Republicans are divided on the value of Ghislaine Maxwell as she takes center stage in the Jeffrey Epstein files saga.
Some view the convicted sex trafficker as the key to unlocking additional information about the Epstein enigma — such as revealing high-powered abusers of young women who have not faced legal consequences for their crimes, or secret arrangements Epstein had that enabled his abuse.
But others warn that Maxwell, who was complicit in the abuse and previously faced perjury charges (on which she was not convicted), is not a reliable witness and deserves no special treatment.
Hanging over Maxwell's discussion with the Department of Justice and the House Oversight Committee's subpoena of Maxwell is her desire for a pardon or commutation.
President Trump hasn't ruled out a pardon for Maxwell, but hasn't indicated he is considering one, either. Trump said Monday that "I'm allowed to give her" a pardon, but "nobody's approached me."
Some conservatives are slowly cracking the door to that possibility.
Newsmax host Greg Kelly suggested last week that Maxwell "just might be a victim."
"Maybe she never deserved to be in there [prison] in the first place .... Prosecutors prosecuted President Trump over nothing. I don't know, but I'm skeptical of everything and everybody these days," Kelly said.
Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), who has emerged as a top GOP Trump antagonist in Congress and is pushing to force a vote on a bipartisan measure to direct the DOJ to release more Epstein material, expressed openness to a Maxwell pardon or commutation on NBC's "Meet the Press" on Sunday.
"That would be up to the president. But if she has information that could help us, then I think she should testify. Let's get that out there. And whatever they need to do to compel that testimony, as long as it's truthful, I would be in favor of," Massie said.
Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), on the other hand, has emerged as one of the most prominent figure urging caution when considering those kinds of sweeteners for Maxwell testimony.
"If you're asking my opinion, I think 20 years was a pittance. I think she should have a life sentence at least," Johnson said Sunday, also on "Meet the Press."
"It's hard to put into words how evil this was, and that she orchestrated it and was a big part of it, at least under the criminal sanction, I think is an unforgivable thing … So again, not my decision, but I have great pause about that, as any reasonable person would," Johnson said.
Trump-supporting commentator Jack Posobiec has also raised skepticism about Maxwell, saying her motive is very clear in wanting to reduce her sentence or get a full pardon. Maxell, he said, "needs to provide receipts and names"
"If Ghislane Maxwell wants anything from the Department of Justice, there need to be names, there needs to be receipts … Who did what, where did it happen and you also have to provide information that is able to back up the credibility of the accusation," Posobiec said last week.
Maxwell has already sat for a two-day interview with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, and was reportedly granted limited immunity before doing so.
Maxwell's attorney, David Oscar Markus, said in a statement to NewsNation on Friday that it was a "thorough, comprehensive interview."
"No person and no topic were off-limits. We are very grateful. The truth will come out," Markus said.
Blanche said the department would share more information "at the appropriate time."
Maxwell on Monday formally appealed to the Supreme Court in hopes of overturning her conviction. The Justice Department has opposed her appeal.
Often left out of the flurry of Epstein drama over the last few weeks are the effects of the developments on Epstein's victims. Independent journalist Tara Palmeri, who has reported extensively on the Epstein case over the years, reported that survivors of the abuse from Epstein and Maxwell feel betrayed by the Justice Department and others going to her.
"It's very backhanded. Why don't they go to the survivors? Why is she being called the Rosetta Stone? The victims know everything too. They were eyewitnesses," Marijke Chartouni, one of Epstein's survivors,said in Palmeri's "The Red Letter."
Further reading: Todd Blanche takes the helm of Ghislaine Maxwell talks, from my colleagues Zach Schonfeld and Ella Lee in their newsletter, The Gavel.
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