Washington — Greater than a dozen of Jeffrey Epstein’s accusers stood alongside Democratic and GOP lawmakers and pressed Congress to look past politics, with the Home set to vote Tuesday on a invoice to launch the federal government’s remaining recordsdata associated to the investigation of his crimes.
“This is among the most horrific and disgusting corruption scandals in our nation’s historical past,” mentioned Rep. Ro Khanna, a California Democrat who sponsored the invoice. “As a result of survivors spoke up, due to their braveness, the reality is lastly going to return out.”
At a information convention outdoors the Capitol, the accusers known as for transparency and argued that releasing the recordsdata ought to transcend politics.
Haley Robson mentioned, “It is time that we put the political agendas and celebration affiliations to the facet.” “This isn’t a problem of some corrupt Democrats or just a few corrupt Republicans, this can be a case of institutional betrayal,” mentioned Annie Farmer. And Liz Stein mentioned “the Epstein recordsdata aren’t about loyalty to anyone political celebration. They’re proof of against the law.”
“In a divided nation, that is one demand all of us share,” mentioned Lisa Phillips.
Heather Diehl / Getty Photographs
The Home vote, which is predicted Tuesday afternoon, comes after 4 Republicans joined all Democrats to signal a petition to power a vote on the problem, circumventing Home GOP management. Though President Trump initially expressed opposition to the discharge of the recordsdata and lashed out in opposition to Republicans who advocated for the discharge of the recordsdata, he modified his tune Sunday when it was evident the invoice would go. He urged Home Republicans to vote to launch the Epstein recordsdata “as a result of now we have nothing to cover.”
One other Epstein accuser, Jena-Lisa Jones, spoke of the emotionally “distressing” back-and-forth from the administration concerning the discharge of the recordsdata. She known as on the president, whom she mentioned she voted for, to “present some actual management,” including that his “habits on this concern has been a nationwide embarrassment.”
“I urge you, President Trump, please cease making this political,” Jones mentioned. “It isn’t about you, President Trump. You might be our president. Please begin performing prefer it.”
Curiosity within the recordsdata has grown since July, when the Justice Division issued the findings of an inside assessment that discovered no “consumer listing” or proof that Epstein had blackmailed distinguished figures. Since then, there’s been widespread requires higher transparency from the Trump administration.
Khanna outlined the widespread nature of the allegations from Epstein’s accusers, saying, “There needs to be no buildings named after individuals on this Epstein class, there needs to be no scholarships named after them, they should not be having fun with the perks of being affiliated with companies or universities or writing op-eds or being lionized.” He added that “lots of the survivors will let you know, a few of these individuals nonetheless are celebrated in our society.”
The California Democrat mentioned the accusers “are those who made right this moment potential,” including that for many years, “now we have not executed sufficient about this concern.”
Khanna additionally praised Rep. Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican, and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Georgia Republican, whom he mentioned have suffered “extraordinary political penalties” for his or her work on the problem.
Massie thanked the ladies, saying they’re “giving all people hope on this nation.”
“There are survivors of different intercourse crimes on this nation questioning if they need to come ahead,” Massie mentioned. “These survivors have stepped forth, taking that very same threat, anxious that they are going to be defamed themselves — they’ve been defamed for stepping ahead — however we will get justice for them. That is going to occur right this moment within the Folks’s Home.”
Greene praised the ladies for coming ahead, saying, “These girls have fought essentially the most horrific battle that no lady ought to should battle.” She mentioned they did so by preventing collectively “in opposition to essentially the most highly effective individuals on the earth, even the president of america, with a purpose to make this vote occur right this moment.”
The Georgia Republican famous she’s been “known as a traitor” by Mr. Trump in current days in a public spat that appears to stem from the Epstein recordsdata.
“I’ve by no means owed him something, however I fought for him for the insurance policies and for America first — and he known as me a traitor for standing with these girls and refusing to take my title off the discharge petition,” she mentioned.
“Let me let you know what a traitor is: A traitor is an American that serves international nations, and themselves.” Greene mentioned.
“As we speak you’re going to see most likely a unanimous vote within the Home to launch the Epstein recordsdata,” Greene mentioned. “However the true battle will occur after that.”
The “actual take a look at” might be whether or not the DOJ will launch the recordsdata, or whether or not they are going to stay “tied up in investigations,” Greene mentioned. She and Massie have raised the chance that if the Justice Division opens investigations into Epstein’s relationships with distinguished Democrats, as Mr. Trump has advised, they may very well be used to dam the recordsdata’ launch.
Massie mentioned whereas “they will attempt to shield just a few sure individuals or just a few sure firms, these investigations will finally finish.” He added, “They can not open sufficient investigations to cowl up all the pieces that is in these recordsdata.”
But when the invoice passes within the Home, it might subsequent head to the Senate for approval, the place Republican leaders haven’t mentioned whether or not they’ll deliver it up for a vote. Massie appealed to the higher chamber in his remarks, asking the Senate to not derail the hassle.
“When you do something that stops any disclosure, you aren’t for the individuals and you aren’t a part of this effort,” Massie mentioned. “Don’t muck it up within the Senate.”
