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Conservative responses to the partial release of documents related to the Jeffrey Epstein case have been mixed, with some backers of the previous administration pointing out the prominent presence of Bill Clinton and additional Democratic figures in images, while others lamented how extensive censorship cast former President Trump and GOP members in a unfavorable manner.

Justice Department Justifies Censorship with Strong Rhetoric

Administration officials justified the heavily censored sections with intense hyperbole. “Never in U.S. history has a President or the Justice Department been this open with the American people about such a delicate legal matter,” stated Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, who issued a six-page memo outlining the censorship process.

Questions Prompted by Blacked-Out Sections

While the former president's identity and image are visible in portions of the documents, the widespread black blocks raise significant questions about what may be concealed beneath them. A number of Republicans swiftly called for increased openness.

“People are furious and walking away,” posted Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene.

In a social media post, Republican Congressman Thomas Massie said the censorship violate the statute, and suggested that a subsequent Congress may move to impeach the top law enforcement official, Pam Bondi, for that offense. “Unfortunately, this file dump grossly fails to comply with both the intent and the wording of the act,” he continued.

Some Conservative Figures Swing Behind the Release

However, some rightwing commentators and former President allies came out strongly in support of the Justice Department's actions.

The release—from a DOJ run by close Trump ally Pam Bondi—contains hundreds of pages that are entirely censored, and many of the individuals shown in pictures have their faces blacked out.

But a few do not, featuring prominent figures like Bill Clinton, entertainer Michael Jackson, and academic Noam Chomsky. The presence of the former president, especially, allowed some rightwing figures to go on the offensive.

“It’s pretty ironic how the Democrats falsely claimed President Trump of being a sex offender, only for the administration's Justice Department to release Epstein files that show Bill Clinton skinny dipping with a convicted sex offender,” stated conservative commentator Laura Loomer.

“New Epstein Files show Bill Clinton without a shirt in a jacuzzi with a female that is other than his spouse Hillary Clinton,” wrote attorney Rogan O’Handley. “There is only 1 explanation Epstein would photograph a Commander-in-Chief with a girl in a jacuzzi: Blackmail.”

Former President Spokesperson Releases Response

Bill Clinton has repeatedly stated he was aware of zero illegal activity by Epstein and has not been accused to have participated in any misconduct. “The administration hasn’t been concealing these documents for an extended period only to dump them at the last minute on a weekend to shield Bill Clinton,” Clinton’s spokesperson Angel Ureña said in a comment.

“This is about shielding themselves from what comes next, or from information they will try and conceal forever. So they can release as many grainy 20-plus-year-old photos as they want, but this is not about Bill Clinton. Not previously, not ever be,” the statement concluded.

Overall Conservative Commentary Remains Subdued

However, overall comment on the right was comparatively subdued after the disclosure, especially when compared with the loud calls for transparency that came before the congressional vote to pass a law mandating the documents' release.

The commentator, who not long ago accepted media access at the Pentagon, had been among the most vocal proponents for a complete disclosure. In February, she chastised the Justice Department generally and Bondi specifically after a group of rightwing personalities were given hard-copy binders of files that included no new data.