Trump’s inner orbit fear 'uncomfortable parallels' in Clintons' Epstein testimonies

Republicans have walked right into a trap after ordering former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and former President Bill Clinton testify before them, according to an analysis from CNN.

CNN reported Friday that thanks to Republicans on the House Oversight and Reform Committee, there is no precedent of bringing in a president or first lady to testify about trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.

"But their arrival before the committee also has the potential to backfire on the GOP," the report said. "First, their involvement is offering new fuel to the Epstein saga, which the White House has been trying unsuccessfully to quell for months."

Another point mentioned by several political analysts is that it set a standard that no one is more important than an ex-president, except the president himself. If an ex-president speaks to the committee, it raises questions about why someone like Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick wouldn't answer questions under oath.

There is also communication in the files where Epstein claims he introduced first lady Melania Trump to her husband. It paves the way for the committee to call her to answer questions about Epstein. The only barrier is that, were Mrs. Trump to refuse to testify, the only action would be to hold her in contempt of Congress, which the full House is unlikely to do. If they did vote for contempt, Trump's Justice Department would be in charge of the prosecution.

However, anyone refusing to testify at this point makes it appear to the public as if they are trying to hide something.

The other problem for the Trumps over the Clinton hearing is that Secretary Clinton made a lot of implications about actions the Trump administration has taken to undermine long-standing efforts to fight trafficking.

"Infuriatingly, the Trump Administration gutted the Trafficking in Persons Office at the State Department, cutting more than 70 percent of career civil and foreign service experts who worked so hard to prevent trafficking crimes," Clinton said in the opening statement. "The annual trafficking report, required by law, was delayed for months. The message from the Trump Administration to the American people and the world could not be clearer: combating human trafficking is no longer an American priority under the Trump White House."

The CNN report continues, saying that the Clintons have done a lot to raise "uncomfortable parallels that will discomfit Trump and his inner orbit."

"For instance, if the standard for required testimony is being mentioned in the Epstein files, why are prominent Republicans also mentioned in the files not being hauled before the committee?" the report said, specifically naming Lutnick.

Secretary Clinton also delivered a statement on Thursday after her hearing, saying she told the chairman that the committee isn't asking the right questions about Epstein if it truly wants to get to the bottom of things. She gave Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.) credit for being genuinely curious about what she thought they should be asking.

The report noted that Democrats have pledged to deepen the investigation into Epstein if they win back control of the House in the November election.