Convening meetings in the Situation Room is a semi-regular occurrence for administrations when handling sensitive, national-security matters. But it’s something else entirely when the apparent goal of a Sit Room meeting is to convince a member of congress to switch their position on a topic that could determine Donald Trump’s political survival. According to a multiple-bylined article for CNN, that’s precisely what happened:
Top Trump administration officials met Wednesday with a key GOP lawmaker about an effort in the US House to force a vote on releasing Justice Department case files related to Jeffrey Epstein, according to multiple sources familiar with the meeting. press secretary Karoline Leavitt acknowledged the meeting later Wednesday when asked about reporting that administration officials were huddling with GOP Rep. Lauren Boebert. Leavitt added: ‘I’m not going to detail conversations that took place in the Situation Room.’
via CNN
What CNN reporters don’t mention, however, is that Karoline Leavitt inadvertently confessed to the meeting happening in the Sit Room before it was widely known to have taken place there. CNN later confirmed the meeting spot via independent sources.
A source familiar confirmed the meeting in the Situation Room included Boebert, who has wanted the Justice Department to release its trove of Epstein files and has signed onto the effort in the House to force the vote compelling their release. That effort is now in motion after a newly sworn-in Democratic member of Congress provided the 218th—and final—signature needed on the discharge petition to force such a vote and, in turn, trigger a number of procedural steps before the House can vote on a bill compelling the files’ release.
via CNN
As of this writing, the House voted 427-1 to release the files (Clay Higgins was the lone holdout), and John Thune was quoted saying the Senate would move “fairly quickly” to pass it as well. (Writer’s note: I will update this post with new developments as they happen.)
In a different piece for The Wrap, Andi Ortiz reports that “The View” co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin (formerly with Trump Regime No. 1) said the meeting was “unheard of” and just made Trump’s inner circle appear more guilty than before.
During the day’s Hot Topics, the ABC hosts were all surprised by Pam Bondi and Kash Patel opting to meet with Boebert in the Situation Room, given the type of meetings that typically happen in there. Farah Griffin was quick to back them up, recalling the few times she herself was ever in the Situation Room. ‘That’s unheard of. The only time I’ve been in the Situation Room is for national security matters, [and] during the coronavirus response,’ Farah Griffin said. ‘If you’re somebody who is skeptical of Trump’s involvement, you think that he was in some way aligned with him, they’re denying that he is, so their actions should match that. And it feels like every action he takes makes them look more guilty.’
via Andi Ortiz, The Wrap
In early September, Trump warned Republicans that voting to release the files would be considered a “hostile act.” That position changed more recently, saying he wants the files released. If past is prologue, Trump will likely say the complete opposite again in a few days—perhaps sooner.
AUTHOR FOOTNOTE
As then-Vice President Joe Biden quipped after passage of Affordable Care Act, “this is a big f**king deal.” That famous phrase applies here too. I realize Donald’s list of impeachable offenses is long and sordid, but this is something everyone can understand: Donald Trump misused the world’s most-important and most-secure room, prostituting it for a pressure campaign in service to protecting himself from appearing in the Epstein documents.
At best, it’s wildly inappropriate, and at worst, it potentially violates some federal laws. I’m not a lawyer but observe legal machinations closely and done my fair share reporting on transnational mob for the past 10 years. If the core of Trump’s goal was to, in any way, obstruct or impede congressional function (an argument could be made for that), it could be a huge legal problem for Donny down the line.
And it should, because if we don’t defend our most precious NatSec room from political-protection ops—particularly ones involving important receipts owed to Jeffrey Epstein’s surviving victims—what good does it do keeping the country safe?
One additional thing to watch: Both Boebert and Marjorie Taylor “Marge” Greene have shown brief flashes of ethics and morals lately as a result of this Epstein scandal. Keep your eyes peeled for their actions in the coming days and weeks.
SOURCES
- CNN
- The Wrap
- BBC Liveblog: House vote on Epstein
