Longtime Clinton aide Philippe Reines was called out Friday by MSNBC host Stephanie Ruhle for ignoring former President Bill Clinton's ties to Jeffrey Epstein, the billionaire and alleged sexual abuser of minors.
Ruhle told Reines, who was on her panel, that they have to remind their audience that Epstein isn't the only person guilty of having sex with underage girls, adding that there were many well-connected and "powerful" men in his circles.
Reines responded by immediately naming President Donald Trump, saying, "Well obviously he's been associated with President Trump. I don't know how much he might have known along the way."
"He's also associated with Bill Clinton," Ruhle said.
Reines attempted to shift the conversation away from Clinton, downplaying the importance of Epstein's connections.
"I think you don't know what's going on in somebody's bedroom. You certainly don't know what's going on in their creepy, private island," Reines said.
Ruhle pushed back by noting Clinton had closer personal ties to Epstein than Reines was indicating. She told Reines that he knows Clinton has been on Epstein's private plane, prompting Reines to get defensive and say that has nothing to do with their conversation and that Clinton doesn't approve of what Epstein has done. After Ruhle called him out again, he said he "inartfully" defended Clinton and that this was a "habit."
"Just stick to the facts," Ruhle said.
Reines then confused Epstein and Trump's current Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta, saying Trump is the one that put "him" into his cabinet, which led to Ruhle pushing back again to say that Trump did not put Epstein in his cabinet.
"Let's start again," Ruhle said.
"Take two," Reines said.
Clinton was aboard the infamous Lolita Express owned by Epstein at least 26 times, according to the Washington Free Beacon:
Epstein spent 13 months in prison after pleading guilty in 2008 to soliciting sex from a minor. He also owned a 72-acre island dubbed "Orgy Island" where he allegedly trafficked girls as young as 12 years old to his friends.
One woman who filed a lawsuit last year claiming she was raped by Epstein on the island when she was 15 and alleged that Clinton had visited the retreat. The Secret Service denied the claims.