Survivors of the abuse at the hands of deceased disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein are demanding that the Justice Department release all criminal investigative files tied to Epstein, including unredacted files that could expose his enablers and other pertinent information regarding the case. A press conference was held on Wednesday featuring the victims.
What are lawmakers saying about the Epstein files?
The push for complete transparency and accountability has divided Washington. According to USA Today, Republican congressional leaders have called for the release of Epstein’s records for years but have recently backtracked on those demands.
Some lawmakers, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., have stated that releasing sensitive information could hurt those victims. He told reporters that a House committee released more than 33,295 pages of subpoenaed records on Tuesday, and that pressuring the Justice Department to release more files was unnecessary.
However, some Democrats and Republicans have agreed on the issue, pushing for the files to be released. A bipartisan bill sponsored by Reps. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., and Ro Khanna, D-Calif., the Epstein Files Transparency Act, seeks to force the disclosure of all federal records related to Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, including flight logs, criminal activities, financial ties, settlements and immunity agreements.
The bill states, “No record shall be withheld, delayed, or redacted on the basis of any of the following: embarrassment, reputational harm, or political sensitivity, including to any government official, public figure, or foreign dignitary.”
How the release of Epstein documents could affect survivors
Massie said he is only two Republican signatures short of the 218 needed to move forward with a discharge petition, bypassing House leadership and bringing the measure to a vote.
Victims met Tuesday with the House Oversight and Reform Committee, expressing their demands and recounting the years of abuse they sustained from Epstein. Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., herself a survivor of sexual assault, was visibly moved by it.
For these women, the withheld documents illustrate the full scope of Epstein’s sex trafficking network. Releasing the evidence not only highlights the severity of his crimes but also helps the victims move forward in their respective healing journeys.
Here’s everything to know about the Epstein documents and the victims who shared their harrowing experiences of abuse.
Sexual abuse survivors speak out at Capitol rallies
On Wednesday, rallies were held outside the Capitol as survivors shared painful testimonies. Brazilian accuser Marina Lacerda revealed she was just 14 or 15 when Epstein abused her in New York. She is one of many victims calling for the release of the files to help move on with their lives.
“I never thought that I would find myself here. The only reason that I am here is because it feels like the people who matter in this country finally care about what we have to say,” Lacerda said.
Anouska De Georgiou, who once moved in Epstein’s social circles and knows President Donald Trump, urged him to use his influence to support victims.
“I chose to come because this bill really matters,” De Georgiou said outside the Capitol. “I speak today not only in service of my own recovery from trauma inflicted by Maxwell and Epstein, but to honor the lives the courage and sacrifices of Virginia Giuffre, Carolyn Andriano and others who could not continue.”
Theresa Helm, another survivor, described being trafficked across the country by Maxwell and solely blamed her because she trusted her.
“I was systematically recruited, trafficked across this great nation, groomed and assaulted,” Helm said. She currently works with the National Center on Sexual Exploitation in Washington, D.C.
Lisa Phillips, a podcaster who interviews survivors of sex trafficking, said she initially thought Epstein could help her with her modeling career, but he abused her instead. Meanwhile, abuse survivor Liz Stein demanded that Epstein and Maxwell’s accomplices, wealthy and politically connected figures, be named and held accountable.
‘No more slow-rolling’
Attorneys for victims say the unreleased records from agencies such as the FBI and CIA will shock the public, showing who protected Epstein and helped him operate for decades.
“None of you should have to be here today because they should just release the files,” Arick Fudale, an attorney representing 11 of Epstein’s survivors, said. “No more slow-rolling. No more meetings. No more strategy. No more interviews behind closed doors. Release the files.”
Epstein died by suicide in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. Maxwell, his longtime associate and accomplice, is serving a 20-year federal prison sentence for her role in recruiting and abusing young girls.
