STOP PLAYING POLITICS WITH VICTIMS OF SEXUAL PREDATORS. IT’S DISGUSTING

Pretty soon every high-profile name in the Epstein files will have their day of legal, and public, condemnation. Names and reputations and powerful positions are dropping, if not like flies, at least in a way that shows societal shunning still has power. And eventually there will be one man left standing. If the GOP Congress has anything to do with it. The Trump administration’s determination to hide the actions of its own while exposing opponents shows blatantly in the redactions in the Epstein files that have been released so far. Officials neglected (on purpose?) to redact identifying information about survivors, publishing sexually explicit photographs of them, and names, while blacking out those of apparent friends and co-conspirators of Epstein. Trump’s name appears throughout the files, more than anyone. But in an attempt to center Bill Clinton, rather than Trump, in public discussion of the Epstein files, House Oversight Committee chair James Comer (R-KY) has subpoenaed both the Clintons to testify under oath. He says he doesn’t have to do the same for Trump about his relationship with Epstein because Trump is answering questions for reporters. This is laugh-out-loud absurd. The Clintons ultimately agreed to testify. Hillary Clinton posted on social media: “For six months, we engaged Republicans on the Oversight Committee in good faith. We told them what we know, under oath. They ignored all of it. They moved the goalposts and turned accountability into an exercise in distraction. So let’s stop the games. If you want this fight, [Representative Comer], let’s have it—in public. You love to talk about transparency. There’s nothing more transparent than a public hearing, cameras on. We will be there.” Good for her. Punching a bully in the nose works every time. And we the people look forward to public testimony so we can judge for ourselves just how serious the GOP Congress is protecting victims of Epstein and Maxwell, regardless of politics. Because forcing a former president to testify under threat of contempt establishes the precedent that Congress can force past presidents and their spouses and families to testify under threat of criminal charges. NBC News reported that Democrats are taking note. Representative Ted Lieu (D-CA) told them: “We are absolutely going to have Donald Trump testify under oath.” Maxwell Frost (D-FL), who sits on the Oversight Committee, said that forcing Clinton to testify does indeed set a precedent. “[A]nd we will follow it,” he said. “Donald Trump, all of his kids. Everybody.” It seems likely Trump has already figured out that forcing Clinton to testify opens up some avenues he would rather leave closed. When asked about the Clintons’ testimony at the end of the month, he answered: “I think it’s a shame, to be honest. I always liked him.” Hillary was “a very capable woman.” “I hate to see it in many ways.” Whoops. I bet he hates to see it. Finally getting the discovery you bluffed for in a trial where you know you’re guilty might not be all it’s cracked up to be. Everyone sees what is going on. You’re not fooling anyone.