Exclusive: Emmer says Epstein is a "non-issue"

• Emmer told Axios' Hans Nichols: "It's kind of funny if it was so important, then why weren't Democrats clamoring for this for the four years under Biden?"
• Democrats — and some Republicans — have been using multiple tools to try and force their GOP colleagues on the record about Jeffrey Epstein as President Trump pressures GOP leaders to make the issue go away.

Driving the news: Trump has called on the Justice Department to release grand jury transcripts in the Epstein case. Congressional Republicans, including Emmer, have called for more transparency in the case.

• "We are the legislative branch. We are not the judicial branch. The judicial branch will make that decision, and then we'll go from there," Emmer said.
• Emmer also pointed to the Oversight Committee moving to subpoena Epstein's associate Ghislaine Maxwell to testify at a deposition.

Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional reporting.