Conservative blogger Erick Erickson speaking at the Republican Leadership Conference in New Orleans, Louisiana, Image via Gage Skidmore / Flickr.
Conservative commentator Erick Erickson wrote in his Tuesday newsletter that many of the Republicans who claim to want to hold Jeffrey Epstein accountable are actually committing a "grift" on the voters.
As one example, Erickson pointed to Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY), who has not disclosed the names of Epstein victims despite claiming to have seen them.
“The Constitution of the United States gives Massie the right to go to the floor of the House, say anything he wants, and avoid all recriminations, including lawsuits for defamation.” Erickson said. “Why won't he?”
Erickson also slammed Republicans for not criticizing Steve Bannon, a close adviser to Trump and the larger MAGA movement, who had a lengthy relationship with Epstein but faces "no scrutiny, with the Trump administration even seeking to clear Bannon's criminal record."
"We've gotten more and more details about Bannon's close relationship with Epstein, and the Trump Administration wants to do Bannon a solid now,” Erickson wrote.
Erickson also pointed to how Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, despite incorrectly downplaying his relationship with Epstein and omitting reference to a business deal, "remains in his position."
"All across Europe, politicians are losing their careers over Epstein's ties to them, but no one in MAGA gives a damn about Lutnick,” Erickson said.
This is not the first time that Erickson has recently uttered harsh words about his own party’s president. In a separate editorial published Tuesday in the Daily News Record, Erickson argued that Trump is losing his own base voters. After explaining how Trump’s economic policies are perceived as being unhelpful, Erickson concluded that Republicans who insist President Donald Trump is politically healthy are in denial.
“The denials and protests and gaslighting need to end,” Erickson said. “Twenty-nine Republicans are leaving Congress this year. They know where this is headed. There is still time for a course correction, but not if the truth is drowned out with bullying and lies.”
Last year Erickson was one of the most vocal conservatives criticizing Trump’s decision to purchase a $400 million luxury airplane from Qatar. Although he denied that the action was corrupt, Erickson argued that “I do not think the president of the United States of America should sit and fly on a plane purchased with the same money used to murder American citizens."