GOP Split on Maxwell Pardon as DOJ Inspector General Reviews Epstein File Handling
Only 6 of 25 Republicans investigating Epstein oppose pardoning Maxwell, while DOJ faces internal review of file handling. Protesters project Trump-Epstein images in DC.
Political divisions over Jeffrey Epstein accountability deepened this week as investigations and public pressure intensify around file releases and potential pardons.
According to Forbes, only 6 of 25 Republican lawmakers involved in Epstein investigations have publicly stated they oppose pardoning Ghislaine Maxwell, highlighting significant fractures within the party on accountability measures. This revelation comes as the Department of Justice faces its own internal scrutiny.
Scripps News reported that the DOJ Inspector General has launched a review of the department's handling of Epstein files, adding another layer of oversight to the controversial case management. The timing coincides with mounting political pressure from multiple fronts.
Public demonstrations escalated in Washington DC, with activists projecting videos and photos of Trump and Epstein onto buildings on the eve of the White House Correspondents' Dinner, according to NDTV and India Today. The protests, covered by Open Magazine, represent growing grassroots pressure for transparency in the Epstein files.
Political controversy intensified when Yahoo News Singapore reported claims by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene that Trump "flat out" told Attorney General nominee Pam Bondi "do not release the Epstein files." Meanwhile, The Independent and AOL reported that a Democratic lawmaker is calling on King Charles to pressure Trump for full file release, highlighting the international dimensions of the transparency push.
At the institutional level, Baltimore Sun reported that University of Maryland students voted to remove a regent named in the Epstein files, demonstrating how the case continues to impact academic and civic institutions beyond the federal level.