Colorado GOP House members call out Trump on Epstein case but vote against public transparency

Last week, Congressman Jeff Crank (R-CO) told a radio show host he wanted to see transparency in the Epstein case. Tuesday, he, along with the rest of Colorado’s Republican delegation, voted against making those files public.

Across the political aisle, there have been calls for the federal government to release the “Epstein files,” documents pertaining to the crimes of Jeffrey Epstein. Epstein died in a cell back in 2019 after being arrested on federal charges of sex trafficking minors in both Florida and New York. The medical examiner ruled his death was suicide by hanging.  

Epstein’s death launched years of public speculation and conspiracy theories across the country and in Colorado due to Epstein’s known ties to people of considerable influence, including politicians, princes, and celebrities.

On Thursday, Crank appeared on a conservative KVOR radio show hosted by Richard Randall where the congressman discussed current events, including the memo put out by Attorney General Pam Bondi’s office saying that no files would be released. 

Randall brought up that many in the administration had questioned whether Epstein had really committed suicide and had argued that an alleged client list of Epstein’s should be made public. 

When asked for his thoughts on the matter, Crank said: “Well, I mean, look, when you say you’re going to be transparent, you should be transparent. The president was very clear, and I think the president has been the most transparent president, right?” 

Crank hypothesized that there were innocent people who flew on Epstein’s plane who didn’t want their reputations damaged, who put pressure on the administration not to release any files. 

“What I would say to the president is, ‘Look, you said you were going to be transparent on this. Pam Bondi said she was going to be transparent. Just be transparent, let the chips fall where they may,’” Crank added. “If somebody’s name is on [the list], their name is on it, and they have to defend themselves.”

Both Crank and Randall dismissed the president’s well-documented connections to Epstein. 

The Colorado Times Recorder reached out to Jeff Crank for comment, but his office has yet to provide a response. 

House Republicans blocked an attempt by Democratic lawmakers to force a vote on releasing the Epstein files. In a 211 to 210 vote, no House Republicans voted for the release of the files. 

Tuesday, Trump told reporters that he would leave the decisions about releasing files to Bondi and rejected questions about making more releases.

Back in June, former Trump advisor Elon Musk took to his social media website to claim that Trump was “in the Epstein files”, reigniting public attention on the case. 

The administration’s handling of the Epstein files has caused a rift within parts of the MAGA movement.

U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) went on The Benny Show, a podcast run by right-wing influencer Benny Johnson, yesterday to say that she was not satisfied with the results of the Epstein case. It should be noted that Johnson is one of the right-wing media figures who was duped into working for a company that was a front for a covert Russian influence campaign.

“Of course, we want answers,” Boebert told Johnson. “No one is satisfied with what has been received or the lack thereof. No one has been satisfied with the rollout of this.” 

Boebert said she wanted more action on the Epstein case. 

“There has to be a special investigation into this if we aren’t going to be provided information,” Boebert said in the interview. “I want answers, and maybe that takes that special counsel to do so. Maybe Matt Gaetz can lead the special counsel.”

Gaetz is a former congressman from Florida who was Trump’s initial pick for attorney general until his nomination was derailed over allegations that he paid for sex and engaged in sex trafficking, including that of a 17-year-old. 

A House Ethics Committee report published in December detailed Gaetz alleged misconduct while he was in office.  

According to the report, the committee determined that there was “substantial evidence” that Gaetz had violated both House rules “and other standards of conduct prohibiting prostitution, statutory rape, illicit drug use, impermissible gifts, special favors or privileges, and obstruction of Congress.” 

After her podcast appearance, Boebert followed through on her suggestion by asking Gaetz directly. 

“We deserve the truth about the Epstein Files. I’m ready for a Special Counsel to handle this,” Boebert wrote on X. “@MattGaetz, how about it?”

The Trump administration has tried to quell mounting frustration from the MAGA movement over the Epstein files. 

The memo released by the Justice Department last week claimed that there was no client list and that no additional files that pertained to the Epstein case would be made public.

Editor’s note: This article first appeared on the Colorado Times Recorder website.