Frost: Biden should have released Epstein files

The Epstein files have become one of the rare issues where the political fault lines don't fall neatly along party lines—or rather, they fall along every line at once. Rep. Frost's admission that Biden should have released the documents is notable not because it's a shocking revelation, but because it represents a Democrat openly conceding that his own party's administration fell short on transparency. That's the kind of honesty that usually gets buried in partisan talking points, and it's worth acknowledging. The broader context here is a story that has frustrated observers on both sides. When the Trump administration released a tranche of Epstein-related documents earlier this year, many found the material underwhelming—heavily redacted and largely containing information that was already public. Critics on the left argued the release was a political stunt designed to embarrass Democrats. Critics on the right countered that the files should have been released years earlier, under Biden, and that the redactions suggest ongoing concealment. Frost's position is a useful reminder that transparency isn't a partisan virtue. If a sitting Democratic congressman believes his own party's former president should have released these files, it suggests the demand for accountability transcends the usual tribal loyalties. Whether one believes the Epstein files contain explosive new information or are simply a recycling of court documents, the question of why they weren't released sooner—and why so much remains redacted—is legitimate. What makes this story particularly interesting is the venue: a YouTube-style debate show where a lawmaker is being pressed directly by a citizen. That's the kind of unscripted interaction that reveals more than a carefully prepared floor speech ever could. Frost's willingness to answer the question directly, rather than deflect, is a small but meaningful signal that the Epstein issue has reached a point where even Democrats are willing to say their own side dropped the ball. Ultimately, the Epstein files saga is less about what's in the documents and more about what the public believes is being hidden. When both parties are accusing each other of obstruction, and members of each party are admitting the other side had a point, it suggests the system itself has failed the transparency test. Frost's comments won't change the political dynamics overnight, but they add another data point to the growing consensus that the government—regardless of who's in charge—has been less than forthcoming. Source: https://thehill.com/homenews/house/6061199-frost-epstein-files-biden-trump/