When confronted about Wall Street Journal reporting linking President Donald Trump to Jeffrey Epstein, Ohio Rep. Gary Click (R-Vickery) called the allegations “all fraud”—then admitted moments later he hadn’t even read the report he was dismissing.
The exchange, captured on video by independent journalist D.J. Byrnes of The Rooster, shows Click, a Baptist preacher and former community theater actor, defending the president against specific allegations while simultaneously claiming ignorance of the details he was rejecting.
The confrontation occurred as Byrnes questioned Click about a Wall Street Journal report regarding a personalized birthday card Trump allegedly sent to Epstein, the convicted sex offender who died in federal custody in 2019.
“What are you gonna do when it comes out that that’s all fraud? And he’s not a part of that?” Click asked Byrnes at the 36-second mark of the video. “What are you gonna do then? Are you gonna report that? Are you gonna say, ‘Well, The Rooster was wrong, I got it wrong, I messed up’?”
But when pressed further about the specific birthday card allegation—described in the WSJ report as containing graphic content—Click reversed course.
“I haven’t even read about that birthday card,” Click said at 1 minute, 51 seconds into the exchange. “I don’t even know what you’re talking about.”
The internal contradiction raises questions about Click’s willingness to dismiss mainstream reporting without reviewing the underlying evidence. The Wall Street Journal, a conservative-leaning establishment publication owned by News Corp, is not typically characterized as partisan opposition media.
Throughout the exchange, Byrnes repeatedly challenged Click on what he characterized as selective concern for child welfare.
“You’re a ‘Save the Children’ guy. ‘Save the Children, Save the Children, Save the Children,’ right until the President is implicated,” Byrnes said at the opening of the video.
Click disputed that Trump was implicated in the Epstein files. When Byrnes cited the Wall Street Journal’s reporting on the alleged birthday card, Click responded: “Oh, you’re disgusting.”
“I think Donald Trump’s the one that’s disgusting,” Byrnes replied. “You know how it works. This is the Wall Street Journal, the capitalist Magna Carta.”
Click later questioned whether Byrnes “believe[s] everything you read,” to which Byrnes responded: “When it comes to the Wall Street Journal, yeah. When it comes to something like that? Absolutely.”
Byrnes then cited Trump’s public statements about Epstein, including the president’s 2002 comment to New York Magazine that Epstein “likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them are on the younger side.”
“There’s only insinuation and there’s no proof that the President did anything wrong,” Click said in response.
When Byrnes asked whether Click would change his position if a photograph of the birthday card were published, Click responded: “I haven’t even read about that birthday card. I don’t even know what you’re talking about.”
Near the end of the exchange, Click attempted to pivot away from the subject.
“I’m here trying to deal with property tax issues,” Click said.
“I know, well, you guys can’t even do that,” Byrnes replied, laughing.
Click concluded the exchange by claiming credit for effort: “We do have our hands full, you are right about that. But you gotta give us an ‘A’ for effort. We’re trying.”
The video raises accountability questions for voters in Ohio’s 88th House District, which includes Seneca and Sandusky counties. Click, who faces a Republican primary challenge from Eric Watson and a general election contest against Democrat Aaron Jones, has positioned himself as a “defender” of children and traditional values throughout his legislative career.
