The push for the Trump administration to release its files related to the investigation of Jeffrey Epstein shows no signs of dissipating. On Monday, Democrats on the House Oversight Committee posted an image of a birthday note Trump allegedly sent Epstein in 2003 (MSNBC has not independently verified the note). Most GOP lawmakers are defending — or at least avoiding criticizing — the president amid the Epstein “hoax,” as Trump continues to call it. Yet one of his most ardent supporters, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., has said she will side with the survivors of Epstein’s sex trafficking operation. And Greene can use one of the most powerful tools of her office to aid them.
In the face of this stonewalling and threats, the survivors are speaking up more than ever. At a news conference held by dozens of survivors last week, survivor Lisa Phillips said they would be compiling the so-called Epstein client list. But, she added, “We’re not quite sure, you know, how we’re going to release that or even if we’re going to.” That caution reflects the fact that sharing a list with the public could prove hazardous for the survivors. If Epstein’s victims also name names, they could quickly find themselves defendants in defamation suits, too. That’s where Greene — and the Constitution — come in.
This is a preview of Ray Brescia's latest column. Read the full column here.
|