Congressman Scott Franklin says he would support the release of the Epstein files, as long as it respects due process for individuals who may have been wrongly named or implicated.
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WASHINGTON D.C.- Congressman Scott Franklin says he would support the release of the Epstein files, as long as it respects due process for individuals who may have been wrongly named or implicated.
Democrats tried to force a vote on releasing the files, after Republicans struck down an amendment in the House Rules committee on July 14. The procedural maneuver, which would have triggered a vote on the amendment requiring Trump’s Justice Department to release the Epstein files within 30 days, was rejected, with a 211 to 210 vote.
Rep. Franklin, who represents Florida’s 18th district, was one of the votes against the procedure, calling the procedure “blatant hypocrisy.”
“I support release of the Epstein files, provided it’s done in a way that protects victims and respects due process for individuals who may have been wrongly named or implicated,” said Rep. Franklin to Lake Okeechobee News. “The American people deserve the truth.”
“While I have not yet voted on any measure to release these records, the Democrats’ attempt to politicize this issue through procedural maneuvers is blatant hypocrisy,” continued Rep. Franklin. “They had access to these files for years and chose not to act. This shouldn’t be about scoring political points. It’s about long-overdue accountability and justice. The public deserves nothing less than full transparency.”
The FBI and the Justice Department announced on July 7 that their investigation concluded Epstein died by suicide. The agencies provided a link to video footage from the common area of the Special Housing Unit where Epstein was housed at the time of his death, though, based on time stamps, the footage appeared to be missing a minute.
The DOJ also announced that there was no incriminating “client list” and that they found no credible evidence found that Epstein blackmailed prominent individuals as part of his actions.
President Trump has downplayed the uproar over the Jeffery Epstein sex trafficking case. Speaking to reporters on July 15 he called the case “pretty boring” and said he didn’t see the fascination with it.
The Wall Street Journal reported that in May the DOJ told President Trump that his name was in the Epstein files. When asked about that report on July 28, President Trump called it a hoax and suggested his name may have been planted.
"Well, I haven't been overly interested in it,” said President Trump. “It's a hoax that's been built up by those, way beyond proportion.”
The House of Representatives closed for recess early on July 23 to avoid what Speaker Mike Johnson called a “political charade” by Democrats over the release of the Epstein files.
But the push to release files related to Epstein are set to continue after the recess. Republican Thomas Massie and Democrat Ro Khanna are preparing a petition to force a floor vote on legislation that would give Attorney General Pam Bondi 30 days to release files related to Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell
