WASHINGTON — Democrats’ attempt to use the firestorm surrounding late sex predator Jeffrey Epstein as a cudgel against President Trump “backfired,” according to firebrand Rep. Anna Paulina Luna.
Luna (R-Fla.) recounted to “Pod Force One” how Democrats frequently peppered Epstein victims with questions about Trump and were consistently told the president wasn’t involved with any of the late predator’s evil activities.
“I think it backfired,” Luna told host Miranda Devine. “We saw a number of individuals exonerate the president thereafter. And then you saw them basically blatantly lie and try to make it political, alleging that President Trump was somehow a pedophile.”
She noted how many of the same lawmakers who “have been screaming about Jeffrey Epstein justice” also opposed a recent effort she championed to release the names of lawmakers who used taxpayer dollars to pay off alleged victims of sexual assault.
Luna has been a staunch advocate of releasing the names of the lawmakers who tapped into congressional funds to pay off individuals who accused them of sexual misconduct. She said, “People were pissed off” by her advocacy for transparency on the so-called slush fund.
The Floridian, and Trump ally, argued that Trump has faced a “smear campaign” from Democrats on Epstein.
“This is very much so used as a political smear campaign against the president, but for those of us that are taking the investigation seriously, we do want justice,” the Sunshine State Republican stressed.
The congresswoman sits on the powerful House Oversight Committee, which has been probing the Epstein saga.
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In February, the panel questioned former President Bill Clinton and his wife, Hillary, about Epstein.
“You know, Bill Clinton was a lot more cooperative than Hillary was, but I think the narrative and the messaging, people forget that the subpoenas that were issued were issued by both Democrats and Republicans,” Luna said.
She acknowledged that there were some surprises during the two testimonies, particularly Slick Willy’s denials about key accusations that have swirled for years.
“It was alleged that Bill Clinton was on Epstein’s island a number of times by a now deceased victim,” she said. “And when we asked Bill Clinton under oath if that was true, he denied it and said that he was never at Jeffrey Epstein’s island, but he did travel on his plane.”
“He was willing to testify, so I think that many people, specifically if they did have closer relationships with Jeffrey Epstein, are going to have to testify for sure.”
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The Post contacted reps for both of the Clintons for comment.
One of the top figures Luna is interested in hearing from is Microsoft founder Bill Gates, who flew on a private plane with the disgraced financier and spent time with him in the US and abroad, but insists he didn’t participate in any crime.
Gates has been asked to appear before the House Oversight Committee on June 10 to discuss his relationship with the late sex offender.
Since being elected to Congress in 2022, Luna has embraced her role as a thorn in GOP leadership’s side.
“I like to tell Mike I’m his favorite pain in the ass,” the congresswoman said. “And I definitely think I am. If you ask him about me, he’ll tell you I’m an idealist, and then he’ll complain sometimes that I don’t negotiate. And I do negotiate, I just don’t negotiate with terrorists.”
Publicly, she’s crusaded to pass Trump’s prized Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act, which features a wishlist of conservative items, namely requiring proof of citizenship to vote.
But that legislation has been held up in the Senate due to the 60-vote filibuster, which Democrats have used to ensure it would get through the upper chamber.
“It’s unacceptable,” she said. “And so I always tell the House members, I think it’s primary season to where if you have a state senator that’s not actually doing their job, and you think that you’d be a better option, threaten to primary them.”
