'Fix is in': Critics furious as Republican suggests reduced sentence for Epstein associate

U.S. Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN) is suggesting that House Republicans may offer convicted sex trafficker and Epstein partner Ghislaine Maxwell the possibility of a reduced sentence in exchange for her testimony—with the threat that if she “lies” then she would be required to fulfill her original sentence.

After calling Maxwell a “dirtbag” and a “liar,” Congressman Burchett told reporters on Thursday that “if she’s looking at maybe parlaying this into reducing her sentence, then we could have some leverage there.”

He claimed that “one thing we got holding over her head is if we find out she lies, she goes back to her original sentence, and that’s looking at lifetime.”

Congress would need to ask the Department of Justice to intervene to facilitate any reduced sentence and a federal judge would have to approve it.

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Burchett successfully filed a motion on Wednesday to subpoena Maxwell to appear for a deposition.

House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer responded on social media, writing, “I have issued a subpoena to Ghislaine Maxwell for a deposition to occur at Federal Correctional Institution Tallahassee on August 11, 2025. The Department of Justice is cooperating and will help facilitate the deposition at the prison.”

Critics are blasting the move.

In response to the video of Burchett’s remarks (below), The Lincoln Project’s Rick Wilson wrote: “The fix is in.”

“And there it is,” remarked Joshua Reed Eakle, executive director of Project Liberal. “Today, @RepTimBurchett signaled from Capitol Hill that Trump and House Republicans may be open to reducing Ghislaine Maxwell’s sentence. The MAGA movement is now fighting to help the most infamous child sex trafficker of our time walk free.”

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Journalist Marcy Wheeler chastised the Tennessee GOP lawmaker.

“Say @RepTimBurchett? Do you see the problem with your story? Donald Trump, on his own personal authority, just fired the prosecutor who would hold Maxwell accountable. DOJ has no ability to hold her feet to the fire anymore. @PamBondi saw to that.”

Watch the video below or at this link.