President Donald Trump said he would be fine with Congress holding public hearings with the survivors of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
"I'm OK with it," Trump told reporters Thursday.
"I think we've had a lot of public hearings. I'm OK with it, but I understand that the women didn't want to go under oath," he added.
"That's what I heard, that the women — the victims or whatever — they refused to go under oath, which was a little surprising."
Democrats on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee have called for first lady Melania Trump to testify before Congress as part of the panel's probe into the New York financier.
The Democratic push came after the first lady read a statement at the White House to deny allegations that she had a close relationship with the late convicted sex offender.
Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., a member of the committee, said that Trump could have "relevant information," suggesting that if she said Epstein "was not acting alone," it could make her testimony pertinent to the investigation.
Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., told Newsmax last week that Democrats are less interested in uncovering facts than in attaching the Trump name to the case.
"The Democrats have one focus with respect to the FBI investigation, and that's Trump — any Trump: Donald Trump, Melania Trump, any of Trump's children. Anything that pertains to Trump, that's what the Democrats are focused on," he said.
Comer said Republicans are approaching the matter from a different direction, with an emphasis on answers, accountability, and the victims Epstein left behind.
"Republicans, mostly we're focused on trying to get the truth for the American people," Comer said.
"And we're trying to provide justice for the victims, as well as answer the question I think every American has who's kept up with this case: How did the government fail?"
Comer accused Democrats of losing sight of the victims.
"It's very frustrating leading this investigation when you have Democrats, if they hear the word 'Trump,' they just lose their mind and start clutching their pearls and focus on that instead of what's important, and that's providing justice for the victims," Comer said.
Sam Barron ✉
Sam Barron has almost two decades of experience covering a wide range of topics including politics, crime and business.
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