The MeidasTouch Podcast

Episode: GOP Epstein Hearing Blows Up as Dems Turn the Tables
Date: January 22, 2026
Hosts: Ben, Brett, and Jordy Meiselas

Episode Overview

This explosive episode covers a chaotic GOP-led House hearing centered on the Jeffrey Epstein files, where Republicans attempted to shift focus toward investigating and holding the Clintons in contempt of Congress. However, Democrats fiercely turned the tables, calling out the Republican leadership and Trump administration for stonewalling, selective enforcement, and covering up their own connections to Epstein. Through a series of charged exchanges and biting rhetoric, Democrats demanded accountability across the board—including for Donald Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi—while lambasting the spectacle as a partisan distraction and a shameful act of political theater.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Republicans’ Tactics and Democrats’ Pushback (01:28 - 06:37)

• Summary:
  Republicans attempted to hold Bill and Hillary Clinton in contempt, claiming they failed to appear for depositions about the Epstein files. Instead of producing those files, Republicans redirected attention towards the Clintons.
• Democratic response:
  Democrats accused Republicans of orchestrating a ruse to protect Donald Trump and prevent the full release of the Epstein files, highlighting the lack of true transparency.
• Key moment:
  Rep. James Walkinshaw pointed out only 1% of the Epstein documents had been released (02:54), while Rep. Ansari called for AG Pam Bondi to be held in contempt for noncompliance (05:05).

Notable Quotes:

• "What is in those files that is so bad that President Trump is invading Venezuela, threatening our NATO allies, and sending thousands of armed paramilitary troops onto our streets to create violence and chaos in American cities?"
  — Rep. Jasmine Crockett (03:37)
• "Attorney General Pam Bondi has violated the subpoena issued by this committee. We should be holding her in contempt to remain fair and to remain transparent."
  — Rep. Ansari (05:05)

2. Confrontations Over Law Enforcement, Race, and Hypocrisy (07:22 - 08:48)

• Summary:
  MAGA Republicans attempted to attack Rep. McIver for her actions at a New Jersey detention center, while Rep. Jasmine Crockett and Rep. Max Frost called out the apparent GOP double standards on law enforcement and racial justice.
• Key moment:
  Crockett confronted Rep. Crane’s disrespect and emphasized how law enforcement is only valued by some Republicans when targeting black and brown immigrants (08:07).

Notable Quotes:

• "Watch your mouth."
  — Rep. Jasmine Crockett to Rep. Crane (07:40)
• "You only love law enforcement when they're going after black, brown immigrants... But on January 6, you didn't care about law enforcement because they still don't have their plaques up."
  — Rep. Jasmine Crockett (08:07)

3. Direct Allegations of a Trump-Led Cover-Up (09:05 - 10:28)

• Summary:
  Democratic leaders explicitly accused Donald Trump of heading a White House–led cover-up, and criticized DOJ’s release of only 1% of the files as illegal and unconstitutional.
• Key moment:
  Rep. Garcia directly referenced Trump’s relationship with Epstein and condemned the focus on attacking Trump’s enemies over securing transparency (09:05).

Notable Quotes:

• "Donald Trump is leading a White House cover up right now of the Epstein files. And we all know that Epstein himself said that Donald Trump was his best friend for over 10 years."
  — Rep. Garcia (09:05)
• "The Department of Justice has released 1% of the files.... That is a crime. And so this White House cover up continues every single day that the files are not released."
  — Rep. Garcia (09:45)

4. Accountability for Disaster Victims and Federal Inaction (12:25 - 15:55)

• Summary:
  In a separate hearing, Rep. Sherman grilled HUD Secretary Scott Turner over the administration’s lack of support for victims of LA fires. Turner deflected blame to California state leadership, but Sherman pressed for federal aid.
• Key moment:
  Sherman got Turner to admit $0 had been provided from his department, pushing for federal accountability and transparency (13:04 - 14:41).

