Jeff Merkley: Trump Administration Hiding Epstein Files

Accusations of Inaction on Epstein Files

• 🐀 Jeff Merkley states, "We smell a rat," criticizing the Trump administration's failure to release Epstein files.
• 🗣️ Despite campaign promises and assurances from figures like Pam Bondi, not a single document has been released.

Circumventing Release Efforts

• 🏛️ A bipartisan discharge petition in the House, led by Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie, aimed to force the release of the files.
• ✈️ The House then took an eight-week vacation as the petition neared the required number of signatures, which Merkley calls unprecedented.

Suspicious Timing of New Investigations

• 🗓️ On November 14th, an announcement was made about new investigations.
• 🤝 On November 18th, Senator Schumer secured unanimous consent to pass the House bill in the Senate.
• 📣 The following day, Pam Bondi announced new investigations, citing "new information," which Merkley finds suspiciously timed.

Lack of Transparency and Accountability

• ✉️ A letter from bipartisan leaders, including Merkley, Ro Khanna, Tom Massie, and Senator Murkowski, demanding a meeting with Pam Bondi to explain the new investigations was met with a simple acknowledgment of receipt.
• 🔍 Merkley anticipates arguments that vast sections of the files need redaction due to these newly invented investigations.
• ⚖️ The senator emphasizes the need for accountability for perpetrators and justice for victims, which requires transparency and the release of all documents.