Rep. Cloud to Newsmax: Epstein Case Far Broader; Victims Must Testify

Rep. Michael Cloud, R-Texas, told Newsmax on Friday that he wants House Oversight Chairman James Comer to pursue public testimony from Jeffrey Epstein victims, arguing the public still has not received the truth about the disgraced financier's sex trafficking network after first lady Melania Trump called on Congress to let survivors testify in an open hearing.

Appearing on "Wake Up America," Cloud, a member of the House Oversight Committee, welcomed the first lady's intervention and said it could help move the investigation forward as Comer already presses the Justice Department over its handling of Epstein-related records and former Attorney General Pam Bondi's role in the matter.

"I think he would be willing to. He's continued to try to push this investigation in a bipartisan fashion," Cloud said. "I was thankful, frankly, that she came out and spoke to this issue. It may be the push we needed to help move it along.

"The American people, I don't think, believe and buy into, and I'm one of them, don't buy into the line that we've been given so far on this. And there just seems so much surrounding this that has not come out yet. And so we want the truth to be found, and we want to continue the investigation until it is, until people are brought to justice."

Cloud said the case extends far beyond Epstein and his convicted accomplice, Ghislaine Maxwell, who is serving a 20-year federal sentence.

"Epstein is not the only one who was involved in this," Cloud said. "Maxwell, as well, is not the only one who was involved in this. This was much broader. And we need to see justice in this matter."

Melania Trump said Thursday at the White House that accusations tying her to Epstein were "unfounded and baseless lies" and called for Congress to hold hearings so survivors can testify under oath, a demand that now appears to be gaining traction among some Republicans on Oversight.

Cloud also sharpened his opposition to the Senate's approach to ending the partial DHS shutdown, warning that a plan that funds border and immigration operations through reconciliation while sending a separate bill with no DHS money could create what he called a "legal quagmire," as Republicans remain split over how to break the impasse.

"It was not a serious way of dealing with this issue," Cloud said of the Senate approach, adding that lawmakers need "a better plan" to keep funding "our law enforcement who are doing the great work of protecting our communities."

On foreign policy, Cloud pushed back on Democrats' efforts to revive a war powers resolution aimed at limiting President Donald Trump's authority in Iran, saying lawmakers should give the president and the military more room to negotiate after the House narrowly rejected a similar measure last month and Democrats vowed another try when Congress returns.

"We want the president to have as much leverage as possible to bring about the best deal for the American people and for the world as possible," Cloud said.

Cloud also weighed in on the looming April 19 sunset of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, saying any renewal must include stronger civil-liberties safeguards, including a warrant requirement for searches involving Americans, as Congress again battles over surveillance powers that both parties say are vital but vulnerable to abuse.

"The problem is that American citizens have been wrongly swept up in this in times past, and that ability has been misused in the past by the intelligence community," Cloud said. "And so we need to put protections that protect American civil liberties."

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