Spin Cycle: Democrats Can’t Quit The Epstein Files

After months — and even years — of showing no curiosity whatsoever regarding the contents of the files relating to deceased pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, congressional Democrats and their media counterparts are suddenly disinterested in talking about anything else.

For those who don’t spend their Sunday mornings glued to the television — and their Sunday afternoons attempting to dig through a week’s worth of network and cable news media spin — The Daily Wire has compiled a short summary of what you may have missed.

The working theory, based on the comments and questions swirling from the left, appears to be that the Epstein story plays well for Democrats. Of course, that’s only true if everyone ignores the fact that Democrats could have worked to get the files released years ago — or they could at least have refrained from blocking Republican efforts to subpoena the disgraced financier’s flight logs.

Still, Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) parroted exactly that point during an interview on NBC News’ “Meet the Press.”

Khanna, who has joined with Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) to force a vote in the House on the Epstein files. spoke with host Kristen Welker about the Democratic Party’s sudden pivot to Epstein.

Welker pressed the California Democrat on the shift to all Epstein, all the time, and asked whether anyone was concerned that other issues might get left by the wayside if the Epstein drama was taking up all the oxygen in the room. She especially pressed him on the fact that “everyday pocketbook issues” might be a better selling point for Democrats going into the 2026 midterms, but he disagreed.

“You can’t do anything constructive with government if you don’t have trust in government,” Khanna replied, saying that getting the files released would be a step toward more transparency. He did not explain why Democrats had opposed Republican efforts to get some of the documents in question years earlier.

“This is about trust in government,” he claimed. “When John F. Kennedy was president, trust in government was 60%, today it’s in the teens.”

Rep. Ro Khanna says Epstein is a winning issue for Democrats: ‘This is about trust in government’ https://t.co/PXS5oaYaeT

— Meet the Press (@MeetThePress) July 27, 2025

The other working theory appears to be that continued pressure with regard to the Epstein case will drive a wedge between Republicans in general and between President Trump and his supporters specifically. And that is only true if everyone ignores all the polling that indicates the exact opposite is true.

Welker also spoke with House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) about the Epstein files on Sunday morning’s broadcast, and she pressed him on President Trump’s recent comments about Epstein madam Ghislaine Maxwell — namely the fact that he has “not considered” clemency for the convicted accomplice.

Of course, that’s only true if everyone ignores the fact that Democrats could have worked to get the files released years ago — or they could at least have refrained from blocking Republican efforts to subpoena the disgraced financier’s flight logs. It’s also only true if everyone ignores all the polling that indicates the exact opposite is true.

Still, Welker pressed Johnson on Trump’s statement — which at face value was a fairly benign and fairly typical refusal to take any negotiating leverage off the table — and asked Johnson to respond to the possibility that Trump could ultimately pardon Maxwell.

“If you’re asking my opinion, I think 20 years was a pittance,” Johnson replied. “I think she should have a life sentence at least. I mean, think of all these unspeakable crimes, and as you noted earlier, probably 1,000 victims. I mean, you know, this, this is, it’s, it’s hard to put into words how evil this was, and that she orchestrated it and was a big part of it, at least under the criminal sanction, I think is an unforgivable thing. So again, not my decision, but I have great pause about that, as any reasonable person would.”

SPEAKER MIKE JOHNSON on Ghislaine Maxwell’s sentence on Meet the Press:

“If you’re asking my opinion, I think 20 years was a pittance. I think she should have a life sentence at least. I mean, think of all these unspeakable crimes, and as you noted earlier, probably 1,000…

— Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) July 27, 2025

Johnson has said on several occasions that he would like to see as much information as possible released with regard to the Epstein case — but with one very important caveat: the victims must be protected. He has also opposed what he’s referred to as a “reckless” bipartisan bill — the one being touted by Reps. Khanna and Massie — largely because he does not believe it would do enough to protect the victims.

In an exclusive interview with Meet the Press, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) calls the bipartisan push to force a House vote on releasing the Epstein files “reckless,” adding that it does not do enough to protect victims. https://t.co/9xW2VH9UvJ pic.twitter.com/ZcWXw58vnq

— Meet the Press (@MeetThePress) July 27, 2025

On ABC’s “This Week,” Jonathan Karl went a different direction with former Governor Chris Christie (R-NJ) and asked about the recent conversations — which played out over two days — between Maxwell and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche.

“I have never seen this done — ever. The deputy attorney general runs the Department of Justice. They don’t interview witnesses … This is highly unusual,” he said.

“I have never seen this done — ever. The deputy attorney general runs the Department of Justice. They don’t interview witnesses … This is highly unusual,” @GovChristie says of Deputy AG Todd Blanche meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell. https://t.co/VCZ3K9bSxn pic.twitter.com/P4C9hialQF

— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) July 27, 2025

Maxwell, according to reports, spoke with Blanche about 100 of her late employer’s associates.