By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Rep. Robert Garcia
"What is Donald Trump hiding?" the gay California Democrat said.
The White House is pressuring Republicans in Congress not to release the files involving Jeffrey Epstein, the late sex trafficker and a close associate of Donald Trump, says U.S. Rep. Robert Garcia.
Keep up with the latest in LGBTQ+ news and politics. Sign up for The Advocate's email newsletter.
“This is a huge cover-up,” Garcia, a gay Democrat from California, said in an interview posted by Aaron Parnas on X Wednesday. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi have the power to release all the files, Garcia said. They have released some information, but almost all of it was already available to the public.
Just before the interview, survivors of Epstein’s sexual abuse, many of whom were underage at the time, held a press conference on Capitol Hill urging the release of the Epstein files. “President Trump, you have so much influence and power in this situation,” said one of them, Anouska de Georgiou, according to CNN. “Please use that influence and power to help us.”
However, Trump has denied that he was close to Epstein, who died in jail in 2019. He has termed the issue a hoax. But there are photographs, documents, and other evidence of his association with Epstein.
Related: Trump (not drag queens) appears in Epstein files & DOJ told him months ago, The Wall Street Journal reports
Related: Wall Street Journal reports Trump once sent Jeffrey Epstein a 'bawdy' birthday letter
Related: From wives to the IRS, Trump has always been hiding. Will a bruised hand and Epstein finally give him away?
“What is Donald Trump hiding?” Garcia told Parnas, noting that much of the information comes from Florida, where Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate is located. The congressman said he knows that White House staffers are calling Republicans in Congress and urging them not to sign on to a petition calling for the release of the files.
Just four Republicans have signed on so far, including strong Trump ally Marjorie Taylor Greene. “This is not about politics,” she said at the press conference. “This is a boiling point in American history.”
Charlie Kirk DID say stoning gay people was the 'perfect law' — and these other heinous quotes