U.S. Representative Tim Burchett of Tennessee on Tuesday said he does not trust the Justice Department’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case and called for anyone convicted of child exploitation linked to Epstein to be “hung publicly.” Speaking with reporters at the Capitol on 15 July, the Republican lawmaker dismissed the need for an additional investigation, saying he was “over it” and wanted swift, highly visible punishment for offenders. Burchett’s comments came after he was asked whether a special counsel should be appointed to review the department’s files. “Find them guilty and hang them publicly. That’s not over the top,” he replied, adding that widespread distrust of the government stems from a lack of transparency. He also said that, were he in charge of the agency, he would “fire everyone and make them reapply” to restore confidence. The remarks highlight the growing rift inside Congress over how to deal with the remaining sealed Epstein records. Last week the Senate approved, on a bipartisan basis, a resolution urging the Justice Department to publish the files, but a Democratic attempt on Tuesday to force a similar vote in the House was blocked on procedural grounds. House Speaker Mike Johnson has said he will defer to the White House, leaving the issue unresolved.