‘The sooner the better’: Warner urges transparency in Epstein files release, concerned over Trump’s ‘funny business’
VENN
RICHMOND, VA. (WRIC) -- Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) is concerned about what he calls "funny business" being pulled by President Donald Trump's administration following the passage of the bill to release all unclassified records connected to the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
On Wednesday, Nov. 19, Trump signed the Epstein Files Transparency Act into law, officially directing the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to release the highly anticipated documents and records connected to Epstein. The move marked a major reversal for the president, who initially resisted political efforts from his own party.
“Democrats have used the ‘Epstein’ issue, which affects them far more than the Republican Party, in order to try and distract from our AMAZING Victories,” Trump said in a social media post as he announced he had signed the bill.
Earlier in the week, the House voted overwhelmingly and the Senate agreed unanimously to pass a bill directing the DOJ to release the Epstein files.
RELATED: Epstein survivors could encourage other victims of abuse to come forward
On Thursday, Nov. 20, Warner -- a longtime advocate of publicly releasing all files relating to the investigation of Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell and others involved in what he called "heinous crimes against hundreds of girls and young women" just two days prior on Nov. 18 -- addressed the Senate's move to force the release of the files.
The bill requires the DOJ to release all files and communications related to Epstein, in addition to any information about the investigation into his death in a federal prison in 2019, within 30 days.
"I am concerned about funny business being pulled by the [Trump] administration in Trump's effort to now say he's going to investigate Democrats to use that as an excuse why some of the files can't be released," Warner told reporters.
Warner emphasized that the Epstein files need to be released -- "the sooner the better," he said -- but acknowledged the possible "smoke show" the DOJ may try to play into.
"The truth is, the American people need and want to see these files," Warner said. "It's important for the victims to have their moment, acknowledging what happened and people being held accountable."
Warner delivered a speech on the U.S. Senate floor Thursday afternoon, warning that the U.S. faces a threat to the independence of the intelligence community as the Trump administration continues its investigation into the FBI and the collapse of U.S. cyber defenses under the administration.
