Republican Rep. Thomas Massie stated Sunday he stands with Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna’s calls to subpoena Jeffrey Epstein’s property for paperwork associated to his case, together with, as reported by the Wall Road Journal, a birthday letter to Epstein allegedly written by President Donald Trump in 2003.
“Nicely, I feel we should always get much more than simply the e-book. Let’s get the monetary data of the property. The place is it — comply with the cash, as they are saying up right here,” Massie instructed ABC Information’ “This Week” co-anchor Jonathan Karl. “We must always have a look at the plea cut price. Open that up. See what was the deal? What was the deal that was lower? I feel there’s much more than simply that letter.”
The Wall Road Journal reported on a birthday message Trump allegedly wrote in a e-book of messages for Epstein’s fiftieth birthday — the president denies it exists and has sued the Journal for defamation over the report. ABC Information has not been in a position to affirm the existence of the letter.
Massie and Khanna’s joint laws would pressure a Home vote on the discharge of the Epstein recordsdata within the Justice Division’s possession. Nevertheless, Speaker Mike Johnson despatched the Home out for August recess a day early, successfully skirting efforts to launch extra recordsdata. Massie and Khanna are looking for a discharge petition, which with 218 votes from Home members would bypass Johnson.
Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., seems on “This Week With George Stephanopoulos” on Sunday, July 27, 2025.
ABC Information
“It will pressure a full launch of the recordsdata. It has the pressure of regulation, “Massie stated on “This Week.” “It isn’t a subpoena. It isn’t a ‘Fairly please, would you launch the recordsdata?’ It is the pressure of regulation and, it is received protections to redact victims’ names and to forestall, you understand, launch of kid pornography.”
Khanna added the Democratic curiosity on this case isn’t new, regardless of claims that the occasion has latched on to the case because it causes infighting amongst a few of Trump’s MAGA base.
“We now have been pushing for transparency in the course of the Biden administration, each in 2021 and 2024 the court docket ordered launch of paperwork, however Donald Trump raised the stakes and he did it in a means within the marketing campaign that was justified. He stated, ‘Look, once I get there, I will launch the recordsdata,'” Khanna stated.
Listed here are extra highlights from Massie and Khanna’s interview:
Khanna on potential clemency for Ghislaine Maxwell
Karl: Congressman Khanna, we had this fairly extraordinary go to to Florida, of Todd Blanche to satisfy with Ghislaine Maxwell. Do you agree with those that say that she ought to testify? Wanting her to testify earlier than Congress?
Khanna: I do. I’ve skepticism, given she was indicted of perjury, given she has a motive for getting a pardon. Once more, love that Todd Blanche was assembly along with her, allegedly, one-on-one. However I am for all of the proof popping out. It is necessary, although, that this isn’t one thing that’s anti-President Trump. That is for transparency. I am much less involved about his mentions. I am rather more involved in regards to the tons of of people that have been highly effective and wealthy, who had impunity, and I am involved about restoring justice for the victims. He promised to show this. I feel the American folks do not assume he is an ideal individual. They thought he was going to show a system that wasn’t working for them, and that is actually what that is about.
[Editor’s note: Perjury charges against Maxwell were dropped after she was convicted of sex trafficking.]
Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., seems on “This Week With George Stephanopoulos” on Sunday, July 27, 2025.
ABC Information
Massie on criticism from Speaker Johnson
Karl: So, how do you reply to that? And he is making — sure, he is asking a variation of the query I requested Congressman Khanna. He is like, you understand, “Why did not you attempt to do that 4 years in the past?”
Massie: Nicely, like Khanna stated, you understand, I’ve received proof of tweets the place I have been asking for this stuff earlier than. The query is why is not Mike Johnson having this vote? Why did he ship us residence early? And he talks about political ache for Republicans, as if by invoking transparency and inflicting ache, that ought to be very telling. What’s painful about having this vote? I am going to inform you what’s politically going to be a legal responsibility is that if we do not vote on this and we go into the midterms and all people turns into, you understand, they simply try as a result of Republicans did not hold their promise, and Donald Trump. We’ll lose the bulk. By the way in which, they’re additionally working $1.8 million of advertisements towards me, Republicans are.
Massie on Trump probably defending mates within the recordsdata
Karl: Sure, and — and what’s going on within the administration on this, Congressman Massie? I imply, they — they devoted — we talked earlier — about 1,000 FBI, DOJ personnel, DOJ personnel engaged on this, all this discuss of releasing it after which abruptly the president’s out referring to it as a hoax and saying no one cares.
Massie: Nicely, I do not assume it is a hoax in any respect. It is emblematic of the promise that President Trump introduced with him to the White Home, how he energized so many individuals who had checked out of the political system. He was going to be the man who holds all of the wealthy and highly effective and politically linked folks accountable, and that is why there’s a lot disappointment proper now. I do not assume the president himself is especially implicated in these recordsdata. You realize, there have been some theories that that is the case. However I do assume he has mates who could also be embarrassed by the discharge of those recordsdata. And the discharge of those recordsdata might not implicate them. It might simply be embarrassment. However for some purpose he is determined to do a 180 on this.
