'It's not a good look': Bill Clinton’s Epstein connections spark concern among Democrats
WASHINGTON, DC: Democrats have acknowledged that former Democratic President Bill Clinton’s ties to Jeffrey Epstein look damaging, especially given his long-scrutinized personal life.
New images showing Epstein with Clinton spread widely online after the Department of Justice’s partial release of documents tied to the disgraced financier on Friday, December 19. One of the images is of Clinton relaxing by a pool near Ghislaine Maxwell, while another shows Clinton and Epstein together.
Democrats express concerns over Bill Clinton’s ties to Epstein
Democrats say former President Bill Clinton’s ties to Jeffrey Epstein reflect poorly on him. “It’s not a good look,” one Democratic strategist said, adding that the relationship suggests tolerance for the kind of environment that allowed someone like Epstein to operate. "It does suggest a certain acceptance and permission-making for the environment that allowed for someone like Epstein to exist."
Democratic strategist Joel Payne agreed, saying the Epstein controversy centers "a story about a guy who obviously abused women and children and behaved in a grotesque way and someone who had access to the most powerful people in the world."
Payne said that anyone connected to Epstein faces serious damage to their public image. "Anyone tied to that, that’s not a good place to be in terms of public regard," he said.
For context, the Justice Department released new files linked to Epstein that include photos of Clinton and Rolling Stones founding member Mick Jagger dining with Epstein and his convicted associate, Ghislaine Maxwell. One image shows Clinton and Jagger sitting close to a woman whose face is blacked out.
Clinton appears often in the released materials, while President Donald Trump appears only rarely. The records also include photos of Clinton with Epstein in places such as Brunei, Thailand, and Morocco, as well as on several private jets. The files do not explain the reason for these trips and provide little additional background information.
Bill Clinton urges Trump to release any remaining records referring to him
Meanwhile, Bill Clinton’s team pushed back on Monday, accusing the Justice Department of releasing documents in a selective way that fuels suspicion without giving full context.
Clinton spokesperson Angel Urena said, "These include grand jury transcripts, interview notes, photographs and any other materials that may contain Clinton’s name or image. We call on President Trump to direct Attorney General Bondi to immediately release any remaining materials referring to, mentioning or containing a photograph of Bill Clinton."
Urena warned, "Refusal to do so will confirm the widespread suspicion the Department of Justice’s actions to date are not about transparency, but about insinuation."
He said the selective disclosures unfairly suggest wrongdoing by people who, according to him, the Justice Department has already cleared multiple times under administrations from both parties.
Earlier on Friday, Urena also accused the Trump administration of using the document release to protect itself rather than to be transparent. He criticized the timing of the document dump and said the White House did not withhold the files for months just to protect Clinton. “This isn’t about Bill Clinton,” he said, adding that releasing old, unclear photos does not change that.
