Plaudits for a Case Against Epstein and His 'Client List'
Bondi has faced criticism in the aftermath of saying that there was no evidence that Epstein maintained a "client list" or had the power to blackmail elite figures. A substantial number of Trump's followers, especially those associated with the Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement, still believe that important information was covered up in order to shield big players and/or intelligence operations.
Over the weekend, Trump advised his followers not to scrutinise far into the Epstein matter, calling it a "sordid but boring" case. Yet in public comments Tuesday, he lauded how Bondi handled the situation and said, "Whatever she feels is credible, she should release."
Pressed on whether Bondi had determined whether his own name was listed in any of the records, Trump said, "No, no."
Transparency Sought by Republicans, Bondi Stays Mum
Trump defended Bondi, but some Republicans are calling for greater transparency. "The public needs to know."House Speaker Mike Johnson said that the public has the "right to know" and that Bondi should "come forward and explain it to everybody." "Let's put everything out there and let the people decide," he added.
Some other Republicans, such as Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Lauren Boebert also echoed the call for transparency. Boebert said a special counsel should be named if more Epstein files are not made public. Sen. John Kennedy echoed those concerns, arguing the public is owed answers about who Epstein peddled women to and why they were never charged.
But other G.O.P. figures who would voice their own opinions, including Senator John Thune and Representative Jim Jordan, deferred to President Trump on whether it would be a good idea.
Bondi herself declined to answer questions about Epstein during a press conference on an unrelated matter. She referred reporters to a recent memo issued by the Department of Justice and the F.B.I., which reaffirmed that Epstein died by suicide and would not provide additional records. More than 300 gigabytes of data had been reviewed, according to the memo.
A spokesman for Bondi last week said that when Bondi mentioned having a "client list," she was referring more generally to case files. Under pressure from Republicans, she has not publicly committed to releasing further information.
Formally, they were voting on the rules for how lawmakers and members of the press, who will be able to sit in on the proceedings, can question witnesses, as well as the procedures for public disclosure of any Epstein-related files. Democratic lawmakers in the House, meanwhile, have tried to bring a vote on releasing Epstein-related files to the floor, with no success. Republicans responded by pointing out that the Democratic administration was still able to access the files, but did not release them.
