{"id":2407720,"date":"2025-02-28T04:14:02","date_gmt":"2025-02-28T09:14:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/house-judiciary-gop-social-media-account-rickrolls-users-with-fake-epstein-files-link-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2025-02-28T04:16:20","modified_gmt":"2025-02-28T09:16:20","slug":"house-judiciary-gop-social-media-account-rickrolls-users-with-fake-epstein-files-link-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/house-judiciary-gop-social-media-account-rickrolls-users-with-fake-epstein-files-link-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"House Judiciary GOP social media account \u2018rickrolls\u2019 users with fake \u2018Epstein files\u2019 link &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">32<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fhouse-judiciary-gop-social-media-account-rickrolls-users-with-fake-epstein-files-link-washington-examiner%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2407720&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The House Judiciary GOP&#8217;s official \u2063X (formerly Twitter) account\u200b sparked \u200dcontroversy by attempting a prank \u2062related to the release of \u2063Jeffrey Epstein&#8217;s files. On the day these anticipated documents were expected to be made public, the account posted, &#8220;BREAKING: EPSTEIN FILES RELEASED,&#8221; followed by\u200c a link \u200bthat appeared to led\u2064 to\u2064 the files. However,clicking\u2062 the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/donald-trump-surrenders-first-tweet-from-former-president-in-years-comes-after-fulton-booking\/\" title=\"Former President Donald Trump surrenders with first tweet in years following Fulton booking.\">link redirected users<\/a> to the music video \u200bfor \u2064Rick \u200bAstley&#8217;s 1987 hit &#8220;Never \u200bGonna \u2062Give\u2063 You Up,&#8221; a classic \u2064internet prank known as &#8220;rickrolling.&#8221; <\/p>\n<p>This joke \u200bfaced sharp backlash \u200bfor \u200bbeing insensitive, \u200bgiven the serious nature of \u2063the Epstein case, which involves heinous \u200bcrimes against minors. Many criticized\u2063 the prank as inappropriate,\u2064 especially coming \u2064from a goverment \u2062account, highlighting \u200cthe gravity\u200c of the \u2063issues \u2064surrounding the Epstein files. Following the negative response, \u200bthe House \u200dJudiciary\u2064 GOP later removed \u200bthe\u2063 post.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">House Judiciary GOP social media account &lsquo;rickrolls&rsquo; users with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/harriss-senate-tiebreakers-offer-road-map-for-gop-attacks-washington-examiner\/\" title=\"Harris&#039;s Senate tiebreakers offer road map for GOP attacks - Washington Examiner\">fake &#038;lsquo<\/a>;Epstein files&rsquo; link<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_1999182\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>The administrators for the official X account for the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/republicans\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Republicans<\/a> of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/house-judiciary-committee\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">House Judiciary Committee <\/a>deceived people on Thursday with a prank that many have blasted as inappropriate.<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>After it was announced that the much-awaited files in the case of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/jeffrey-epstein\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Jeffrey Epstein<\/a> would be released on Thursday, the House Judiciary GOP X account made a misleading post, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/limbaugh-the-tyrannical-lefts-sinister-conspiracy-to-silence-conservatives\/\" title=\"LIMBAUGH: The Tyrannical Left\u2019s Sinister Conspiracy To Silence Conservatives\">leading people<\/a> to believe it was posting a link to access the information.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;#BREAKING: EPSTEIN FILES RELEASED,&rdquo; the post read. Then, a website link was provided that insinuated that if clicked, it would lead people to the files. Instead, the link redirected people to the music video of Rick Astley&rsquo;s 1987 hit song &ldquo;Never Gonna Give You Up.&rdquo; It is an internet prank that has been popular since the mid-2000s.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>    <iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/dQw4w9WgXcQ?si=LodZyipf9SszPJS8\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>    <\/p>\n<p>As part of the joke, users click on a link they believe will send them to a site with critical information, only to be redirected to the music video of Astley&rsquo;s hit song. It is known as &ldquo;rickrolling.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>However, given the sensitive nature of the Epstein files and the horrific crimes that Jeffrey Epstein was involved in, many derided the attempt at humor as insensitive, inappropriate, and an embarrassing decision. Many took to X to voice their displeasure with the House Judiciary Republicans on the <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\">social media platform<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">In case you haven&#8217;t seen enough &#129313; stuff today &ndash; we have the official X account of the House Judiciary GOP using a tinyurl to Rickroll people, claiming it&#8217;s the Epstein files.<\/p>\n<p>I won&#8217;t click a tinyurl anyway bc I&#8217;m not about being hacked <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/1UqoJXnbBq\">https:\/\/t.co\/1UqoJXnbBq<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Jennifer Van Laar (@jenvanlaar) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/jenvanlaar\/status\/1895220054922559692?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">February 27, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script> <\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>&ldquo;In case you haven&rsquo;t seen enough [clown emoji] stuff today &ndash; we have the official X account of the House Judiciary GOP using a tinyurl to Rickroll people, claiming it&rsquo;s the Epstein files,&rdquo; <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/jenvanlaar\/status\/1895220054922559692?s=46\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">said<\/a> editor and investigative journalist Jennifer Van Laar.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;This is the official X account for the House Judiciary Committee using the Epstein files as an occasion for a corny Rickroll joke,&rdquo; <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/mattwalshblog\/status\/1895230816227348723?s=46\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">said<\/a> Matt Walsh, podcast host and political commentator. &ldquo;Just a stunning lack of judgment by the people responsible for this account. Truly mind boggling.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Let&rsquo;s remember that the actual Epstein files &mdash; wherever they are, and if we ever see them &mdash; detail the systematic rape of minors. Not exactly fodder for lighthearted jokes, especially by government officials.<\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/MattWalshBlog\/status\/1895231591779311764?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">February 27, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script> <\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>&ldquo;Let&rsquo;s remember that the actual Epstein files &mdash; wherever they are, and if we ever see them &mdash; detail the systematic rape of minors,&rdquo; Walsh added. &ldquo;Not exactly fodder for lighthearted jokes, especially by government officials.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/3332563\/bondi-accuses-fbi-withholding-epstein-files\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">BONDI ACCUSES FBI OF WITHHOLDING &lsquo;THOUSANDS OF PAGES&rsquo; OF EPSTEIN FILES<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Most of the feedback on the attempted joke seemed overwhelmingly negative and critical of the decision to rickroll users on the day the Epstein files were promised to be released to the public.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>After much criticism, the X account for the House Judiciary GOP deleted the post on Thursday night.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_1999182\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"1999182\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>House Judiciary GOP&#8217;s X account pranks users with fake Epstein files link, facing backlash for insensitivity<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2677,"featured_media":2407721,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Epstein.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[51209,6203,45965,51282,32364],"class_list":["post-2407720","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-washington-examiner","tag-epstein-files","tag-gop","tag-house-judiciary","tag-rickroll","tag-social-media"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Epstein.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2407720","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2677"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2407720"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2407720\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2407724,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2407720\/revisions\/2407724"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2407721"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2407720"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2407720"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2407720"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}