Rep. Jimmy Patronis (R-Fla.) weighed in on the “silly” saga around the files of the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, encouraging the Trump administration to release “whatever you go.”
“I was elected to work, and right now, because of a dead pedophile, Congress is at impasse. We’ve got paralysis. I’ve always been a big advocate in public service of full transparency. If the documents are there, release whatever you got,” Patronis said during his Friday appearance on NewsNation’s “The Hill.”
Patronis, who represents Florida’s 1st congressional district, said he appreciates President Trump putting “pressure” on Attorney General Pam Bondi to release the grand jury testimony, although he added it is “kind of silly that we’re talking about a dead pedophile that is literally from the grave controlling Congress.”
Last week, The Justice Department (DOJ) requested the grand jury transcripts from the Epstein probe to be unsealed. U.S. District Judge Robin Rosenberg declined the request to unseal them on Wednesday.
The Trump administration is looking to move on from the Epstein fervor, as the MAGA base has shown outrage over the lack of transparency around the so-called client list and other files —disappointment that surged after the FBI and DOJ’s joint memo from earlier this month reaffirmed that Epstein died by suicide in 2019 in jail while awaiting trial.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche met with British socialite and convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell on Thursday and Friday, talking for over nine hours with Epstein’s close associate.
On Friday, Trump indicated that he has not ruled out a pardon for Maxwell, who is appealing her case to the Supreme Court.
“I’m allowed to do it but it’s something I have not thought about,” he said.
Patronis, in the Friday interview, said a potential pardon for Maxwell is ultimately up to the president.
“I think a pardon is an incredible gift, and that is for to be rewarded. I don’t know if you give a pardon to somebody who helped facilitate the allegations of child pornography, sex crimes, abuse,” Patronis said. “So again, I think you’re going to give me the grounds why she should be even in this discussion.”
“But I mean, if she was a patsy and there’s documentation to prove it, then, yeah, this is the president’s discretion,” the Florida Republican added.
