, you have rumors and accusations and other things that are, can only be founded in, can only be founded or uncovered — whether they’re true or not — if everything’s finally released.â€
Trump lashed out at his own supporters in an effort to clamp down on criticism over his administration’s handling of the records, the Associated Press reported.
“Their new SCAM is what we will forever call the Jeffrey Epstein Hoax, and my PAST supporters have bought into this “bull****,†hook, line, and sinker,†Trump wrote Wednesday on his Truth Social site, using an expletive in his post. “They haven’t learned their lesson, and probably never will, even after being conned by the Lunatic Left for 8 long years.â€
“Let these weaklings continue forward and do the Democrats work, don’t even think about talking of our incredible and unprecedented success, because I don’t want their support anymore! Thank you for your attention to this matter,†he went on.
Last week, the Justice Department and the FBI acknowledged that Epstein did not maintain a “client list†to whom underage girls were trafficked, and they said no more files related to the investigation would be made public, despite past promises from Attorney General Pam Bondi that had raised the expectations of conservative influencers and conspiracy theorists, the AP reported.
Bondi had suggested in February such a document was sitting on her desk waiting for review. Last week, however, she said she had been referring generally to the Epstein case file, not a client list.
Trump has since defended Bondi and chided a reporter for asking about the documents.
“I don’t understand what the interest or what the fascination is,†he said Tuesday, according to the AP.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has called for the Justice Department to “put everything out there and let the people decide.â€
Capito said Thursday while she doesn’t believe there needs to be congressional action to release the files and doesn’t know if voting on that is an opportunity she’ll have, she thinks “the Department of Justice and the President are going to feel the pressure here.â€
“I just think full transparency is always, full sunlight is always the best policy,†she said.
