Former Vice President Mike Pence says “the time has come” for the Trump administration to release all the information they have regarding disgraced late financier Jeffrey Epstein.
Speaking to CBS News’ Major Garrett on Wednesday, Pence broke with his former boss and said the White House and the Justice Department need to release everything they have on Epstein.
“I think the time has come for the administration to release all of the files regarding Jeffrey Epstein’s investigation and prosecution. It’s important that we protect the names of the victims. They should be excluded from any disclosure, but whether or not the facts justify charges, I think that anyone who participated or was associated with this despicable man ought to be held up to public scrutiny,” Pence said to CBS News.
The Department of Justice and the FBI announced last week there was never any “client list” of Epstein and confirmed he did die by suicide. The review added to the frustration for those on both sides of the political spectrum that justice would never be served for the young girls who were exploited by Epstein.
“I just think we ought to get the facts to the American people. I mean, I’ve always believed in transparency,” Pence said.
The complex issue of the Epstein files and their political relevance has roiled many in the MAGA base who feel they have been led to believe justice for the exploited girls would be coming with a second Trump presidency. Mixed signals from conservative influencers and inconsistent promises from government officials have only added to speculation that the Epstein case will never reach closure. Trump has since called the entire investigation a hoax and scolded his supporters to move on.
“Well, Jeffrey Epstein’s prosecution began during the Bush administration. He’s blaming it on Democrats. The Obama years. It’s not a hoax. I know of no reason why this administration, once the victims’ names are protected, should not release all the files on Jeffrey Epstein,” Pence added.