James Fishback, a Republican running for Florida governor, pledged Monday to use “every state resource” to investigate people named in the newly released Jeffrey Epstein files, arguing that victims of *** trafficking deserve accountability.
Speaking outside the United States Courthouse, Fishback said that although the documents implicate hundreds of men, no one has been arrested or charged. “If I am elected Florida’s 47th governor, I will spare no resource to prosecute every single one of Jeffrey Epstein’s co-conspirators here in Florida. I don’t care if you’re a Democrat or a Republican, you will be brought to justice,” he said.
President Donald Trump also addressed the release of new Epstein-related material during a Jan. 31 exchange with reporters aboard Air Force One, rejecting suggestions the files implicated him. Instead, he accused a writer of working with Epstein to damage him politically, according to a White House video. Trump said advisers told him the material “absolves” him and suggested he may pursue legal action against both the writer and Epstein’s estate, calling their alleged actions “not a friend” to him.
The U.S. Justice Department released millions of internal documents tied to the late financier and convicted sex offender, outlining connections to a range of figures in politics, business, and academia. Officials cautioned that the material may include unverified claims and does not necessarily amount to evidence of criminal wrongdoing for those mentioned.
The files reference prominent names including former Presidents Donald Trump and Bill Clinton, former Prince Andrew, executives such as Elon Musk and Bill Gates, and finance leader Jes Staley. Several individuals named have denied wrongdoing, and the Justice Department said it removed victim-identifying information to protect privacy.
