前副总统迈克·彭斯加入了共和党人的合唱呼吁特朗普政府公布关于性侵犯者杰弗里·爱泼斯坦案件的文件，告诉哥伦比亚广播公司新闻在一次采访中他认为政府应该公开所有关于爱泼斯坦与他曾经服务过的总统决裂的文件。
彭斯在周三的采访中说:“我认为是时候让政府公布有关杰弗里·爱泼斯坦的调查和起诉的所有文件了。”
当被问及他是否认为应该调查爱泼斯坦的同伙是否应该受到刑事起诉时，彭斯说:“我只是认为我们应该向美国人民公布事实。我一直相信透明度。”
“保护受害者的姓名很重要。他们应该被排除在任何披露。但无论事实是否证明指控是正确的，我认为任何参与或与这个可鄙的人有关联的人都应该受到公众的监督。”
最近几周，唐纳德·特朗普总统的许多最著名的支持者和国会共和党人继续要求答案关于文件。
与许多呼吁公布文件的高调人物相比，彭斯在意识形态上更加温和。更广泛地说，彭斯在特朗普第二个总统任期的前六个月里穿针引线，偶尔批评并偶尔赞扬他曾经服务过的总统的第二任期政策或观点。
王牌周三继续驳回党内要求提高爱泼斯坦调查透明度的呼声，并在没有证据的情况下声称，这场争议旨在削弱他。
在一篇冗长的社交媒体帖子中，特朗普指责民主党人制造了他所谓的“骗局”和“骗局”，该帖子提到了总统此前对2017年俄罗斯选举干涉调查的说法。
当被问及特朗普说爱泼斯坦的争议是一个“骗局”是什么意思时，彭斯没有直接回答，但表示爱泼斯坦的起诉始于布什政府，并在奥巴马政府期间继续。
“我不知道为什么这个政府，一旦受害者的名字得到保护，不应该释放杰弗里·爱泼斯坦的所有文件，”彭斯补充说。
本月早些时候，司法部和美国联邦调查局声称他们没有发现任何证据这位已故的金融家保留了一份“客户名单”,上面列有他勒索或合谋杀害数十名女性的同伙。
Mike Pence calls for the release of the Epstein files: 'I've always believed in transparency'
Former Vice President Mike Pence joined thechorus of Republicanscalling on the Trump administration to release files about the case of sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, telling CBS Newsin an interviewthat he believes the administration should release all of the files about Epstein -- breaking with the president he once served under.
"I think the time has come for the administration to release all of the files regarding Jeffrey Epstein's investigation and prosecution," Pence said in the Wednesday interview.
Asked if he believes there should be an inquiry into if accomplices to Epstein should be exposed to criminal prosecution, Pence said, "I just think we ought to get the facts to the American people. I've always believed in transparency."
"It's important that we protect the names of the victims. They should be excluded from any disclosure. But whether or not the facts justify charges, I think that anyone who participated or was associated with this despicable man ought to be held up to public scrutiny."
In recent weeks, many of President Donald Trump's most prominent supporters and congressional Republicanscontinue to demand answersabout the files.
Pence is more moderate ideologically than many of the high-profile names calling for the files to be released. More broadly, Pence has threaded a needle over the first six months of Trump's second presidency, occasionally critiquing and occasionally praising the second-term policies or opinions of the president who he once served under.
Trumpcontinued Wednesdayto dismiss calls within his own party for more transparency into the Epstein investigation and made claims, without evidence, that the controversy was designed to undermine him.
In a lengthy social media post, which included references to the president's previous claims about the 2017 Russian election interference probe, Trump blamed Democrats for creating what he called a "scam" and "hoax."
Asked what Trump means when he says the Epstein controversy is a "hoax," Pence didn't answer directly, but said Epstein's prosecution began during the Bush administration and continued during the Obama administration.
"I know of no reason why this administration, once the victims' names are protected, should not release all the files on Jeffrey Epstein," Pence added.
The Justice Department and FBI earlier this monthstated they found no evidencethe deceased financier kept a "client list" of associates whom he blackmailed or conspired with to victimize dozens of women.
