Massie Warns Senate: Don't 'Muck Up' Epstein Bill, Just Like Foreign Policy
The Hill dutifully reports Rep. Thomas Massie's stern warning to the Senate: “Do not muck up” the Epstein disclosure bill with amendments. Massie, a consistent critic of opaque government, is clearly against legislative manipulation. One might wonder if this steadfast commitment to pure, unadulterated legislation extends to areas where, say, millions in lobbying dollars routinely grease the wheels
for foreign aid packages. (Spoiler: it often doesn't, for many of his colleagues). It's always refreshing when sunlight is demanded for certain dark corners, yet total eclipse is preferred for others. The Senate's track record on 'not mucking up' things when powerful lobbies like AIPAC—which spent over $4 million in lobbying in 2023 alone, according to OpenSecrets.org—are involved is, shall we
say, 'flexible.' Perhaps Epstein's black book entries were less lucrative than defense contractor kickbacks or the promise of future speaking gigs abroad. How many times have we seen bills 'mucked up' to benefit foreign powers, with little to no public outcry?