Many would argue that the discharge of the paperwork associated to Jeffrey Epstein’s crimes shouldn’t be about political social gathering affiliation. So, when folks make feedback downplaying the problem, it understandably garners quite a lot of consideration and pushback. For instance, again in November 2025, conservative commentator Megyn Kelly was criticized for saying “there’s a difference between a 15-year-old and a 5-year-old” when speaking about kids who had been abused by Epstein. And now, NCS panelist Scott Jennings has additionally been known as out over his dismissive angle relating to the delayed launch of the recordsdata.
Fellow panelist Leigh McGowan’s response to his remark has gone viral on social media — and for good motive.
Because of the Epstein Files Transparency Act, the Department of Justice was required to launch the paperwork associated to Epstein by December 19, 2025. They still haven’t released most of them. Per The Guardian, greater than two million paperwork are nonetheless underneath overview and haven’t been launched.
When discussing this precise situation on NCS’s Newsnight with Abby Phillip, McGowan was shocked by Jennings’ dismissive response. While Jennings mentioned the DOJ ought to comply with the legislation and launch the paperwork, he appeared to downplay the importance of the unreleased recordsdata.
“Here’s the deal. I think they should release it. I think they should follow the law,” he mentioned. “But let’s not get our knickers in a twist here. There’s no punishment for this.”
McGowan instantly pushed again, clearly outraged by this remark.
Sarcastically, she mentioned, “Yeah, let’s not get our knickers in a twist over child rape, ha ha ha.” She then added, “Why are you talking like that? It’s insane.” Meanwhile, Jennings appeared a bit confused by the response and questioned, “What’s insane?”
McGowan didn’t hesitate to elucidate. “The Epstein files is a multinational, multigenerational child and woman sex trafficking ring. So, your attitude right now… is just horrifying to me.”
She added, “Why are you acting like you have no idea what’s happening here?” Jennings reiterated that he thinks the DOJ “should follow the law,” and McGowan reminded him that officers are presently not following it. Jennings began to say, “I know you have a strong opinion about it, and I respect that.”
She mentioned she ‘has a strong opinion about it’ as a result of it’s ‘disgusting.’
“They are hiding it,” McGowan continued. “It’s not the behavior of innocent people. And everything that is in these files, it could bring an entire house down. And if it has to, it has to. If it brings down Democrats, bring them down. If it brings down Republicans, bring them down. Bring down princes, world leaders, Hollywood people, bring them down.”
But proper now, McGowan argued, it appears like sure persons are one way or the other above the legislation. “What it feels like right now is that there’s a giant cabal of people that do not have to listen to the law…and they were supposed to do something, then they didn’t do something.”
Jennings: Let’s not get our knickers in a twist right here
McGowan: Why are you speaking like that? It’s insane. Your angle is simply horrifying….Everything that’s in these recordsdata—it may deliver a complete home down. And if it has to, it has to. If it brings down Democrats, deliver… pic.twitter.com/rtf6PNI31z
— Acyn (@Acyn) January 20, 2026
In the feedback of a clip shared on X, many agreed that the discharge of the recordsdata shouldn’t be about politics. “Let’s strip away the politics for five seconds,” one individual commented. “These are real victims, and they deserve transparency and support, not excuses or delay. Everyone should be on their side.”
Someone else praised McGowan for calling Jennings out over his dismissive tone. They added, “Then the ‘I see you have a strong opinion’ comment. STFU. Everybody at the table should have a strong opinion about this.”
A 3rd individual mentioned, “That’s exactly it. Doesn’t matter what status those people in the files have. They all need to be held accountable.”