Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie implored the Trump administration officials to do “whatever they need to do to compel” testimony from sex predator Jeffrey Epstein’s madam Ghislaine Maxwell, even if that means giving her some form of pardon.
Massie (R-Ky.), who is leading a bipartisan push in Congress to force the release of the Epstein files, stressed that he wants the public to get as much transparency as possible on the late child sex trafficker.
“That would be up to the president,” Massie told NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday when asked about whether Trump should give Maxwell a pardon.
“But if she has information that could help us, then I think she should testify. Let’s get that out there. And whatever they need to do to compel that testimony, as long as it’s truthful, I would be in favor of.”
Last Friday, Trump said that he hadn’t thought about pardoning Maxwell, but noted that “I’m allowed to do it.”
Todd Blanche, Trump’s former defense attorney, who now serves as the US deputy attorney general, met with Maxwell, who is serving a 20-year sentence for sex trafficking and other crimes, for hours last Thursday and Friday in private.
Massie’s partner in the bipartisan push to force the release of the Epstein files, Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) split with him on the possibility of Maxwell getting clemency.
“No, I don’t,” he said. “And I’m concerned that the Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche is meeting with her supposedly one-on-one. Look, I agree with Congressman Massie that she should testify. But she’s been indicted twice on perjury. This is why we need the files.”
“This is why we need independent evidence.”
