Questions about Epstein files follow lawmakers home

Republican Rep. Ryan Mackenzie of Pennsylvania held the second town hall of his congressional career on Wednesday just after House Speaker Mike Johnson sent lawmakers home early after clashes among GOP members about releasing records tied to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Questions over the release of Department of Justice files from its Epstein investigation followed the freshman lawmaker, who represents a competitive Northeast Pennsylvania swing district, back home. Earlier this month, the DOJ concluded in a two-page memo that it found no evidence that Epstein had a “client list” and that no more information would be released. The conclusions did little to quell the appetite for more about the Epstein files given they’ve been the source of conspiracy theories — fanned by President Trump and members of his administration — for years.

When asked by a caller on his telephone town hall if he thinks Trump is in Epstein’s “client list” and if it should be released, Mackenzie said that he would support efforts to release the DOJ files on the disgraced financier if the White House does not do more.

“The Trump administration has now been in office for six months,” Mackenzie said. “I know they have not released as much as I would like to see to date, but hopefully they’re going to be doing that. And if not, then Congress should potentially step in and compel them to do that because again, the American people deserve to have full transparency and information about what is in those files and ultimately we’re going to get there.”

Earlier this month, Trump tried to tamp down criticism over the DOJ’s conclusions by criticizing some of his supporters who have expressed distrust in the investigation into Epstein and his death in 2019, which was ruled a suicide. In recent weeks, the DOJ has requested the release of grand jury records related to the Epstein investigation. And on Thursday, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche appeared in Tallahassee to meet with Ghislaine Maxwell, who’s in federal prison for her role helping Epstein sexually abuse underage girls.

Mackenzie and other Republican lawmakers have been targeted by Democratic groups who see how the Epstein saga is dividing the GOP and see it as a political liability for Republicans.

Rep. Summer Lee, D-Pa., introduced a successful motion to subpoena the records in a House subcommittee, with three Republicans voting in favor of it, including Rep. Scott Perry, who represents another competitive Pennsylvania district.

Perry also supports a resolution introduced by Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky calling for the release of the DOJ records, the measure that prompted House Speaker Mike Johnson to dismiss the chamber a day early.

On Tuesday night, Perry changed the logistics of his own telephone town hall, saying his office would call those wanting to join, stating on X, “we now have individuals from outside of our district (and even State) flooding the Tele-Town Hall RSVP page and my office lines.”

One of those who managed to get on the call accused Perry and Republicans of avoiding the Epstein discussion, but Perry pushed back, saying he had personally asked for more information.

“I have requested that the DOJ – and you can see the letter publicly — that the DOJ release the files [and] not only that, [that] they also provide a special prosecutor for the Epstein circumstances as well as other things – abuses of government where information is being hidden from the American people,” Perry said.

Even in some solid Republican districts, lawmakers are facing similar questions. Earlier this week Rep. Eli Crane of Arizona, speaking at a telephone town hall, explained his reasoning for supporting Massie’s resolution.

“I believe transparency should be the hallmark of every administration whether they’re Democrat or Republican,” said Crane, who supports the legislation introduced by Massie.

Republican strategist Rina Shah told NPR this week that “MAGA voters are furious” and want more transparency when it comes to the investigation into Epstein, describing it as a drama that “won’t go away.”

“Come September, if they hit 218 signatures, the House will vote, and it’ll be a defining moment: Is the Republican Party going to double down on transparency and risk embarrassing elites, or will it protect the establishment?” she said. “That’s a question here. And this fight could reshape the party, deciding whether it’s truly the party of the people or one that still plays by old Washington rules.”

KJZZ Senior Editor Michel Marizco contributed to this report.