A group of Jeffrey Epstein survivors gathered at the Capitol on Wednesday morning, marking a significant moment in the ongoing fight for justice. This news conference coincides with a bipartisan effort by lawmakers to push for a critical vote in the House regarding the release of Epstein-related files. Kentucky Republican Representative Thomas Massie has taken the lead in defending this initiative alongside Democratic Representative Ro Khanna. Massie emphasized the importance of hearing from the survivors of Epstein's sexual abuse and alleged trafficking, stating that their testimonies could bring about substantial change. "I hope my colleagues are watching this press conference. I want them to think, what if this was your sister? What if this was your daughter?" Massie declared at the start of the event.
Representative Khanna echoed Massie's sentiments, adding, "Today we stand with survivors, we stand against big money, we stand to protect America's children. That is really what this is about." The news conference follows a rally held by several survivors and their families outside the Capitol, where survivor Liz Stein highlighted the significance of the survivors' voices in this movement. "It's the voices of survivors of these crimes that are important, so we are here together to stand united," Stein stated.
Currently, four Republican lawmakers have signed a discharge petition—an essential procedural tool that allows Congress to bypass GOP leadership and force a vote on a measure that would compel the Justice Department to publicly disclose the Epstein files. The signatories include Massie, along with Representatives Nancy Mace, Marjorie Taylor Greene, and Lauren Boebert. If all 212 Democrats support the petition, only two additional Republicans would be required to reach the 218 votes necessary to force a vote on the House floor.
House Speaker Mike Johnson met with Epstein survivors for several hours on Tuesday and expressed a commitment to transparency regarding Epstein’s case. However, he reiterated his opposition to the Massie and Khanna petition, arguing that it does not sufficiently protect innocent victims. "It does not adequately protect the innocent victims, and that is a critical component," Johnson stated.
In a pointed remark on Tuesday evening, Massie accused the White House of obstructing the release of the Epstein files. "Look, if my legislation were redundant, why would the White House be trying to stop it? It's not redundant. There are things that the White House doesn't want out there that my legislation would cause to be released," he asserted. When asked about former President Donald Trump's claim that the Epstein investigation is a hoax, Massie expressed hope that Trump would reconsider his stance after hearing from the survivors at the press conference. "I hope he doesn't say that after tomorrow when 10 of the survivors testify; that would be very disrespectful," he remarked.
Massie also addressed the recent release of Epstein documents by the House Oversight Committee, which included tens of thousands of pages. He indicated that he plans to move forward with his discharge petition, despite noting that he hasn't had the chance to review all the released documents. "I think the scope of their investigation is such that the things they requested aren't even going to include all the things that we need, and the few documents that we have been able to view are heavily redacted to the degree that they wouldn't show us anything new," he explained.
In response to the released documents, Representative Robert Garcia, the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, criticized the transparency of the documents. "To the American people—don't let this fool you," Garcia warned. "After careful review, Oversight Democrats have found that 97% of the documents received from the Department of Justice were already public. There is no mention of any client list or anything that improves transparency or justice for victims."
Jeffrey Epstein was arrested in July 2019 on charges of conspiracy and child sex trafficking. He tragically died in custody a month later while awaiting trial, with his death ruled a suicide by hanging. The current efforts by lawmakers and survivors aim to shed light on the case and ensure justice for the victims impacted by Epstein's actions.
