Lawmakers are disagreeing about whether convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell should be granted a pardon by President Donald Trump. But Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., and Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., are working together on a bill to force the president to release the files on the Jeffrey Epstein case. File photo by Rick Bajornas/UN photo handout
U.S. Speaker of the House of Representatives Mike Johnson said on Sunday that he would have “great pause” if President Donald Trump pardoned Ghislaine Maxwell, but said it was Trump’s decision.
But Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., said that “whatever they need to do to compel [Maxwell’s] testimony, as long as it’s truthful, I would be in favor of,” on Meet the Press Sunday.
Maxwell is the convicted associate of the late child sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, who died in jail.
Maxwell, with her attorney, met with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche for two days last week, which sparked the conversation around a potential pardon. She has served five years of a 20-year sentence. There have been growing calls from Democrats and Republicans for Trump to release files on the Epstein case.
“If you’re asking my opinion, I think 20 years was a pittance. I think she should have a life sentence at least. I mean, think of all these unspeakable crimes,” Johnson told Meet the Press moderator Kristen Welker.
“It’s hard to put into words how evil this was, and that she orchestrated it and was a big part of it, at least under the criminal sanction, I think is an unforgivable thing. So again, not my decision, but I have great pause about that, as any reasonable person would.”
When Welker pushed directly on whether Johnson favored a pardon, Johnson deferred to Trump.
“Obviously, that’s a decision of the president. I won’t get it in front of him. That’s not my lane,” he said.
Welker conducted a joint interview with Massie and Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., who are working together to push Trump to release the files.
Khanna disagreed. “No, I don’t” believe that Maxwell should be pardoned or have her sentence commuted. He said he is “concerned” about her meeting with Blanche.
“Look, I agree with Congressman Massie that she should testify, but she’s been indicted twice on perjury. This is why we need the files,” Khanna added.
Khanna and Massie are co-sponsoring a bill that would force the Trump administration to publish “all unclassified records” on Epstein.
“Politics is the art of the doable,” Massie said Sunday. “There’s enough public pressure right now that we can get 218 votes and force this to a vote on the floor.”
Nearly a dozen members of the House Republicans have signed on to back Massie’s joint measure with Khanna. Some Democrats, including Reps. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., also signed on.
Massie also went on ABC News’ This Week, and said “Well, I think we should get a lot more than just the (birthday) book. Let’s get the financial records of the estate. Where is it — follow the money, as they say up here,” Massie told co-anchor Jonathan Karl.
“We should look at the plea bargain. Open that up. See what was the deal? What was the deal that was cut? I think there’s a lot more than just that letter.”
He told Karl about the bill.
“It would force a full release of the files. It has the force of law,” Massie said on This Week. “It’s not a subpoena. It’s not a ‘Pretty please, would you release the files?’ It’s the force of law and it’s got protections to redact victims’ names and to prevent, you know, release of child pornography.”
Khanna added that Democrats’ interest in the case is not new.
“We have been pushing for transparency during the Biden administration, both in 2021 and 2024, the court ordered release of documents, but Donald Trump raised the stakes and he did it in a way in the campaign that was justified. He said, ‘Look, when I get there, I’m going to release the files,'” Khanna said.
