Nancy Pelosi Does a 180 on Epstein — Demands ‘Answers’ After Branding Story a ‘Distraction’
(Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call via AP Images)
Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) is joining calls for “answers” on the “Epstein Files” after dismissing the story as a “distraction” just days ago.
“The crimes of Jeffrey Epstein and his enablers shattered countless lives and exposed a vast system of exploitation and violence against women and girls,” Pelosi wrote on Tuesday on X. “Today, I am proud to join as a cosponsor of the Epstein Files Transparency Act — a vital step toward truth and accountability in the face of unspeakable abuse. With this resolution, we declare unequivocally that violence against women will not be ignored.”
Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) introduced the bipartisan Epstein Files Transparency Act, which would require the release of all files related to the late billionaire Jeffrey Epstein. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has refused to bring the the legislation to a vote and announced an early summer break for the House on Tuesday. He also accused Democrats of playing “political games,” insisting the administration is working to release more Epstein documents.
Epstein died of an apparent suicide while in a Manhattan jail after being charged with sex trafficking. President Donald Trump has dismissed theories about a high-profile client list of abusers as a “hoax” and lashed out at some of his own Supporters over their objections to a Department of Justice/FBI memo dismissing the existence of a list and concluding that Epstein killed himself.
In her lengthy statement, Pelosi said victims deserve “answers” and blasted Johnson for shutting the House down.
“They deserve answers. They deserve dignity. And they deserve action from their government,” she wrote. “That is why it is especially shameful that Speaker Johnson has shut down the House of Representatives for the summer to avoid a vote on this resolution.”
Pelosi called for the names of Epstein “associates” to be released and said blocking “transparency” on the Epstein issue is an “abdication of duty.”
“To block transparency in this manner is not only an abdication of duty — it is a profound insult to the victims who have carried the burden of this trauma for decades,” the former House Speaker wrote. “The American people deserve to know the full extent of who was involved with Epstein and all of them must be held accountable — no matter how powerful.”
Pelosi appeared more in line with Trump when it came to Epstein last week, when she called it a “distraction” in an MSNBC interview.
“This is a distraction. We have major issues right here with things we’re voting on today in the Congress, again, in terms of the rescission that the president and the Senate have sent back over us to cut all of these resources out of helping poor people throughout the world, to be America play its leadership role in soft power to keep us safe, and to keep us healthy, so that we-, viruses know no boundary,” she said. “And instead we’re talking about him-, about this thing and his own base has its own views of what the president should do. I’ll leave it up to them to talk it out.”
