Politics

“When will we see justice?” Republican Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) demanded on the House floor Tuesday in a sharp rebuke of the U.S. Department of Justice over its handling of the government’s files on convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The DOJ’s release of millions of documents relating to its investigation into Epstein has triggered a wave of high-profile firings and resignations in the U.S. and overseas. However, there has been a glaring contrast between the fallout domestically and abroad — while there have been active criminal investigations overseas, there have yet to be any launched in the U.S.

Massie called attention to the stark difference on Tuesday. “I’ve not seen any arrests from the revelations in the Epstein files, over three million documents describing horrible things — describing unspeakable things, much of it redacted,” he said. “Over two dozen people have resigned, CEOs, members of government worldwide, but I haven’t seen any arrests or investigations here in the United States from this Department of Justice.”

The Republican congressman pointed to former Prince Andrew, Duke of York, and Peter Mandelson, the U.K.’s former ambassador to Washington, who were arrested within days of each other for their alleged ties to Epstein, and are both under investigation for misconduct in public office. Massie also highlighted former Norwegian Prime Minister Thorbjorn Jagland — who was charged with gross corruption linked to his relationship with Epstein — and how “we don’t see any charges, arrests or investigations in the United States.”