CNN panelists got into a heated debate on Monday in response to President Donald Trump calling for the release of the files regarding sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Republican strategist Melik Abdul stated on “CNN News Central” that the Democrats are using the Epstein files to turn the public against Trump despite there being no evidence of wrongdoing on his part. He then sparred with New York State Democratic Assembly executive committee chair Christine Quinn as she denied that the Democrats’ and media’s focus is on Trump.
“But I think what the frustration that Donald Trump and many people, even like me, who’ve been critical of Donald Trump at times, we realize that this is an effort, this whole Epstein effort, is an effort to really prosecute Donald Trump in the court of public opinion,” Abdul said. “There is not a single shred of evidence that links Donald Trump to a single crime, not a victim, not a court case links Donald Trump into a crime. And I know that the media itself is aware of that. But the more you keep talking about it over and over again, linking Donald Trump to something potentially nefarious that actually gets the news cycle going. But everyone knows that there is no evidence that Donald Trump has committed a crime. But I am glad that he ended up in this same space.”
“This isn’t about Donald Trump. We don’t know what’s in those files. He’s created the belief that there’s something about him in there because he won’t release them. This is about those women and girls who were victimized and raped and assaulted and getting the facts out there. Donald Trump is making it about Donald Trump. This is about the survivors and we need to focus on that,” Quinn said.
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Abdul pointed out that the 20 pages of emails released by the House Democrats were about Trump, indicating that the release is about politically attacking the president rather than seeking justice for the victims.
“I just want to say that that’s a very nice narrative that it’s not about Donald Trump. If it were about Donald Trump, the 20 plus thousand pages that we have so far would mention someone other than one single person. This isn’t about concern for the victims. This is about Donald Trump for sure,” Abdul said.
“Don’t tell me I’m not concerned about victims. I’ve dedicated a big part of my life fighting for victims of sexual assault,” Quinn fired back.
“Well, you should start mentioning other people’s names. You should start mentioning other people’s names other than Donald Trump,” Abdul said.
House Democrats released the emails on Wednesday in which Epstein suggested that Trump knew about his sex trafficking operation and sat in a room with victims. The documents redacted the name of sex trafficking victim Virginia Giuffre, who stated in 2011 that Trump did not engage in any sexual acts with Epstein’s victims during her time with him.
In a Truth Social post on Sunday, Trump called on House Republicans to release the files because they have “nothing to hide.”
More of Epstein’s victims told NBC News in September that they never witnessed or heard about Trump doing anything illegal during his friendship with Epstein. Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s business partner who is currently serving prison time, stated during a July 24 deposition that Trump was a “gentleman in all respects” and denied that she ever witnessed him act inappropriately.
Republican Reps. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, Nancy Mace of South Carolina and Lauren Boebert of Colorado signed a petition to release the files.
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