(Headline USA) Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., claimed in a Dec. 5 interview that he doesn’t know anything about Jeffrey Epstein’s infamous flight logs, despite being accused of blocking an effort by Senate Republicans to subpoena them.
Durbin’s professed ignorance stems from Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., filing a request last month to subpoena the list of passengers who flew on Epstein’s private plane, dubbed the Lolita Express. Epstein and his business partner, convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell, allegedly used the plan to fly celebrities and politicians around the world while trafficking young girls.
According to Blackburn, Durbin, who chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee, blocked her request for the flight logs. Durbin, for his part, has denied that allegation.
The truth of the matter is likely that both sides are playing political games.
Headline USA understands that Blackburn’s attempt to subpoena the flight logs came during a two-hour hearing to subpoena Republican donor Harlan Crow and conservative legal activist Leonard Leo as part of an ongoing Supreme Court ethics investigation.
Durbin’s office told this publication that Blackburn’s attempt was one of 177 amendments filed by Republicans for that day’s hearing, in an attempt to disrupt the subpoena of Crow. Durbin pushed through Crow subpoena in the meeting’s final moments after Republicans walked out in protest.
According to Durbin’s office, the time limit for that hearing expired before the Epstein subpoena could be considered. Headline USA further understands that Senate congressional staffers are blaming Republicans for “filibustering” throughout that hearing.
Technicalities aside, Durbin’s professed ignorance about Epstein is astounding. When asked by Fox News correspondent Hillary Vaughn about the issue last week, Durbin suggested he had no idea what was going on.
Reporter: “Why won’t you subpoena Jeffrey Epstein’s flight logs?”@SenatorDurbin: “I don’t know anything about his flight logs.”
Reporter: “So why won’t you subpoena them if you can?”@SenatorDurbin: “It’s the first time anyone has raised it.”
Is Senator Durbin lying when he… pic.twitter.com/jaSkSRXgMa
— Carrie Severino (@JCNSeverino) December 8, 2023
“I don’t know the issue. I know who Epstein was, but I certainly don’t know anything about the issue,” the senator responded.
Durbin then insisted the issue of Epstein’s flight logs “has never been raised by anyone.” He also claimed Blackburn “hasn’t said a word to me” about her subpoena request.
Following Durbin’s interaction with the Fox News reporter, the Senator spoke about the matter with Blackburn during a Senate Judiciary Committee meeting. There, he signaled a willingness to issue the subpoena for Epstein’s flight logs.
“There were 177 amendments filed. I confess I didn’t know about your amendment,” he said at an FBI oversight hearing.
“I have not spoken to you one time about this issue. I didn’t even know this was a subject of your amendment,” he said.
“I’ll be happy to discuss your request with you.”
Ken Silva contributed to this report.
