White House Decries 'Democratic Hoax' as Additional Jeffrey Epstein Photos Released
Democratic lawmakers have released a new tranche of what they labeled "troubling" photographs from the property of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, including among others Donald Trump, Bill Clinton, and ex-UK prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.
The first release of 19 images—some of which have been previously circulated—combined with another 70 unveiled later on Friday account for a minuscule portion of the approximately 100,000 images handed over to the House investigative panel, which is examining the conduct and connections of Epstein.
The fallen money manager died by apparent suicide in a New York detention cell in 2019 after being accused of sex-trafficking charges.
Notable Figures in the Photos
Included in the notable figures seen in the opening set are public figures including movie maker Woody Allen; Microsoft founder Bill Gates; and Richard Branson, founder of the Virgin empire.
Donald Trump appears in three of the first nineteen images. In one, he is seen with six women, whose faces are redacted.
Administration Response
The White House addressed the release in a statement, charging Democrats of purposefully "cherry-picking" the photographs for electoral motives and to "seek to establish a false storyline."
"This Democratic fabrication against President Trump has been time and again refuted," an administration official said, insisting that "this presidency has accomplished more for Epstein's victims than Democrats ever have by repeatedly calling for openness, disclosing thousands of pages of papers, and calling for additional probes into Epstein's Democrat friends."
Democratic Lawmaker Comment
The photographs were disclosed devoid of explanation, but according to a California Democrat and ranking member of the investigative panel, they raise more questions about Epstein's associations with wealthy individuals.
"The moment has come to halt this White House concealment and secure justice to the survivors of Jeffrey Epstein and his well-connected allies," he stated in a statement.
The release of these materials occurs alongside the oversight committee pressing on with its inquiry into the affair.
