CNN senior political commentator Scott Jennings accused Democrats of trying to manipulate the narrative surrounding Jeffrey Epstein, arguing the strategy “blew up in their face.” Speaking on the PBD Podcast, Jennings cited Rep. Jasmine Crockett’s recent false claim that a donor named “Jeffrey Epstein” had contributed to Republicans, only for her to later admit she had not verified the information. Jennings said Democrats were desperate to link Epstein to Donald Trump but instead exposed damaging ties involving their own figures, including former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers, whose newly released emails show he sought dating advice from Epstein years after the billionaire became a registered sex offender.
Jennings also criticized Del. Stacey Plaskett, claiming Epstein appeared to influence her questioning during a 2019 congressional hearing. Plaskett denied wrongdoing, saying she merely relied on Epstein for “information.” According to Jennings, Democrats sent Crockett to “reset the narrative,” but her unvetted accusation only worsened their position. Crockett defended herself by saying her staff Googled the donor’s name in real time and that she never explicitly claimed it was the Jeffrey Epstein tied to the scandal.
Meanwhile, Attorney General Pam Bondi confirmed the Justice Department will release all unclassified records related to Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell within 30 days of President Donald Trump signing the bipartisan Epstein Files Transparency Act, which passed Congress overwhelmingly. Bondi said the department will provide maximum transparency while protecting victims.