Today, Reps Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie held a press conference with Epstein survivors to call for the full release of the Epstein files. Trump and the DOJ have refused to release the unredacted list — Trump went to far as to call the whole thing a ‘hoax.’ During the conference, planes flew overhead, forcing survivors to stop talking — a flyover was scheduled for the same time as the Epstein press conference. Coincidence? Probably not.
“This is not a hoax,” Haley Robson, an Epstein survivor said. “This is real trauma."
Attorney Brad Edwards, who was present at the press conference. recalled how Trump didn’t think it was a hoax in 2009, when he was helping with the ongoing investigation into Epstein’s affairs.
Survivors said they all supported Reps Khanna and Massie’s initiative to force the release of the files, despite Speaker Johnson calling it a ‘hostile act’ and that the files were released last night — though the ones last night were almost all already publicly available, and only make up about 1% of the files in total. Marjorie Taylor Greene presented a strong defense for the women too, saying, “We are going to fight like hell for these women, because we have to fight like hell for those that are enduring sexual abuse and are living in a prison of shame.”
The survivors also spoke on the deep suffering that they have faced while trying to heal from this trauma — Anouska De Georgiou said, “Every day of this journey towards healing has come at a profound cost for my mental health but I am here, I chose to come because this bill really matters.”
Marina Lacerda, who was only identified as “Minor Victim 1” in Epstein’s 2019 indictment, spoke on her abuse for the first time publicly, emphasizing her story as a minor taken from her life by Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. She and other women shared how Epstein’s abuse irrevocably changed their lives, and how Ghislaine Maxwell’s transfer to what they called a ‘prison spa’ was disgraceful and horrifying.
Speaking on the importance of transparency and holding perpetrators of abuse accountable, the survivors also announced that if the DOJ won’t release the list, they’ll make one of their own.
Lisa Phillips, an Epstein survivor, said that they were working on a list of people they know had taken part in Epstein’s sexual abuse, though they’re not sure if or how it will be released. “We know the names,” she said. “Many of us were abused by them.”
Though, the survivors relayed fear of retribution for naming names, and emphasized that last time they tried, they were left to fend for themselves while the rich and powerful silenced them — resulting in many victims, including Virginia Roberts Giuffre, turning to suicide.
Last night, victims met with members of the House Oversight and Reform Committee to describe their experiences and demand transparency, both for themselves and the public — Rep. Nancy Mace, a survivor of sexual assault, left early in tears, demonstrating how truly despicable Epstein was, and how justice needs to be served to everyone who participated in or aided his abuse.
To hear more on this and everything else, please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber — it really is the best way to support my work. Either way, thank you for being here.
