House Democrat on release of Epstein files: 'Not a good day for the administration'
Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.) said the confusion surrounding Thursday's release of files related to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein proved to be a sour day for the White House.
“It was not a good day for the administration. If you look at the traffic online over the Epstein release, I have never seen the left and the right come together in a moment on the debacle of what the Epstein files contained,” Moskowitz said during a Thursday appearance on CNN’s “News Night.”
Attorney General Pam Bondi and White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt provided 15 internet influencers with a white binder "The Epstein Files: Phase 1" on Thursday afternoon.
The move sparked internet backlash from both conservative and liberal writers with large followings who condemned the White House for not publicly sharing the files as promised. Hours later, the Department of Justice released flight logs and other documents related to Epstein and urged FBI Director Kash Patel to present more evidence on Friday morning.
The documents released Thursday contained little new information on Epstein, who died by suicide in jail in 2019.
“There is one person who takes the blame for what happened today. It’s @PamBondi. I think she should resign,” Laura Loomer, a far right internet personality wrote in a Thursday night post on X.
“She went on Fox News and said the files were on her desk. Then she went on Fox News last night and said we would have files today. She is a total liar. Just face it.”
Loomer also said individuals invited to the White House were told not to disclose Bondi’s involvement in distributing binders with information that pertained to Epstein’s circle.
Rep. Anna Pauline Luna (R-Fla.), who created a task force on the Declassification of Federal Secrets, also raised concerns with the White House’s decision to disseminate information to a small group of people before lawmakers.
“I nor the task force were given or reviewed the Epstein documents being released today… A NY Post story just revealed that the documents will simply be Epstein's phonebook,” Luna wrote in a Thursday post on X.
“THIS IS NOT WHAT WE OR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ASKED FOR and a complete disappointment. GET US THE INFORMATION WE ASKED FOR!”
However, Luna said in a separate post that she believed Bondi was putting herself “at risk” by working to release the files and protect the identity of victims.
The attorney general reiterated her intent to share the contents of files in a Thursday statement.
“This Department of Justice is following through on President Trump’s commitment to transparency and lifting the veil on the disgusting actions of Jeffrey Epstein and his co-conspirators,” Bondi said.
“The first phase of files released today sheds light on Epstein’s extensive network and begins to provide the public with long overdue accountability.”