Notable Quotes:

• "You haven't done a penny. And you say it's because you don't like politicians or you just say because you're just not going to bother to support aid... You haven't done a single penny, not one penny for the LA fires."
  — Rep. Sherman (13:05)
• "How can you speak with pride about your department helping fire victims… when you provided 0?"
  — Rep. Sherman (14:41)

5. Contempt for Judicial and Executive Stonewalling (16:07 - 19:36)

• Summary:
  Rep. Nancy Mace and others ranted about perceived bias and attacks on judges, while Rep. Maxwell Frost, Rep. Crockett, and Republicans debated whether to hold Pam Bondi accountable versus solely targeting the Clintons.
• Key moment:
  Rep. Comer articulated that the main focus was the Clintons’ noncompliance, with Democrats countering that the real scandal was the slow-walking and cover-up of Epstein documents (18:44).

Notable Quotes:

• "You are unwilling to use [subpoena power] on Ghislaine Maxwell, a monster who has trafficked, abused and raped children… Where is the contempt charges to bring her into this committee to answer the questions?"
  — Rep. Garcia (23:43)

6. Demanding Parity and Transparency in Investigations (19:42 - 23:39)

• Summary:
  Dems including Rep. Crockett and Rep. Walkinshaw insisted on equal scrutiny for all, calling out the overtly partisan maneuvers. They demanded President Trump, Clinton, Maxwell, and Bondi all be compelled to testify or be held in contempt.
• Key moment:
  Rep. Walkinshaw invoked concrete evidence linking Trump to Epstein and accused Bondi and the Trump administration of intentionally hiding the truth (20:54).

Notable Quotes:

• "If we're truly serious about justice, we can't ignore one of Epstein's most well documented associates, President Donald J. Trump... This is about protecting one man, Donald J. Trump, from accountability. Release the files."
  — Rep. James Walkinshaw (20:54)
• "We want to talk to President Bill Clinton. We want him to answer our questions. We also want Ghislaine Maxwell… And we want to understand why Pam Bondi refuses to release all the files."
  — Rep. Garcia (23:43)

Memorable Moments & Quotes with Timestamps

• (03:37) Rep. Jasmine Crockett: “What is in those files that is so bad that President Trump is invading Venezuela… to create violence and chaos in American cities? That is what the American people are actually asking us.”
• (05:05) Rep. Ansari: “Attorney General Pam Bondi has violated the subpoena… We should be holding her in contempt… if you really, truly want to be fair and care about the justice for the victims here.”
• (07:40) Rep. Jasmine Crockett to Rep. Crane: “Watch your mouth.”
• (08:07) Rep. Jasmine Crockett: “You only love law enforcement when they're going after black, brown immigrants… But on January 6, you didn't care about law enforcement…”
• (09:05) Rep. Garcia: “Donald Trump is leading a White House cover up right now of the Epstein files…”
• (13:05) Rep. Sherman to Scott Turner (HUD Sec.): “You haven't done a single penny, not one penny for the LA fires.”
• (20:54) Rep. Walkinshaw: “If we're truly serious about justice, we can't ignore one of Epstein's most well documented associates, President Donald J. Trump… This is about protecting one man, Donald J. Trump, from accountability. Release the files.”
• (23:43) Rep. Garcia: “You are unwilling to use [subpoena power] on Ghislaine Maxwell, a monster who has trafficked, abused and raped children… Where is the contempt charges to bring her into this committee to answer the questions?”

Takeaways

• Democratic members were unified and vocal in exposing the GOP’s partisan priorities, emphasizing widespread stonewalling and demanding transparency not just from the Clintons but crucially from Trump, Bondi, and Maxwell.
• Republican leaders like Rep. Comer stuck to their talking points about Clinton subpoenas, while consistently avoiding or minimizing demands for broader accountability regarding Trump or the DOJ’s inaction.
• Underlying the chaos was a demand for genuine oversight: Multiple Democrats pointed out the fundamental undermining of the committee’s credibility when accountability is so unevenly applied.

This summary captures the dramatic exchanges, core accusations, and memorable rhetoric from high-stakes congressional hearings as relayed and analyzed by the MeidasTouch brothers, maintaining the episode’s sharp, urgent, and unapologetically pro-democracy tone.