The Fallout From the Epstein Files

"The key thing to remember about the Epstein story is that it is a case that has been mishandled for decades. The reason that we're hearing about this now and why it's exploding into public view is because, for the first time, Republicans in Congress and Democrats in Congress were willing to openly defy their leadership and call for the release of these files. That has never been done before, and I think it really is changing the political landscape in ways that we're still just starting to learn."

"What's been so striking is how many of those very same Republicans who were calling for the release of those files, who had promised to get to the bottom of them, are now saying things that are just the opposite."

The Department of Justice is under scrutiny after records involving President Trump were absent from the public release of Epstein files. Congressional panelists noted that the Epstein case has been mishandled for decades, but bipartisan congressional pressure recently forced file releases for the first time. Republicans and Democrats openly defied leadership to demand transparency. However, many Republicans who previously called for file release and promised investigation are now reversing their positions, creating significant political fallout and shifting the political landscape in unexpected ways.

Read at The Atlantic