The Jim Acosta Show

Episode: 4p ET Update on Epstein-Gate!

Guests: Rep. Eric Swalwell & Stuart Stevens
Date: November 12, 2025

Episode Overview

This dramatic episode provides a real-time update on the political firestorm surrounding the so-called "Epstein-Gate." Host Jim Acosta examines the release of emails allegedly written by Jeffrey Epstein linking Donald Trump to Epstein's criminal activities, as well as the ongoing struggle in the House to force transparency around the Epstein files. Congressman Eric Swalwell discusses Democratic strategies and the implications for the GOP, while former Republican strategist Stuart Stevens offers a scathing reflection on what this scandal reveals about the state of the Republican Party and American democracy.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Breaking News: Emails Link Trump to Epstein

• House Democrats have released emails, allegedly from Jeffrey Epstein, suggesting that Donald Trump spent significant time at Epstein's home with a "victim" (name redacted).
• A 2011 email between Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell describes Trump as "the dog that hasn't barked," implying Trump was an unexploded liability or secret.

Notable Quote

• “There seem—I mean, Donald Trump is all over these emails… the original email goes all the way back to 2011, April of 2011, before Trump was a candidate for president…”
  — Jim Acosta [03:33]

2. Congressional Maneuvering: The "Epstein Shutdown"

• Rep. Swalwell argues the extended government shutdown was engineered specifically to avoid a vote that would release the Epstein files. He suggests Speaker Mike Johnson deliberately kept Congress out of session to avoid accountability.
• Swearing in Adelita Grijalva (D-AZ) would provide the Democrats the key 218th vote required to force action on the files.

Notable Quotes

• “It was an Epstein shutdown... The only logical conclusion, Jim, was that if we were in session, he would be forced to swear in Adelita Grijalva, who would be the 218th vote to force a vote on the Epstein files.” — Rep. Eric Swalwell [01:40]
• “Every day that Johnson refused to swear in Adelita is a day that we should add up and refuse to swear in Johnson when we're in the majority.” — Rep. Eric Swalwell [07:04]

3. Republican Pressure & Fractures

• Trump and his White House are actively pressuring Republican lawmakers not to "defect" or open up the Epstein files.
• Specific Republicans like Lauren Boebert and Nancy Mace are under scrutiny, with Boebert identified as susceptible to flipping on the issue.
• The Democratic strategy is to push for transparency now, rather than let the issue fester.

Notable Quotes

• “You do not have to be an accomplice to child sex trafficking…you don't have to protect Jeffrey Epstein.” — Rep. Eric Swalwell [03:19]
• “She's the most likely to flip. She's the weakest, the least mature, the most susceptible to pressure from the White House. But look at. It's all coming out, Jim…” — Rep. Eric Swalwell [05:52]

4. White House Response

• Press Secretary Caroline Levitt dismisses the emails: “These emails prove absolutely nothing other than the fact that President Trump did nothing wrong.” [11:42]
• Jim Acosta points out the White House’s line—Trump allegedly “kicked Epstein out” of Mar-a-Lago—is contradicted by other documents.

5. The Broader Scandal & GOP Complicity

• Stuart Stevens reflects on the collapse of Republican “family values” and the party’s willingness to tolerate ever-escalating scandals.
• He draws historical comparisons (Clinton, Watergate, Access Hollywood) and laments the party’s refusal to act as a “circuit breaker.”
• Discussion of ongoing coverup efforts, the role of Cash Patel and others in the government, and the possibility future evidence will further incriminate Trump and party leaders.

Notable Quotes (Stevens)

• “My old party is the family values party…What’s a little pedophilia between friends, you know?” [16:21/16:47]
• “It’s a fascinating story: once you accept the unacceptable, it’s just a slippery slope down…” — Stuart Stevens [21:59]
• “The party never cared about family values.” — Stuart Stevens [27:46]

6. Moral Reckoning for the GOP

• Jim Acosta and Stuart Stevens muse on whether the Republican Party has any “off ramp” or is heading for electoral/self-destruction: “Is this now Thelma and Louise time?” [27:09]
• They discuss peer pressure, normalization of extremism, and the importance of personal and collective accountability.
• Acosta recalls historical figures (Howard Baker, John Boehner, Tip O’Neill) to highlight how far norms have decayed.

Notable Quotes

• “Once you begin to accept the unacceptable, where do you stop?” — Stuart Stevens [39:20]
• “This is a wake up call…Mayday, Mayday. SOS. Is there anybody in the Republican Party? Blink twice if you hear me. It is time to come home.”
  — Jim Acosta [42:13]

Important Timestamps & Segments

| Timestamp | Segment/Topic | |-----------|--------------| | 00:00–01:15 | Jim Acosta summarizes the breaking news; Swalwell joins | | 01:15–02:54 | Swalwell explains the "Epstein shutdown" strategy | | 03:19 | Swalwell appeals to Republicans' morals: “You do not have to be an accomplice….” | | 05:25 | Grijalva's pivotal role and the push to release Epstein files | | 06:42–07:50 | Discussion of Grijalva being blocked from House, implications for 2026 | | 11:32 | Caroline Levitt's White House presser, deflection on emails | | 16:21–19:32 | Stuart Stevens rips GOP family values hypocrisy | | 21:59 | “Once you accept the unacceptable…”—on party’s moral slide | | 27:09-28:42 | Reflection on party’s trajectory and likelihood of accountability | | 33:39-34:10 | Rep. Grijalva finally sworn in—restoring legislative democracy | | 36:21–39:20 | Mobster management, Trump’s grip on loyalists | | 42:13 | Jim Acosta’s closing “wake up call” to the Republican Party |

Memorable Quotes

• “You may have signed up for a lot, you know, with how far you're going to go with Donald Trump, but you don't have to protect Jeffrey Epstein.”
  — Eric Swalwell [03:19]

• “It was an Epstein shutdown… The only logical conclusion, Jim, was that if we were in session, [Grijalva] would be forced to swear in … to force a vote on the Epstein files.”
  — Eric Swalwell [01:40]

• “This is some wild shit.”
  — Stuart Stevens [17:03]

• “The party never cared about family values.”
  — Stuart Stevens [27:46]

• “Once you begin to accept the unacceptable, where do you stop?”
  — Stuart Stevens [39:20]

• "This is a wake up call…Mayday, Mayday. SOS. Is there anybody in the Republican Party? Blink twice if you hear me. It is time to come home. It is time to come back to America."
  — Jim Acosta [42:13]

Additional Takeaways

• Escalating Stakes: The next 48–72 hours could see a Republican defect, triggering release of the Epstein files—or still more aggressive White House stonewalling.
• Legal & Political Ramifications: DOJ compliance and further leaks are imminent flashpoints. The episode suggests the scandal is “just beginning.”
• Normalization of Extremism: Both guests warn of the danger in gradual normalization of legal, moral, and democratic breaches.
• Call to Action: Acosta urges Republicans to break with Trump for the survival of party and country.

Tone & Language

The conversation is urgent, impassioned, and, at times, darkly comic, reflecting both the seriousness of the revelations and the exasperation of those chronicling them. Swalwell is direct, pragmatic, and forceful; Stevens mixes sarcasm with gravity, while Acosta maintains his signature blend of incisiveness and incredulity.

This summary was designed to orient listeners to all major topics, memorable moments, and the authentic voices of those involved in this pivotal episode.