Transcription
Mounting suspicions the White House may be stonewalling the release of more Epstein files. Several sources told MS Now Democrats on the House Oversight Committee believe there has been an intense White House cover up on the files and fears Attorney General Pam Bondi will weaponize what they call sham investigations to keep critical evidence from reaching the public. Here's what lawmakers said about it today.
"I don't really care who is in the files. At the end of the day, right is right, wrong is wrong. And if you are truly about law and order, then we should be looking for who it is that has broken the law. I don't know how the Congress could be clearer on this, Christian. Um, the Congress, Democrats and Republicans, nearly unanimously said, 'Release these.' And right now, Pam Bondi has suddenly started a new investigation. If she refuses to release all of these Epstein files, uh, this will be against the spirit and the words in that law."
Joining me now is the ranking member of the House Oversight Committee and our friend, Democratic Congressman Robert Garcia of California. He is also on the committee on transportation and infrastructure. So, welcome, Congressman. Let's get into it because you, sir, sent a letter this week to Attorney General Pam Bondi stressing the oversight committee subpoena requires her to release the complete files regardless of any loopholes in the recently passed bill allowing DOJ to withhold information relevant to ongoing investigations. Are you concerned the administration will will try to use dubious legal grounds to redact or withhold mentions of President Trump? And if so, what options does the committee have to enforce the subpoena?
"We are very worried. I mean, I think we should be very clear. Uh Donald Trump has been leading a massive cover up. There's no question. Pam Bondi has been helping. Mike Johnson Republicans have been complicit. And it wasn't until we forced this vote that now we're seeing Republicans actually go on the record and join us in a really strong effort to get these files released. One thing that we've been concerned about is, as you know, Alex, there's two efforts. There the subpoena through the committee which demands a release of all the files. Then there is now this law that was passed, the Conor Massie resolution that does the same thing. And they both work together to get these files released. But what Pam Bondi is doing now is she's essentially saying that if there's an open investigation that somehow that would possibly, as we all know, could lead to not releasing all of the documents. That's concerning to us because that's al obviously language that's in the law. It's very typical in these types of laws. What the attorney general needs to remember is that our subpoena doesn't have that language. Subpoenas always enforce and push documents to the Congress oftentimes sometimes classified even if there's investigations ongoing. So the AG has no recourse in trying to hide all of the files. She has to give them to the committee even if he tries to slow down the process of getting them to the full Congress. And so we will use everything we have in our ability legal the courts pushing public opinion to get the files."
Okay. And in addition, let's talk about the volume because sources have told us that committee Democrats emphasize the documents released to the public are just a tiny fraction of what all the DOJ has. So the committee is pursuing information from other places like like what and what's next in the investigation?
"So, the the subpoena that we put in place uh for the Department of Justice for the files, they've released essentially one group of documents, a very small group of documents uh basically 30,000 pages, which seems large, but actually tiny compared to what they actually have at the DOJ. And what they released was essentially already available to the public, some court documents where we've been getting actual interesting information like the birthday book and the birthday note that folks saw or the emails that people started to read last week about Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein. That has not been through the DOJ. That has been through a separate subpoena we have with the Epstein estate. And that is a place where Donald Trump and Pam Bondi can't stop our work and our investigation. We expect more documents from the Epstein estate. We know that there are very they're they're very very large large voluous amounts of we believe photographs, emails, flight logs, other documents that we're going to get whether Pam Bondi wants us to or not. And so we need both the documents from the estate and the documents from the DOJ."
Uh the Galen Maxwell factor here. The committee, we understand, sheld plans to depose her after her lawyer said she'd plead the fifth. Former SDNY prosecutor Moren Comey, who is suing the administration for her unlawful firing, was prosecuting Epstein when he killed himself in prison. So, does the committee want Comey to testify? Who else could be called?
"Uh, yeah, we honestly we are reaching out to just about everyone. And so, don't be surprised. Um, in in the weeks ahead, you'll be hearing a lot of names that we intend to to speak with. And what's going on with Galain Maxwell is horrific. You have essentially someone that trafficked children and girls. She should never have been moved to this essential new facility where she is getting VIP treatment, having access to all sorts of people. We understand she's having meetings that we know nothing about. And no one will tell us why she was moved or who gave the orders to move her. We've been demanding that she be deposed in front of the oversight committee in a bipartisan way. And now, of course, she is saying through her lawyers that she won't testify. And James Comr, the chair, seems to be okay with it. And we need to push back. She needs to be in front of the committee. And so, the oversight Republicans, the White House, they keep playing cover for Donald Trump. We're going to get to the truth and we're going to get justice for all of the survivors, and we're going to continue to fight every single day on this issue. I want to get your reaction to uh the president who has escalated his attacks on six Democratic lawmakers who posted a video urging military personnel to refuse illegal orders and then the president accusing them of sedition and saying they should be in jail. Thursday, he called their action sedicious behavior punishable by death. Senator Alyssa Slotkin has received hundreds of death threats, including a bomb threat at her home. How do you respond to the president's comments?"
"I mean, really outrageous and really dangerous. We know that we're living in an era of political violence. The president knows that. And this attack that he went on and did online was a direct attack that motivates some of the worst parts of our country. And they are all I have some of some of my colleagues who I've spoken with, they're receiving serious death threats because of the president's actions. He has yet to apologize and they're worried not just for themselves but for their families. To have the president of the United States somehow hint towards some type of execution or death uh essentially saying that they're traitors to this country is unprecedented as it relates to presidents but also incredibly dangerous. And every American, Republican, Democrat should call this out. And I I worry about are not just those that he's called out, but I worry about all of the other folks that he will continue to call out. He will continue to weaponize the government against. He will continue to rally uh some of some of his base, which quite frankly are quite dangerous against not just members of Congress, but anybody else that tries to stand up for him to him."
Okay, Congressman Robert Garcia, thank you so much for your time. A happy Thanksgiving to you. We are thankful that you're on the job and we just go on record with that. Appreciate it. New York City, Maryland.