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The Hill
19 hours ago
- Politics
- The Hill
Vance says Trump has been ‘incredibly transparent' on Epstein files: ‘We're not shielding anything'
Vice President Vance defended the Trump administration's handling of the files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein during a press conference in Canton, Ohio, after an appearance to promote the 'big, beautiful bill.' 'The president has been very clear. We're not shielding anything,' Vance said in response to a question from a reporter. 'He's been incredibly transparent about that stuff, but some of that stuff takes time.' The furor from the MAGA base over Epstein put Vance, who has in the past entertained conspiracy theories about the convicted sex offender, in a tricky position after the FBI and Department of Justice (DOJ) released a memo maintaining that the disgraced financier died by suicide. Vance reportedly served as a mediator between Attorney General Pam Bondi, FBI Director Kash Patel and Deputy FBI Director Dan Bongino after Bongino aired quitting the week the memo was released. But he otherwise largely stayed quiet as the administration tried to contain the fallout. Now, several weeks later, the MAGA-verse's focus on the issue has abated, despite multiple reports from The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal about Trump's ties to Epstein — findings the president has strenuously denied. The president's attempt to have grand jury transcripts about Epstein unsealed was also defeated in Florida last week, although a ruling has yet to be made in Epstein's criminal case in New York. In Ohio, Vance attempted to pin blame on anyone but the president. 'For four years, under Joe Biden's Department of Justice, the media didn't give a damn about the Epstein files or about the Epstein case,' he said. He also blamed the Bush and Obama administrations for not 'fully' investigating the case. 'Donald J. Trump, I'm telling you, he's got nothing to hide,' he said.
Yahoo
19-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
How grand jury testimony gets unsealed
President Trump, facing intense scrutiny from his base this week, directed Attorney General Pam Bondi on Thursday to release 'pertinent grand jury testimony' from the case involving convicted sex offender and disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein. 'Based on the ridiculous amount of publicity given to Jeffrey Epstein, I have asked Attorney General Pam Bondi to produce any and all pertinent Grand Jury testimony, subject to Court approval,' the president wrote in a post on his Truth Social website Thursday night. 'This SCAM, perpetuated by the Democrats, should end, right now!' Bondi quickly confirmed online she would follow Trump's directive. It's not the first time high-profile Republican figures have sought to unseal documents in the Epstein case. It's unclear what exactly Bondi will ask for, whether judges will be responsive to Bondi's request, or whether the effort will be enough to subdue critics in the MAGA-verse. Here's what to know about the Trump administration's latest move on the Epstein files. What is the process for unsealing grand jury testimony? Grand jury transcripts, including ones related to the Epstein case, are typically confidential under law, but courts can decide to release them when public interest outweighs the legal protections they provide for informants, witnesses and people accused of crimes. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) signed a law in February 2024 to unseal grand jury documents from Epstein's state case, which helped remove legal barriers. Joseph Abruzzo, the Democratic clerk of the circuit court and comptroller of Palm Beach County, released the records in July of that year. Epstein previously reached a 'non-prosecutorial agreement' in a prostitution case in the South District of Florida in 2007 and served a year behind bars after a federal grand jury investigation. A decision to unseal the records in Epstein's federal case is subject to the approval of a federal judge in the Southern District of New York, where Epstein was charged before he died by suicide in 2019. The Department of Justice didn't immediately respond to The Hill's request seeking additional information about how Bondi plans to pursue the release of additional documents, or what records she would request. What is a grand jury? A grand jury, which comprises citizens appointed at random from voter rolls, hears a prosecutor's case before deciding whether there is enough evidence to charge someone with a crime Epstein was indicted by a grand jury on sex trafficking charges in 2019 but died before his case was heard. Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein's associate and girlfriend, was sentenced to 20 years in prison after being found guilty in 2022 of helping Epstein sexually abuse underage girls. She remains the only person convicted in his sex trafficking schemes. Maxwell's case was chiefly handled by the U.S. Southern District of New York. Grand jury testimony from Maxwell's case has been kept under seal, though multiple women testified in open court about her efforts to lure them into Epstein's sex predator scheme when they were youths. The Fifth Amendment requires that all federal cases be heard by a grand jury, but grand juries aren't mandated in some state cases. The grand juries do not determine guilt or innocence. In most cases, they don't hear defense arguments or evidence against charges. What testimony does a grand jury hear? Evidence presented to a grand jury doesn't face the same legal restrictions as information released in open court. It can include details from confidential informants, relayed via law enforcement; information from witnesses whose identities are to be protected for their safety; and other evidence obtained through clandestine law enforcement methods before the defense has an opportunity to refute them. Alan Dershowitz, who helped get a plea deal for Epstein in 2008, has said that there's no Epstein 'client list,' but has said individuals accused of wrongdoing are named in the redacted FBI affidavit from accusers. 'Now, of course, because I was lawyer and I did all the investigations, I know who all these people are,' Dershowitz said earlier this week in an appearance on NewsNation's 'Cuomo.' He claimed no one named in the affidavit currently holds public office. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
The Hill
18-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
How grand jury testimony gets unsealed
