Massie: Trump ‘may be covering for some rich and powerful people’ in Epstein files
Related video: Marc Short and Julia Manchester discuss the Epstein files, a potential crime bill, and a busy fall agenda for Congress
Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) late Tuesday said President Trump “may be covering for some rich and powerful people,” as the lawmaker pushes for more transparency in the case of convicted sex offender and late financier Jeffrey Epstein.
“I think the best way to clear President Trump’s name is to release all the files,” Massie told MSNBC’s “All In” host Chris Hayes. “I actually don’t think he’s done anything criminal; I think he may be covering for some rich and powerful people that are friends of his. And in fact, some of those billionaires are running ads against me in Kentucky right now.”
“One of them is in Epstein’s black book. So, we’re, you know, we’re getting close to the center of power here,” he continued in the clip, highlighted by Mediaite. “And I think, you know, embarrassment is not a reason to conceal all of this stuff.”
The Bluegrass State lawmaker added, “We’ve got to get it out in the open, regardless of whose friends might be incriminated.”
The comments come after Massie, in collaboration with Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna (Calif.), filed a long-promised discharge petition to force action on his transparency bill that would require the Trump administration to publicly disclose files and information related to Epstein.
The petition needs 218 signatures in order to circumvent House GOP leadership and force action on the resolution. Both Khanna and the Kentucky Republican have said they are confident they can reach the threshold.
The duo is expected to hold a press conference Wednesday morning alongside Epstein’s accusers, a day after the victims met with the House Oversight Committee. The committee later Tuesday also released the files the Justice Department (DOJ) turned over as the result of a subpoena.
Republicans, including Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), have tried to prevent internal divisions over the files and have launched a series of moves to appease GOP critics that have pushed for more information to be released. This includes adding a last-minute vote to the calendar, providing rank-and-file Republicans with a formal outlet to register their support for congressional investigations into Epstein and co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell, who is in prison.
The spotlight on the case was sparked earlier this summer after the DOJ and FBI published a joint memo concluding that Epstein did not keep a “client list” and reaffirming the medical examiner’s report that he died by suicide in 2019 as he was awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.
The Hill has reached out to the White House for comment.