AI Summary
5 min readEpstein Files, War Powers, and the Machinery of Secrecy
In a dinner meeting at the Department of Justice, Attorney General Pam Bondi told Congressman Thomas Massie that the remaining Epstein files contained nothing but pornography and that "nobody would want to see it." Massie walked away knowing she had lied to his face. That lie became the impetus for a second round of legislation—the Epstein Files Transparency Act 2—which Massie introduced with just 34 legislative days left before he leaves Congress on January 3rd at noon.
The War Powers End-Run
Massie opened by connecting the constitutional crisis around the Iran strikes to a legal shell game he has tracked firsthand. The 1973 War Powers Resolution, originally passed over Nixon's veto to limit presidential war authority, has been inverted. The White House now claims one section of that law is unconstitutional (the provision requiring withdrawal after a concurrent resolution from both chambers), even though the Supreme Court has never ruled on it. Congress passed such a resolution—the first time in history both chambers approved identical language demanding withdrawal—and the administration simply ignored it.
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What you'll learn
- 1 (01:34) **Guest Introduction: Rep. Thomas Massie** - Dave Smith welcomes the outgoing congressman, who joins from his congressional office days before being moved out.
- 2 (03:47) **The Iran War: Legal Breakdown of the 90-Day Limit** - Massie explains how the Trump administration evaded the 1973 War Powers Resolution.
- 3 (08:49) **Constitutional Erosion and the AUMF Precedent** - The conversation traces how presidents from Obama to Trump have bypassed Congress’s war-declaring power.
- 4 (12:21) **The Syrian Chemical Weapons False Flag** - Massie defends his early skepticism of the narrative that Assad used chemical weapons on his own people.
- 5 (16:17) **The Iraq Embassy Trap and the Soleimani Killing** - Massie highlights how the massive U.S. embassy in Iraq was designed to ensure permanent occupation.
- 6 (17:38) **Massie’s 2022 Primary Defeat: The Israel Lobby’s $30 Million Blitz** - Massie recounts how he lost his seat despite an 81% primary win in 2020 and sky-high favorability.
- 7 (24:02) **Generational Divide: Boomers vs. Under-55s** - Analysis of the demographic split in Massie’s primary shows the smear campaign only worked on voters over 55.
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Guests on this episode
Show Notes
Dave Smith brings you the latest in politics! On this episode of Part Of The Problem, Dave is joined by Congressman Thomas Massie! They discuss Massie's proposal of a new Epstein files transparency act, his feelings about being unseated in Congress, the war in Syria compared to Iran, and more.
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