In Colorado Politics, reporter Mabinty Quarshie details a tense Washington moment: White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt sidestepped repeated questions about reports that top Trump administration officials met with Rep. Lauren Boebert to talk Justice Department case files tied to Jeffrey Epstein. The author is Mabinty Quarshie.
According to the piece, the meeting was allegedly to dissuade Boebert from backing a petition in Congress that would force a vote to release the Epstein files. The petition needs 218 signatures and could reach that mark after Rep. Adelita Grijalva is sworn in. Leavitt called meetings with lawmakers a mark of transparency but refused to detail any conversations. She even referenced the Situation Room. The outlet notes it is unclear whether she misspoke. The article says the petition is led by Reps. Thomas Massie and Ro Khanna. Two other Republicans, Marjorie Taylor Greene and Nancy Mace, have signed. CNN is cited for naming Attorney General Pam Bondi, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, and FBI Director Kash Patel as attendees. The story also notes Democrats released Epstein emails that mention Donald Trump, which Leavitt dismissed while asserting Trump had kicked Epstein out of Mar-a-Lago.
The Bullet Point Brief
• The press room dance. Leavitt called talks with lawmakers “transparency” while declining specifics. Situation Room reference raised eyebrows.
• The 218 wall. A bipartisan petition to force a vote on releasing Epstein files is within reach. Boebert’s signature is pivotal.
• Pressure campaign. CNN’s list of attendees includes Pam Bondi, Todd Blanche, and Kash Patel. The message was do not back the petition.
• Trump weighs in. He blasted Democrats and warned Republicans not to take the Epstein “trap,” urging focus on the shutdown.
• Incoming crossfire. House Democrats released Epstein emails that mention Trump. Leavitt said they prove nothing and defended Trump’s actions.
My Bottom Line
Good on Rep. Lauren Boebert for sticking to her guns. If the powerful want these files buried, that is exactly why Congress should pry them loose, with sensible redactions that protect victims. Equal justice does not flinch because the names are famous.
This is bigger than Epstein. It is about whether the rich and connected get a private justice system while everyone else plays by the rules. If a White House lauds “transparency” yet balks at sunlight, voters notice. Release the records. Let the facts speak. If coalitions crack over accountability, then they were never built on principle.
Source: Colorado Politics
