GOP Rick-Rolls People Looking for Epstein Files. You Read That Right.
The official social media account for the House Judiciary GOP Rickrolled the Epstein files on Thursday.
On the heels of a political stunt in which the Trump administration gifted large binders labeled 'The Epstein Files: Phase One' to a cadre of MAGA influencers, Republicans in office suddenly decided it would be kosher to use the abhorrent sex trafficking case to make a quick joke.
'#BREAKING: EPSTEIN FILES RELEASED,' the official X account for the House Judiciary GOP posted alongside a shortened URL that actually directed users to Rick Astley's music video for 'Never Gonna Give You Up.'
The disgusting gimmick appalled users on the social media platform, some of whom were shocked that the Republican Party would risk the American public's cybersecurity by sending them down an unknown web address to access highly coveted, classified information.
'Sending the American people to a tiny url that redirects to an unknown destination is a great way to ensure trust in the cybersecurity domain,' posted one user.
For years, Jeffrey Epstein orchestrated a child sex trafficking ring in which he raped countless young girls and helped his wealthy and famous affiliates do the same. He allegedly killed himself in a jail cell while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges in 2019. Earlier this week, Attorney General Pam Bondi pledged to release the details of Epstein's flight logs as well as a list of his connections to the public by Thursday, though that still has not happened.
'The 'Epstein Files' are something of a white whale for the QAnon wing of MAGA, as they believe that its release would reveal the villainous liberal cabal that secretly coordinates international child sex trafficking,' wrote The New Republic's Malcolm Ferguson. 'Many in the conspiracy community believe that Epstein's death—and the botched release of this list—is part of a greater 'deep state' coverup.'
So the White House's gag earlier in the day, unsurprisingly, ruffled feathers on the far-right. After some MAGA talking heads—including DC Draino's Rogan O'Handley, Libs of TikTok's Chaya Raichik, Liz Wheeler, and Mike Cernovich—refused to share the contents of the binders after waltzing out of the executive office, others on the right were left screaming and scrambling online for actual details related to Epstein's activities.
'THERE ARE NO EPSTEIN FILES!!!' Laura Loomer claimed 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.'
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