Like many Arizonans, I was discouraged this week when I saw that the Republican controlled U.S. House went on early recess to stop a vote on releasing the Epstein files. This is at a time when Arizonans are looking to Congress to lower inflation and address the president’s tariffs.
Not only has our government essentially ground to a halt because of this, now our own taxpayer-funded Justice Department is having an unprecedented meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell, a convicted accomplice of Epstein –– undoubtedly a stunt, or worse, the early stages of some grotesque sweetheart deal.
How did we get here? The case of Jeffrey Epstein has leapt back into the spotlight after the DOJ released a memo saying Epstein did not have a “client list” and that there was no evidence that he intended to blackmail people who might have committed sex crimes. The DOJ added that it would not release any more documents about the case. This contradicted numerous claims from President Trump — and his campaign promises to release the Epstein files — and many key figures in his administration, who have consistently argued that Epstein operated a widespread pedophile network that involved high-profile individuals from across the globe. That isn’t sitting well with voters, according to recent polls.
While Epstein wasn’t the issue Democrats focused on in prior years (as we worked to rebuild the country after COVID and the first Trump term), at least during President Biden’s tenure, Epstein’s minions were sentenced and sent to jail. This administration seems keen on going soft on Epstein and lying to distract the public.
Patti O'Neil is the chair of the Maricopa County Democratic Party.
Courtesy of the Maricopa County Democratic Party
Look, in Maricopa County and across Arizona, voters are facing tough challenges — the high cost of living, affordable housing, fear of being wrongfully detained or deported without due process — but at the same time, we cannot allow rampant corruption to go unchecked. Perhaps most disheartening, we’ve seen a complete bait and switch from some of the most rabid Epstein detractors, even folks who were eager to spread even the most outlandish of rumors. I’m looking at you, Reps. Andy Biggs and Paul Gosar. Now? Crickets.
There was a time in America when we could agree that protecting pedophiles and covering up crimes was wrong. That used to be a bipartisan consensus. Now we seem to make excuses and tie ourselves in knots depending on the whims of our respective partisan camps. That’s a sad commentary on the state of our politics and not what our Founding Fathers intended for the nation they set out to create.
It is my sincere hope that Republican lawmakers in Arizona at all levels will call for full transparency in the Epstein matter — regardless of who may be allegedly named on this infamous list. The truth is more important than our politics. Republicans, Independents and Democrats should all want to be on the side of truth.
We must still be a people who strive for a moral high ground. Otherwise, what do we have to fight for, and what message are we sending to our children?
Patti O’Neil is the chair of the Maricopa County Democratic Party.
