MAGA Republicans Lash Out as Trump Delays Release of Epstein Files
The Trump administration's plan to release files on convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein appears to have been nothing more than a poorly disguised public relations scheme that has the MAGA fringe infuriated.
On Thursday, a cadre of MAGA influencers—DC Draino's Rogan O'Handley, Libs of TikTok's Chaya Raichik, Liz Wheeler, and Mike Cernovich—marched out of the White House smiling and waving glossy white binders labeled 'The Epstein Files: Phase 1.'
But Attorney General Pam Bondi had promised to release to the public both Epstein's flight logs and the names of people tied to the disgraced financier on Thursday. That still hasn't happened—infuriating MAGA Republicans in Congress.
'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,' MAGA Representative Anna Paulina Luna noted on X. 'THIS IS NOT WHAT WE OR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ASKED FOR and a complete disappointment. GET US THE INFORMATION WE ASKED FOR!'
'1) If the Epstein files are out, where do we find them? (2) What's the difference between 'phase 1' and 'phase 2'?' asked Senator Mike Lee. 'Will the Epstein files tell us whether he killed himself?' he asked later.
'THERE ARE NO EPSTEIN FILES!!!' MAGA talking head Laura Loomer raged on X. 'THE BINDERS ARE PROPS. EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THOSE RIGHT WING PAID INFLUENCERS LIED TO ALL OF YOU TODAY! THEY ENGAGED IN DECEPTION TO RUN COVER FOR PEDOPHILES!!! THEY POSTED SELFIES WITH PROP BINDERS! LIARS AND DECEIVERS.'
Epstein raped an untold number of young girls for years on his private island and killed himself in his jail cell in 2019 while awaiting trial for sex trafficking of minors. The 'Epstein files' are something of a white whale for the QAnon wing of MAGA, as they believe that their release would reveal the villainous liberal cabal that secretly coordinates international child sex trafficking. Many in the conspiracy community believe that Epstein's death—and the botched release of this list—is part of a greater 'deep state' cover-up.
'Skip to the end: The celebrities that your Facebook uncle says are on the Epstein List are not in any of the documents, and the story becomes 'the deep state purged the documents,'' wrote Semafor's David Wiegel.
By Thursday afternoon, Bondi claimed the FBI refused to hand over 'thousands of pages' on the Epstein files and the real drop will happen on Friday, February 28.
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That means the deferrals package strategy is likely the start of a significant and questionable push to expand executive power, said Carlile, the former OMB associate director. He said the White House is essentially seeking to subvert the Constitution, which grants Congress spending authority, in such an extreme way that it threatens the nation's democratic structure. 'I think it upends a fundamental check and balance contemplated in our Constitution, and I don't understand how you subordinate Congress' power of the purse,' Carlile said. Federal spending decisions are 'a deal between the executive and the legislative branch as institutions,' he added. 'And this all starts to unravel real quick if our budgetary framework really actually meant nothing.'