President Trump, facing intense scrutiny from his base this week, directed Attorney General Pam Bondi on Thursday to release 'pertinent grand jury testimony' from the case involving convicted sex offender and disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein. 'Based on the ridiculous amount of publicity given to Jeffrey Epstein, I have asked Attorney General Pam Bondi to produce any and all pertinent Grand Jury testimony, subject to Court approval,' the president wrote in a post on his Truth Social website Thursday night. 'This SCAM, perpetuated by the Democrats, should end, right now!' Bondi quickly confirmed online that she would follow Trump's directive. It's not the first time high-profile Republican figures have sought to unseal documents in the Epstein case. It's unclear what exactly Bondi will ask for, whether judges will be responsive to Bondi's request, or whether the effort will be enough to subdue critics in the MAGA-verse. Here's what to know about the Trump administration's latest move on the Epstein files. What is the process for unsealing grand jury testimony Grand jury transcripts, including ones related to the Epstein case, are typically confidential under law, but courts can decide to release them when public interest outweighs the legal protections they provide for informants, witnesses and people accused of crimes. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) signed a law in February 2024 to unseal grand jury documents from Epstein's state case, which helped remove legal barriers. Joseph Abruzzo, the Democratic clerk of the circuit court and comptroller of Palm Beach County, released the records in July of that year. Epstein previously reached a 'non-prosecutorial agreement' in a prostitution case in the South District of Florida in 2007 and served a year behind bars after a federal grand jury investigation. A decision to unseal the records in Epstein's federal case is subject to the approval of a federal judge in the Southern District of New York, where Epstein was charged before he died by suicide in 2019. The Department of Justice didn't immediately respond to The Hill's request seeking additional information about how Bondi plans to pursue the release of additional documents, or what records she would request. What is a grand jury A grand jury, which is made up of citizens appointed at random from voter rolls, hears a prosecutor's case before deciding whether there is enough evidence to charge someone with a crime Epstein was indicted by a grand jury on sex trafficking charges in 2019 but died before his case was heard. Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein's associate and girlfriend, was sentenced to 20 years in prison after being found guilty in 2022 of helping Epstein sexually abuse underage girls. She remains the only person convicted in his sex trafficking schemes. Maxwell's case was chiefly handled by the U.S. Southern District of New York. Grand jury testimony from Maxwell's case has been kept under seal, though multiple women testified in open court about her efforts to lure them into Epstein's sex predator scheme when they were youths. The Fifth Amendment requires that all federal cases be heard by a grand jury, but grand juries aren't mandated in some state cases. The grand juries do not determine guilt or innocence. In most cases, they don't hear defense arguments or evidence against charges. What testimony does a grand jury hear Evidence presented to a grand jury doesn't face the same legal restrictions as information released in open court. It can include details from confidential informants, relayed via law enforcement; information from witnesses whose identities are to be protected for their safety; and other evidence obtained through clandestine law enforcement methods before the defense has an opportunity to refute them. Alan Dershowitz, who helped get a plea deal for Epstein in 2008, has said that there's no Epstein 'client list,' but has said individuals accused of wrongdoing are named in the redacted FBI affidavit from accusers. 'Now, of course, because I was lawyer and I did all the investigations, I know who all these people are,' Dershowitz said earlier this week in an appearance on NewsNation's 'Cuomo.' He claimed no one named in the affidavit currently holds public office.
The Hill
18-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
Raskin notes ‘bipartisan urgency' for DOJ to release all Epstein files
Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) said Thursday that he thought the Trump administration would have to turn over all the 'Epstein files' due to what he characterized as significant bipartisan support for their release. 'We need total disclosure of the complete file, redacting only the names and the identities of the minor victims,' the Maryland Democrat said during an appearance on MSNBC. 'There is overwhelming bipartisan, popular demand, Congressional demand, to release all of this stuff.' Without control of the chamber, House Democrats are unable to do much on their own to force the release of any evidence held by the federal government. However, a resolution spearheaded by Reps. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) to force a House vote on the matter has garnered bipartisan support from figures as wide-ranging as Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.). Raskin is not an official co-sponsor on the resolution. The Maryland lawmaker, the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, instead said Tuesday that Bondi and other top administration officials should testify about Epstein, and floated the possibility of a subpoena. 'I think the cat is out of the bag and they're going to have to turn everything over to us,' Raskin said on MSNBC Thursday. Many Democrats have seized on the controversy roiling the MAGA-verse to demand that the Trump administration release documents related to the disgraced financier and convicted sex offender. 'In other words, we're asking for exactly what Donald Trump was demanding and exactly what Pam Bondi was demanding before they got into power and got to look at everything,' Raskin said.
Buzz Feed
15-07-2025
- Politics
- Buzz Feed
Jon Stewart Gives MAGA A Wake-Up Call After Donald Trump Reverses Stance On Epstein Files
Daily Show host Jon Stewart on Monday tore into President Donald Trump for backtracking on the release of files related to late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Trump is demanding that people stop talking about Epstein, causing some of the president's most loyal supporters to turn on him. 'Surprisingly, MAGA world, for the first time in memory, isn't just slavishly acquiescing to Trump's reality distortion field,' he said, and played clips of figures on the right trashing the president after the Justice Department said last week that the long-rumored Epstein client list doesn't exist. Stewart said MAGA world is 'in open revolt,' with some even burning their infamous red hats. 'MAGA is losing their shit right now,' he said. 'They cannot believe what they're seeing. Trump is lying? Dismissing reasonable concerns as bad-faith whining? Attacking anyone who disagrees?' He offered a message directly to the MAGA-verse. 'As a resident of blue America, can I just say right now to my red colleagues that my pronouns are 'how does' and 'my ass taste,'' he said. 'The Trump that you're just experiencing now, to your deep disappointment and dismay, is the dude we've been dealing with the whole fucking time. You just didn't realize it 'cause he's been nice to you.' As an example, he showed how Trump treats disasters in red states very differently from those in blue ones, offering quick assistance in Texas after last week's deadly floods, but threatening to withhold aid in California during the fires earlier this year. 'Whatever you need, Daddy's here ― because you're the child he wanted,' Stewart told the red states. But the blue ones? 'We're Eric,' he said.
