CNN panel explodes after flippant comment on delayed Epstein files sparks on-air fury

A tense CNN panel discussion Monday night spiraled into a heated confrontation after a dismissive comment about delays in releasing the Jeffrey Epstein files ignited an explosive response from author Leigh McGowan. As the conversation turned to the Justice Department’s failure to meet deadlines, a flippant remark urging viewers not to “get our knickers in a twist” was met with open outrage, with McGowan accusing the network regular of trivializing a sprawling, multinational sex trafficking scandal involving abuse of women and children. Talking over repeated attempts to deflect, she argued the continued secrecy signals misconduct, not caution, and insisted that anyone implicated — regardless of party, status, or power — should face accountability, underscoring the raw anger and moral urgency surrounding the unresolved case.

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