CNN anchor Jake Tapper threw some shade at a GOP leader on Wednesday for his flip-flop over releasing the Jeffrey Epstein files.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) told MAGA podcast host Benny Johnson earlier this month that his party should “put everything out there” and let the public draw their own conclusions about the Epstein files. Johnson backtracked a week later when he said there is “no daylight” between House Republicans and the White House, which wants only “credible” Epstein files to be released.
Johnson’s support for transparency has seemed to wane in recent weeks, as he blocked a bipartisan motion to release the files and then adjourned the House of Representatives to its summer break a day early.
“It does seem, though, along came some daylight,” Tapper said.
Tapper then played a clip of Johnson’s statements about the motion to release the files. Johnson said he “didn’t understand” Rep. Thomas Massie’s (R-KY) motivation for filing the motion. He also repeated a White House talking point that it is the Democrats’ fault that the Epstein files exist at all because they could have released them when they were in power.
Tapper also questioned Johnson’s previous statements regarding the Jan. 6 insurrection and his support for releasing those case files. He pointed out that Johnson’s logic appeared to be the same in both cases, but Johnson took steps to release the Jan. 6 case files, whereas he seems to be helping prevent the release of the Epstein files now.
“All I can say is that we have been intellectually consistent this whole time,” Johnson said. “I want everything to come out of the Epstein evils that is possible to be released because the people involved in those unspeakable, evil acts should be punished with the greatest severity of the law.”