Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) said the Trump administration was using concern over releasing victim information as a cover for not releasing the entirety of the files related to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
“Well, look, that’s a ‘strawman.’ Ro and I carefully crafted this legislation so that the victims’ names will be redacted and that no child pornography will be released. So they’re hiding behind that. But we’re trying to get justice for the victims and transparency for America,” Massie said on NBC News’s Meet the Press.
“We’ve redacted things before. We don’t want to hurt the victims. We’re doing this for the victims. I think it’s just something that they’re hiding behind,” Massie added.
He and Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) have led the push in the House to release the Epstein files. The pair introduced a bill instructing the Department of Justice to release the documents on the late financier.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has refused to bring the bill to the floor, so Massie and Khanna have resorted to a discharge petition to force a vote, which will now come after the August congressional recess.
In the same interview, Khanna claimed the victims do want the files released.
EPSTEIN FILES PARALYZE THE HOUSE, FORCING JOHNSON TO CANCEL VOTES AND START RECESS
“Bradley Edwards was the lawyer for the victims and has demanded a full release of the files, obviously with the victims’ names redacted. He said the Justice Department never cared about settling the victims. They gave Jeffrey Epstein the plea deal in the first place. They never cared about victims, right? And no one has asked the victims what they want,” Khanna said.
“They do want these files released for closure and for healing,” he continued.