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Jeffries Calls Out Party of Hypocrisy as GOP Continues to Block Epstein Files

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries has accused congressional Republicans of “covering up for pedophiles,” as the party continues to block a measure forcing the release of federal files on Jeffrey Epstein. “

Published

1 month ago

October 9, 2025

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries has accused congressional Republicans of “covering up for pedophiles,” as the party continues to block a measure forcing the release of federal files on Jeffrey Epstein. “We don’t buy it at all,” Jeffries said on MSNBC’s The Briefing. “Republicans on The Hill for months have been doing Donald Trump’s bidding and trying to hide these Epstein files from the American people, notwithstanding the fact that the victims have called for full transparency so there can be accountability. And we fully support these brave victims.”

Jeffries said the truth lies buried in those files—and so do the names of powerful men who built their fortunes, their faith, and their politics on hypocrisy. “Mike Johnson and this group continue to cover up for the pedophiles. That’s crazy,” he said. “Representative-elect Adelita Grijalva was going to be a great member succeeding her legendary dad in the Congress. She’s made clear, ‘I’m gonna be the 218th vote on the discharge petition to force an up or down vote, which will pass the House, forcing the Trump administration to release the Epstein files.’ That explains, in part, why Republicans have been on vacation for the last several weeks.” Speaker Johnson refuses to swear Grijalva in, claiming the House is only in “pro forma session” due to the ongoing government shutdown. But behind that bureaucratic smokescreen lies a moral crisis—a Congress willing to look away while predators sit among them.

From the pews to the statehouse, the Republican Party has cultivated what James Baldwin once called “the criminality of innocence”—a nation that preaches purity while practicing corruption. The records tell a damning story. A South Carolina Republican lawmaker, RJ May, who went by the grotesque screen name “joebidennnn69,” pleaded guilty to distributing more than 200 child sex abuse videos, many involving toddlers. In Texas, Robert Morris, a megachurch pastor and former Trump adviser, was indicted for child sex crimes dating back decades. He once stood beside Trump and Attorney General William Barr, preaching about “protecting children,” even as his accuser said he had molested her as a child. And in North Dakota, former state senator Ray Holmberg pleaded guilty to traveling to Prague for sex with minors—fourteen trips in all, ten years of depravity under the alias “Sean Evans.”

These are not isolated cases. They are part of an epidemic—a sickness dressed in suits and scripture. The National Women’s Defense League documented more than 400 allegations of sexual harassment against 145 sitting state lawmakers between 2013 and 2024. PBS News found 147 lawmakers across 44 states accused of sexual misconduct since 2017. The problem, as one legislator put it, “feels like it goes hand in hand with the work.” Marjorie Taylor Greene, in an outburst that betrayed more truth than she intended, dared her Republican colleagues to “put it ALL out there”—including “the entire Jeffrey Epstein files” and “sexual harassment and assault claims that were secretly settled, paying off victims with taxpayer money.” Her threat was not courage but calculation, a warning to others that exposure is a two-edged sword.

Meanwhile, the same party has weaponized “grooming” rhetoric to smear LGBTQ+ teachers and families while harboring predators within its ranks. It is a perverse theater in which the villains pose as moral crusaders. In Minnesota, former GOP operative Anton Lazzaro’s 21-year sentence for trafficking underage girls remains upheld after the Supreme Court refused to hear his appeal. Yet the same political movement that birthed his career now pretends such crimes are anomalies rather than reflections of power’s decay. The list of offenders reads like a directory of the self-righteous. Pastors. Politicians. Party leaders. Each one invoking God and freedom while preying upon the innocent. Baldwin once wrote that “people pay for what they do, and still more for what they have allowed themselves to become.” America’s bill is long overdue. Jeffries’s warning cuts to the heart of that debt. “This is about accountability,” he said. “This is about truth.” The Epstein files—hidden, delayed, denied—represent more than evidence. They are a mirror held up to a Congress that has lost its reflection.

Until those files see daylight, the children who never had a voice remain buried in silence, and those who swore oaths to protect them remain complicit in their suffering. “The American people deserve the truth,” Jeffries said. “And the victims deserve justice.”

