Few Mentions of Trump, Most Focus on Bill Clinton
Clinton Camp: "An Attempt to Protect Themselves"
Both Parties Object... "Considering Impeachment of Attorney General Bondi"
Documents related to Jeffrey Epstein released by the U.S. Department of Justice on the 19th (local time). The photo shows former U.S. President Bill Clinton (center), Michael Jackson (left), and Diana Ross (right) together. Photo by Reuters Yonhap News
On December 19 (local time), the U.S. Department of Justice released documents related to the investigation of the late Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted sex offender who exploited minors, for the first time. While the materials contained little information related to President Donald Trump, they included numerous photos of former President Bill Clinton, a Democrat, interacting closely with unidentified women, sparking controversy.
The Department of Justice began releasing hundreds of thousands of documents related to the Epstein investigation on its website that day. This action was taken in accordance with the "Epstein Files Transparency Act," which passed both the House and Senate with near-unanimous support in November of the previous year and was signed into law by President Trump.
The materials released included evidence from the Epstein investigation, as well as numerous photos of former President Clinton that the Republican Party has long criticized. The photos show Clinton spending time with Ghislaine Maxwell-Epstein's former partner and accomplice in sex crimes-at an indoor pool, sitting with his arm around a woman whose face is obscured, and sharing a bathtub with a woman. The Department of Justice explained that the person with the obscured face in the hot tub photo is a victim of Epstein's sex crimes.
Gates McGavick, spokesperson for the Department of Justice, posted these photos on social media, stating, "The black boxes covering faces are for the protection of victims." White House communications staff also shared the photos, mocking former President Clinton.
In contrast, there were almost no photos or documents in the released materials related to President Trump, who was known to have associated with Epstein from the 1990s to the early 2000s.
In response, Clinton's representatives strongly objected, claiming that the Department of Justice was highlighting former President Clinton to divert criticism away from President Trump. The Clinton camp argued, "This issue is not about Bill Clinton, but rather an attempt by the Trump administration to protect itself."
Both parties criticized the manner in which the files were released. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat, urged the immediate full disclosure of all evidence, stating, "The documents released this time represent only a tiny fraction of the total evidence." Republican Representative Thomas Massie also pointed out, "This did not meet the intent or requirements of the law."
The Department of Justice announced that, aside from certain materials requiring review to protect victims, it will release additional documents over the coming weeks.
Epstein was arrested on charges of committing sex crimes against multiple women, including minors, and died in prison in 2019. Since then, numerous conspiracy theories have circulated regarding the involvement of prominent political and business figures, as well as the circumstances of his death.
Ro Khanna, a Democratic Representative from California who co-sponsored the Epstein Files Transparency Act, told CNN that the files released did not meet the level of disclosure required by the law and that he is considering introducing articles of impeachment against Attorney General Pam Bondi. He previously told reporters, "I am disappointed with the materials released today," and added, "We will consider all options" regarding further action.
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