Reps. Thomas Massie (R) and Ro Khanna (D) held a press conference outside of the Capitol this week, urging support for their Epstein Files Transparency Act.
Joined by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Green (R) and several survivors of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, emotions were running high as the lawmakers called out the “establishment” and the survivors shared their stories of abuse.
Hailey Robson, a survivor, clarified that they “are requesting transparency,” calling on the lawmakers who do not sign on the dispatch resolution to be “outed.”
Lisa Phillips, another survivor, questioned if lawmakers would continue to protect predators. As well, she shared that survivors are reaching out to those who do not want to come forward, noting that they have discussed releasing their own list.
“It will be done by survivors and for survivors,” she shared. “Stay tuned for more details.”
Another survivor provided insight into the people that both Epstein and Maxwell gloated about.
In a Freudian slip, she called Epstein “the most powerful leader in our country,” noting that President Donald Trump (R) “was [Epstein’s] biggest brag.”
“Jeffrey and Ghislaine were always very boastful about their friends, their famous or powerful friends, and [Epstein’s] biggest brag forever was that he was good friends with Donald Trump,” she said later in the press conference. “[Epstein] had an 8 x 10 framed picture on his desk with the two of them,” she added. “They were very close.”
Rep. Massie has since commented that the effort to release the files has received major blowback from the White House, suggesting that the president is calling it “a hostile act.”
Texas Politics reached out to several Texas lawmakers, requesting comments on whether they support the effort and why the Trump administration would respond to the dispatch petition in such a way.
Rep. Greg Casar’s (D) office responded to the inquiry, noting that the Texas Democrat “has signed the discharge petition and attended yesterday's Oversight Committee event with survivors.”
