Epstein Survivors Demand Full File Release, Sparking Capitol Hill Clash Over Transparency
Epstein Survivors Demand Full File Release, Sparking Capitol Hill Clash Over Transparency
An emotional news conference on Capitol Hill on September 3, 2025, saw a group of Jeffrey Epstein survivors make a powerful plea for the immediate and public release of all withheld Department of Justice records related to the disgraced financier. Survivors, including Anouska De Georgiou, Danielle Bensky, Chauntae Davies, Marina Lacerda, and Haley Robson, vehemently countered claims by former President Donald Trump that the Epstein saga was a “hoax,” asserting their trauma is real and demanding full accountability.
“This is not a hoax. It’s not going to go away,” stated Marina Lacerda, a central witness in Epstein’s 2019 indictment. Anouska De Georgiou declared, “The days of sweeping this under the rug are over. We the survivors say ‘no more.'” Haley Robson directly challenged Trump, inviting him to meet in person to understand the reality of their suffering, emphasizing that the issue transcends political affiliation.
The survivors’ powerful testimonies came as a bipartisan group in Congress, led by Republican Rep. Thomas Massie and Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna, pushed for a discharge petition to compel the Justice Department to release the files. The effort has garnered support from four Republicans so far, including Reps. Nancy Mace, Marjorie Taylor Greene, and Lauren Boebert, and seeks to bypass House GOP leadership, which has expressed opposition. Speaker Mike Johnson urged Republicans against supporting the petition, citing concerns about adequately protecting innocent victims and suggesting the House Oversight Committee’s ongoing investigation is a better path for a more controlled release.
However, a recent release of tens of thousands of pages by the House Oversight Committee on September 2, 2025, was met with skepticism. Rep. Robert Garcia, the top Democrat on the committee, noted that 97% of the documents were already public and lacked any new information regarding client lists or pathways to justice for victims. Attorney Bradley Edwards, representing over 200 survivors, affirmed that the unreleased documents would “appall” the public, stressing the importance of full transparency.
The renewed push for transparency underscores the lingering questions surrounding Jeffrey Epstein, who was arrested in July 2019 on child sex trafficking charges and died in custody a month later. His associate, Ghislaine Maxwell, was convicted in 2021 for her role in his trafficking scheme and is currently serving a 20-year sentence. Survivors and their advocates remain determined to uncover the full truth, despite ongoing political resistance.
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