On Monday’s episode of The Lead with Jake Tapper, U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) sharply criticized House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) after Tapper asked for her response to Johnson’s claim that he had not attempted to kill the discharge petition aimed at forcing the release of the Epstein files. Johnson maintained that he was simply conveying President Donald Trump’s concerns about the petition.
Crockett, a member of the House Oversight Committee, pushed back forcefully, calling Johnson “full of sh*t” and accusing him of using a series of stall tactics to delay action on the matter. She highlighted several of his actions: refusing to bring the House back into session, delaying the swearing-in of newly elected Arizona Congresswoman Adelita Grijalva—which prompted lawsuits from Arizona officials and others over lack of representation—and certain members of the Republican Party shutting down the House during the government shutdown.
According to Crockett, these actions collectively hindered progress on releasing the Epstein files. She also criticized President Trump’s inconsistent handling of the issue, noting that he had previously called it a “Democrat hoax” but now insisted it needed to be investigated.
Jasmine Crockett criticizes President Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson during her CNN interview with Jake Tapper over the handling of the Epstein files; Photo Credit: The New York Times and ABC News
Crockett further claimed that Trump had been sued twice by alleged child sex victims in connection with Jeffrey Epstein, adding another layer of controversy to the debate.
In April 2016, a federal lawsuit was filed in California accusing Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein of raping and assaulting a 13-year-old girl in 1994. The case was later dismissed on procedural grounds.
A few months later, the same woman—using the pseudonyms “Katie Johnson” and “Jane Doe”—filed another lawsuit in New York. This filing included affidavits from “Tiffany Doe,” an anonymous witness who allegedly helped recruit underage girls for the parties, and “Joan Doe,” a classmate who claimed she had been informed of the assaults the following school year.
Days before the 2016 presidential election, Johnson was scheduled to attend a press conference at the Los Angeles office of civil rights attorney Lisa Bloom, known for representing sexual assault victims. After reportedly receiving threats, Johnson did not appear, and the lawsuit was dropped on November 4, 2016.
Crockett says the allegations still remain relevant in light of the emails and Epstein’s own admissions, noting that just because the cases were dropped doesn’t mean the matter was resolved.
