Republican Representative James Comer from Kentucky’s 1st District has issued a stern warning to mainstream media outlets.
His directive: quote him accurately and entirely, or refrain from quoting him altogether.
This caution comes after Politico published an article suggesting that there was discord within the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, which Comer chairs, regarding the possibility of granting a pardon to Ghislaine Maxwell. Maxwell, an associate of the notorious Jeffrey Epstein, is embroiled in discussions about providing testimony against Epstein, a convicted sex offender and pedophile.
The article featured a statement from Robert Garcia, a Democrat from California’s 42nd District, who claimed that the Democrats on the committee were unanimously against the idea of pardoning Maxwell.
Comer was reportedly quoted expressing views that, if taken at face value, imply some Republican members of the committee might be open to the pardon, given the Democrats’ unified opposition.
The story quoted the ranking Democrat, Robert Garcia (CA-42), as indicating that “committee Democrats unanimously opposed a pardon for Maxwell.”
Comer was quoted as saying this:
When asked whether he believed it was a favorable deal to issue a pardon in return for Maxwell’s testimony, Comer said, “A lot of people do.”
“My committee’s split on that,” he added, declining to name who on the panel supported granting a pardon. “I don’t speak for my committee.”
Comer himself wasn’t in favor.
“I think it looks bad,” he said. “Honestly, other than Epstein, the worst person in this whole investigation is Maxwell.”
If Democrats on the committee are allegedly united against one, that means some of the Republicans on it are in favor, if you read between the lines of Comer’s remarks.
But on X, the way the news outlet initially framed the alleged divisions implied Comer was among those who agreed with pardoning Maxwell:
SCOOP — Oversight chair James Comer told me members of his panel are open to a pardon for Ghislaine Maxwell so that she would share info with Congress.
Robert Garcia said the move would be disrespectful to Epstein’s victims + all Dems opposed it.https://t.co/M1IXS8VVw1
— Hailey Fuchs (@Hailey_Fuchs) April 22, 2026
Comer was not happy that his full statement had initially been left out, and responded accordingly:
I made my position clear: I am not open to a pardon for Ghislaine Maxwell.
In the future, use my full statement.
Don’t post clickbait. https://t.co/RfflZEeZuS
— Rep. James Comer (@RepJamesComer) April 22, 2026
In fairness, the reporter had included the relevant part of the quote in a subsequent tweet, but she posted it nearly an hour after her initial tweet, and just four minutes before Comer’s :
Comer, for one, is opposed to a pardon.
“I think it looks bad,” he said. “Honestly, other than Epstein, the worst person in this whole investigation is Maxwell.”
— Hailey Fuchs (@Hailey_Fuchs) April 22, 2026
The Oversight Committee, of course, can’t pardon Maxwell. It’s a power reserved solely for the president. In an early April interview with Politico, Maxwell’s attorney, David Oscar Markus, said he believed “There’s a good chance and for good reason that she would get a pardon,” though he claimed he had not yet talked to anyone in the Trump administration because “I don’t think now is the best time to do it, with everything going on.”
Editor’s Note: The mainstream media continues to deflect, gaslight, spin, and lie about President Trump, his administration, and conservatives.
Help us continue to expose their left-wing bias by reading news you can trust. Join RedState VIP and use promo code FIGHT to receive 60% off your membership.
