SiriusXM host Stephen A. Smith sharply criticized the Democratic Party on Wednesday for not prioritizing the release of files related to deceased convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein during former President Joe Biden’s term in office.
Appearing on his SiriusXM program, “Straight Shooter with Stephen A.,” Smith questioned the timing of the Democrats’ renewed efforts, which come shortly after President Donald Trump returned to office.
The criticism follows Wednesday’s successful push in the House of Representatives for a discharge petition to force a vote on the files, which achieved the necessary threshold after newly sworn Democratic Arizona Rep. Adelita Grijalva signed it. RELATED: White House Slams Oversight Democrats For ‘Selective’ Jeffrey Epstein Email Release
Smith expressed frustration over the perceived about-face by the party. “Ladies and gentlemen, keep in mind that the Epstein files were in existence and free to have been open during the Biden administration! You were there for four years!” Smith exclaimed. “How come you didn’t open it as a Democratic party then!? What am I missing!?”
He continued, arguing that the documents now being opened could have been released during the previous administration. “Well, why didn’t you do it if it’s so important now!? What were the Democrats doing at that particular moment in time? See, this is the kind of stuff that smells.”
Smith suggested the delay was political, arguing that if the files contained “dirt” on President Trump, the Democratic Party would have released them while Biden was in office to prevent Trump’s successful reelection campaign, given their known opposition to the current president.
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Legal Nuance and Ongoing Questions
Later in the program, Smith’s producers provided him with information detailing a potential legal constraint on the Biden administration’s Department of Justice (DOJ).
Smith read the explanation provided: “The Epstein files and the Biden DOJ [Department of Justice] — there may be more legal nuance, but the general thing was the DOJ didn’t release the full Epstein files primarily because federal law sharply restricts disclosure of grand jury materials… And the Justice Department cannot unilaterally release this material either.”
Despite this explanation, other prominent Democrats have echoed Smith’s concern. Democratic Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman also weighed in on the issue during an appearance on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” Thursday, questioning the previous administration’s inaction.
“[O]ne of my questions is like … we sat on those for four years, too,” Fetterman stated. “So, I mean, I don’t really understand, you know, either. I mean, there are a lot of questions.”
It is noteworthy that the House Oversight Committee previously published thousands of subpoenaed records about Epstein in September 2024, which were obtained via President Trump’s DOJ prior to the election. The focus is now shifting to the content of the full, potentially more extensive, set of documents poised for a House vote.
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