Epstein victims press lawmakers to support bill to release hidden files, say Americans will be ‘appalled’
A lawyer representing victims of Jeffrey Epstein said Wednesday that the American public is “going to be appalled” about documents relating to the disgraced late financier that have not been released by the federal government.
“The government has mistreated them after Jeffrey Epstein mistreated them,” Bradley Edwards said of the victims in Washington, D.C.
Edwards spoke during a news conference that is part of an effort by Reps. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., and Thomas Massie, R-Ky., to pass through the House a procedural motion known as a discharge petition, which could force a House vote urging the Justice Department to release the Epstein files.
“We filed lawsuits against Jeffrey Epstein, against his estate and against two financial institutions – JP Morgan and Deutsche Bank – that prove that they provided, knowingly provided the financial infrastructure for a sex trafficking operation. Unfortunately, all of the documents and evidence that we have worked so hard to gather hide behind protective orders, confidentiality agreements and bank secrecy laws,” Edwards said.
“That is why this discharge petition is so important. While we have seen the documents, you haven’t, and when you see the documents, you’re going to be appalled, and the American people deserve to see everything,” he added.
“When you sign this discharge petition, it should mean nothing is off limits. The documents in the possession of the CIA should be made available. Those in the possession of the FBI going back decades should be made available. The SEC financial records… should be made available,” Edwards continued, as he stood alongside the victims.
“Everybody knows that evil flourishes in the darkness. Corruption flourishes in secrecy. It is time right now to make a difference for the women that are behind me right now,” Edwards added.
President Donald Trump on Wednesday called the push to release files relating to Jeffrey Epstein “a Democrat hoax because they’re trying to get people to talk about something that’s totally irrelevant to the success that we’ve had as a nation since I’ve been president.”
“I understand that we were subpoenaed to give files, and I understand we’ve given thousands of pages of files. And I know that no matter what you do, it’s going to keep going,” Trump told reporters at the White House. “And really I think it’s enough because I think we should talk about the greatness of our country and the success that we’re having. I think we’re probably having, according to what I read, even from two people in this room, we’re having the most successful eight months of any president ever. And that’s what I want to talk about. That’s what we should be talking about, not the Epstein hoax.”
Epstein died in prison six years ago while awaiting federal charges related to sex trafficking.
“This is not a hoax. This is real. There are real survivors,” Massie said earlier. “There are real victims to this criminal enterprise, and the perpetrators are being protected because they’re rich and powerful and political donors to the establishment here in Washington, D.C. So today we’re standing with the survivors, and we’re giving them a voice.”
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., also said Wednesday that “the women behind me have never received justice.”
“And do you want to know why? It’s because Jeffrey Epstein somehow was able to walk among the most rich, powerful people, not only in America, but foreign countries. Yesterday I heard countries like Saudi Arabia, Russia and even Israel and other countries,” Greene said. “The truth needs to come out, and the government holds the truth that the cases that are sealed hold the truth. Jeffrey Epstein’s estate holds the truth. The FBI, the DOJ, and the CIA holds the truth. And the truth we are demanding.”
Epstein victim Jena-Lisa Jones said Wednesday that she “was only 14 years old when my friend brought me over to Jeffrey Epstein’s house in Palm Beach in 2003.”
“I always did my best in school, and I had such a positive outlook on life,” she said. “Until that day that I met Jeffrey, I have never been more scared in my life than I was that first time that he hurt me. I remember crying the entire way home, thinking about how I couldn’t ever tell anyone about what actually happened in that house.”
“It was really hard for me to find my voice and to become strong enough to speak about my abuse,” she also said, thanking Massie and Khanna for hosting her. “Together, we can finally make a change. And that is thanks to the people like these two Congressmen and their teams who actually care about the victims.”
Jones also appealed to President Donald Trump directly.
“If you are a member of Congress and you are listening to all of us speak here today, please really listen to us. Please vote for this bill to be passed,” Jones said. “Please, President Trump, pass this bill and help us. Make us feel like our voices are finally being heard.”
Another Epstein victim, Lisa Phillips, said Wednesday that “us Epstein survivors have been discussing creating our own list.”
“We know the names. Many of us were abused by them. Now, together as survivors, we will confidentially compile the names we all know, who were regularly in the Epstein world. And it will be done by survivors and for survivors. No one else is involved. Stay tuned for more details,” she said.
Another victim, Anouska de Georgiou, said she “was abused by Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell for over ten years.
“Ghislaine Maxwell was present for some of my abuse at the hand of Jeffrey Epstein. She was present. She was complicit. She was enabling. And it is appalling and disgusting. And it’s one of my worst nightmares… the possibility that is very much going around that she might be pardoned. This is not okay, guys. This is not okay.”
Fox News Digital’s Paul Steinhauser and Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report.