Stacy M. Brown

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Michael: The King of Pop’s Story Returns to the Big Screen

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — The curtain has finally lifted on one of Hollywood’s most anticipated films. Lionsgate has unveiled the official trailer and release date for “Michael,” the sweeping biopic about Michael Jackson that has been years in the making.

Published

4 days ago

November 6, 2025

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent

The curtain has finally lifted on one of Hollywood’s most anticipated films. Lionsgate has unveiled the official trailer and release date for “Michael,” the sweeping biopic about Michael Jackson that has been years in the making. Directed by Antoine Fuqua, the film will arrive in theaters on April 24, 2026, with the singer’s nephew, Jaafar Jackson, stepping into the spotlight to portray his legendary uncle.

The trailer wastes no time rekindling the aura of Jackson’s genius. Opening with a studio scene between Jackson and his longtime producer Quincy Jones, played by Kendrick Sampson, the clip builds from a quiet, familiar rhythm to the electrifying pulse of “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’.” Viewers catch glimpses of the singer’s childhood, flashes of “Thriller,” and the silhouette that redefined pop culture. Each frame reminds fans of why Jackson remains unmatched in artistry and influence. The cast surrounding the late pop king’s nephew, Jaafar Jackson, reads like a who’s who of Black entertainment and music history. Colman Domingo plays Joe Jackson, Nia Long portrays Katherine Jackson, and Larenz Tate takes on the role of Motown founder Berry Gordy. Laura Harrier portrays music executive Suzanne de Passe, while Kat Graham embodies Diana Ross. Miles Teller plays attorney John Branca, a towering entertainment lawyer and longtime Jackson confidant who later became co-executor of his estate. The film’s journey to release has been as complicated as the icon it portrays. Production wrapped in 2024, but legal hurdles over depictions of past controversies forced extensive reshoots and editing delays. Even so, Fuqua’s film now appears ready to reclaim the narrative, focusing on Jackson’s creative ambition and humanity beyond tabloid noise. IndieWire reported that the film had faced “a massive legal snafu” over a disputed storyline but was retooled to center the music and legacy that defined generations.

Maven. Photo Credit: Glen Wilson

“Michael” promises more than a chronological retelling. It aims to explore how a child star from Gary, Indiana, became the world’s most influential entertainer. The script, written by Oscar-nominated John Logan, traces Jackson’s early years with the Jackson 5 through the triumphs and isolation of global superstardom. With Fuqua’s cinematic eye and producer Graham King—who brought “Bohemian Rhapsody” to life—joining forces with estate executors Branca and John McClain, the film is positioned as both a tribute and a restoration of Jackson’s cultural truth. Branca’s work behind the scenes has long shaped Jackson’s posthumous success. After the singer died in 2009, Branca and McClain took control of the estate burdened by debt and turned it into a global powerhouse worth billions. Under their stewardship, Jackson’s projects have generated more than $3 billion in worldwide ticket sales and landmark deals, including a $600 million joint venture with Sony earlier this year. At its heart, though, “Michael” is a story about artistry that transcends scandal. It offers a reminder that, despite the noise surrounding his life, Jackson’s music still bridges continents and generations. The trailer’s closing moments capture that spirit. As the beat of “Billie Jean” swells and Jaafar Jackson moonwalks into a spotlight, audiences are left with a familiar feeling—the awe of witnessing something timeless return home.

“Michael” opens worldwide in theaters April 24, 2026. See the official trailer here.

Stacy M. Brown

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Donald Trump Is the Biggest Loser

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — The Trump Brand took a significant hit as it was swept up in the Democratic blue wave of the election last night.

Published

5 days ago

November 5, 2025

Oakland Post

By April Ryan

The Trump Brand took a significant hit as it was swept up in the Democratic blue wave of the election last night.

Chris Jones, Democratic candidate for U.S. House of Representatives (AR-02), says, “Last night was electric, and it was unquestionably a wave.” Democrats won big in what is widely considered a repudiation of Trump’s 9 months at the White House in his second term.

