Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson has pushed back against the possibility of pardoning Ghislaine Maxwell, the imprisoned former girlfriend of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, after President Donald Trump refused to rule it out.
“Not my decision, but I have great pause about that, as any reasonable person would,” Johnson told Kristen Welker when asked about the possibility of a pardon during an appearance on NBC‘s Meet the Press on Sunday.
Newsweek has contacted Johnson’s office and the White House for comment via emails sent outside regular business hours.
Why It Matters
Maxwell is serving a 20-year sentence in federal prison after being convicted of helping Epstein sexually abuse underage girls. She has appealed her case before the Supreme Court, which has not decided whether it will take up the case.
Maxwell was questioned by the Department of Justice last week as the Trump administration continues to face pressure to release the government’s files on the investigation into Epstein, after the Justice Department and FBI said in a July 7 memo that Epstein did not have a list of clients and that no additional records would be released to the public.
Questioned by reporters on Friday, Trump did not rule out the possibility of pardoning Maxwell and noted that he was “allowed to do it.”
Epstein died by suicide behind bars in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.
What To Know
Asked if Johnson would support a pardon or commutation for Maxwell, he deferred to Trump.
“Well, I mean, obviously that’s a decision of the president,” Johnson said.
“He said he had not adequately considered that. I won’t get it in front of him. That’s not my lane. My lane is to help direct and control the House of Representatives and to use every tool within our arsenal to get to the truth.”
Asked again if he was open to a pardon or a commutation, he said: “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…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.”
What People Are Saying
Asked if he would consider pardoning Maxwell, Trump told reporters on Friday: “I’m allowed to do it, but it’s something I have not thought about.”
Maxwell’s lawyer David Markus said she has endured “terrible, awful conditions for five years.”
He added: “We just ask that folks look at what she has to say with an open mind, and that’s what Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche has promised us, and everything she says can be corroborated, and she’s telling the truth.”
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche wrote on X on Thursday: “Today, I met with Ghislaine Maxwell, and I will continue my interview of her tomorrow. The Department of Justice will share additional information about what we learned at the appropriate time.”
Asked if he would support a pardon or commutation for Maxwell, Representative Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican who is pushing for the Epstein files to be released, said on Meet the Press on Sunday: “You know, that would be up to the president. But if she has information that could help us, then I think she should testify. Let’s get that out there. And whatever they need to do to compel that testimony, as long as it’s truthful, I would be in favor of.”
What’s Next
Johnson sent lawmakers home early for a month-long break on July 22 before a vote on releasing the files related to Epstein could take place. The House will reconvene in September.
Meanwhile, Trump is likely to continue facing questions about Epstein and whether he is considering a pardon or commutation for Maxwell.
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