Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) mentioned throughout a number of TV appearances Friday that he and Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) are pondering impeachment expenses in opposition to Lawyer Normal Pam Bondi, citing the newly released but heavily redacted Justice Division recordsdata on the late accused intercourse trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.
“Thomas Massie and I talked about it,” Khanna told “The Source” host Kaitlan Collins. “He’s working, as am I, on drafting articles of impeachment and inherent contempt. We haven’t determined whether or not to maneuver it ahead but, however we’re within the strategy of doing it.”
“The issue that the legal professional normal has, should you simply have a look at the feedback to our social media feed, is the quantity of MAGA influencers who’re upset along with her,” he continued. “The problem for her isn’t, ‘Are there gonna be 212 Democrats who would help it?’”
Khanna and Massie, who each serve on the Home Oversight Committee, co-sponsored the Epstein Files Transparency Act and garnered enough bipartisan support to compel the Justice Division to launch any remaining recordsdata inside 30 days. The DOJ appeared to fulfill the Dec. 19 deadline, solely to launch a fraction of the paperwork — many closely redacted.
The file launch was additionally overseen by Deputy Lawyer Normal Todd Blanche, who may face future expenses, Khanna famous throughout an look on “Anderson Cooper 360” on Friday.
“Simply launch the recordsdata, get it over with,” he said. “The president can discuss affordability and the economic system. They’re those who proceed to play these video games that make this a much bigger and larger challenge. And Congress is speaking about doable impeachment.”
Khanna continued, “They’re speaking about inherent contempt for the legal professional normal or deputy legal professional normal. Any Justice Division official who has obstructed justice may face prosecution on this administration or a future administration.” Inherent contempt is the hardly ever invoked energy of Congress to arrest or imprison people for defying authorized calls for.
“So immediately is the 30 days,” said Blanche, appearing on Fox News on Friday. “I anticipate that we’re going to launch extra paperwork over the following couple of weeks, so immediately a number of hundred thousand after which over the following couple weeks, I anticipate a number of hundred thousand extra.”
The Epstein recordsdata have been a signature challenge for the DOJ and the legal professional normal’s workplace specifically. Bondi famously vowed in February to launch the recordsdata, then reportedly informed President Donald Trump in July that his identify was prominently featured in them. Trump went on to decry the case as a “hoax” propped up by Democrats, just for the transparency act to cross.
Blanche held several prison interviews in July with intercourse offender and former Epstein confederate Ghislaine Maxwell, who claimed she by no means noticed Trump do something unlawful. She was then moved to a minimum-security facility.
Khanna informed Collins that his objective has by no means been to result in expenses or impeachments, however to carry the total info to mild in honor of the victims. He additional famous he’ll be glad “so long as they adjust to the spirit of the regulation.”
“However this was on no account complying with the spirit of the regulation,” mentioned Khanna of Friday’s redaction-filled and considerably clumsy file launch.
He additionally warned throughout his “Anderson Cooper 360” look, “The final phrase, like I mentioned, goes to be the survivors. Individuals don’t belief politicians that a lot. They belief these girls, and they’ll be again on the hill. And the nation will hear from them.”