In the state of Virginia, which produced the first big election night win and saw the election of the first woman governor, Democrat Abigail Spanberger, 56% of Virginia’s residents disapprove of President Trump. In New Jersey, 55% of state residents disapprove of the president; in New York, 69% disapprove; and in California, 63% disapprove of the president. The Trump brand or his support for any candidates did nothing to benefit those he endorsed in this election. They actually lost in each race he publicly put his name behind. Trump endorsed former New York Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo, who lost the New York mayor’s race in his run as an independent. And New Jersey Republican Jack Ciattarelli, who ran for governor with the presidential endorsement, also lost his prospective race.

The next question is, will the democratic momentum be sustainable? Jones further explained, “This can become a 2026 tsunami, but turning a wave into a tsunami takes energy. A lot of energy. It doesn’t just happen. The conditions are there. Now we have to work!”

Some Democrats would argue that the work is already underway. The pushback against Trump’s national redistricting efforts received a thumb in the eye from California voters. Prop 50, California Governor Gavin Newsom’s counterbalance to President Trump’s redistricting efforts, passed in California last night. Although Trump’s name was not on the ballot last night, his Republican policies were. The United States has now entered the longest government shutdown in its history. Forty-two million Americans are not getting SNAP benefits. Economists are acknowledging that the government shutdown is contributing to the rise in delinquent debt in the student loan, automotive, and credit card industries. These items are among the negatives Americans are protesting against.

Compounding Trump’s political problems is a tariff battle that’s directly impacting pocketbooks. The day after the elections, the Trump administration was arguing before the US Supreme Court in favor of the president’s tariff powers. Meanwhile, President Trump‘s poll numbers are underwater, standing at a 37% national disapproval rate

Oakland Post

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Historic Beatdown: Democrats Sweep Virginia as Speaker Don Scott and Jay Jones Make History

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — In a clear rejection of the policies of President Donald Trump, history repeated itself in Virginia.

Published

5 days ago

November 5, 2025

Oakland Post

By Lauren Burke

In a clear rejection of the policies of President Donald Trump, history repeated itself in Virginia. Democrats once again swept all three statewide offices as they did in 2017 during Trump’s first term. Abigail Spanberger easily won the office of Governor, and State Senator Ghazala Hashmi won her race over John Reid to be the next Lieutenant Governor. The victories occurred against the backdrop of a historic win in Virginia by Spanberger that will give Virginia its first woman Governor.

Spanberger’s widely predicted win over Republican gubernatorial nominee Winsome Earle-Sears was called 17 minutes after the polls closed in Virginia at 7 pm. Former Delegate Jay Jones won his race against incumbent Attorney General Jason Miyares. His victory means Jones will be the first Black Attorney General in Virginia’s history. Jones’ win was particularly noteworthy since the last month of his campaign was consumed by the issue of private text messages from 2022 to Republican Delegate Carrie Coyner. Republicans ran a non-stop barrage of negative ads against Jones for a month.

Del. Coyner lost her bid for re-election to Delegate-elect Lindsey Dougherty. The Dougherty race was the number one target for House Speaker Don Scott and his campaign lieutenant, Delegate Dan Helmer. Coyner’s defeat was one of at least 13 victories for Democrats who have now added to their ranks in the Virginia House to historic margins. When the Virginia General Assembly returns to session in January, there will be at least 64 Democrats in the chamber. The widespread Republican defeat is a testament to a combination of historic fundraising, Democrats running in all 100 seats, dislike of President Trump’s policies, and an ineffective top of the ticket featuring Lt. Gov. Earle Sears.

+13: Speaker Scott and Del. Helmer Hit Historic Numbers in Fundraising and Power

As the evening ended, a glaring historic fact became clearer: The Virginia House of Delegates will expand to a historic number. The change means the largest Democratic House chamber in the modern era. There were several notable wins by Democrats running for the Virginia House. They include Virgil Thornton, Lilly Franklin, and Kim Pope Adams. Speaker Don Scott and his campaign chair, Dan Helmer, undertook a record fundraising effort never before seen in Virginia’s history. The moment of success for Virginia Democrats will be viewed as a positive signal for Democrats moving into the 2026 elections.