US Politics
Epstein accusers urge Trump to release all case files after document dump reveals tens of thousands of pages already made public
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Six women who said they were sex trafficked by Jeffrey Epstein or his convicted co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell have called for President Donald Trump to release all the documents his government has on the disgraced financier and to vow not to pardon Maxwell.
The women spoke to NBC News shortly after the House Oversight Committee announced it had received more than 30,000 documents from the Department of Justice related to the Epstein investigation, though many committee members noted that there was very little new information in the disclosure.
Jess Michaels, who says Epstein raped her in 1991 when she was a 22-year-old professional dancer, called the late financier a “master manipulator.”
“That was a strategy that was honed. That was a strategy that no young woman, no teenage girl had a chance — not a chance against his psychopathic skills,” she told the broadcaster.
Another five accusers, Wendy Avis, Marijke Chartouni, Jena-Lisa Jones, Lisa Phillips and Liz Stein, agreed they wanted to see all of the Epstein files released, and all those who were involved with his criminal activity brought to justice.
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“I’m coming here because there’s been a severe miscarriage of justice, a delay in accountability,” Michaels said.
Jones said that she knew there were other adults around Epstein’s parties, and asked why none of them have ever come forward about what they know.
“There were many, many adults around [Epstein’s] properties that may not have participated but very clearly knew what was going on,” Jones said. “And they’re not saying anything, and why are they still not saying anything and speaking up on our behalf?”
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Virginia Giuffre’s family members also spoke to NBC News. Her brother, Danny Wilson, said that if Trump were to pardon Maxwell, it would be a “slap in the face” to his sister and other accusers’ memories.
Giuffre died by suicide in April. Giuffre was one of the first people to call for criminal charges against Epstein and previously recounted how she was groomed by Ghislaine Maxwell to be sexually abused by Epstein. She once said Epstein passed her around “like a platter of fruit” to other men when she was a teenager.
Question over a potential pardon for Maxwell began circulating after she was moved to a softer prison facility in Texas and later gave a statement insisting that Trump had no involvement with Epstein’s criminal activity. Trump has not been accused of any wrongdoing.
Maxwell’s lawyer, David Oscar Markus, told NBC News that “most of these women didn’t mention Ghislaine when they were repeatedly interviewed by law enforcement back in the day.”
“Only when plaintiffs’ lawyers came knocking and dollar signs started flashing did they start pointing the finger at Ghislaine,” he said.
Earlier on Tuesday, the House Oversight Committee made the more than 30,000 files it received public, but many of its members said that most of the information had already been released.
The files, revolving around the Epstein investigation, were released to Congress in response to a subpoena that the committee’s chairman, Representative James Comer, issued last month.
The documents include hundreds of image files from years-old court records related to Epstein and Maxwell.
According to Democrats who have seen the files, much of what has been released is already known to the public. Congressman Robert Garcia said that 97 percent of what was released is old information.
Further, Garcia said that the files did not contain anything resembling a “client list” — a rumored list of Epstein’s clients — or “anything that improves transparency or justice for victims.”
“Pam Bondi has said the client list was on her desk. She could release it right now if she wanted to. While Comer tries to give cover to Trump by re-releasing public documents, House Democrats are fighting for real transparency,” he said. “Pam Bondi must comply with our subpoena immediately, and release all of the documents. The American people demand it.”
He said in a statement that “House Republicans are trying to make a spectacle of releasing already-public documents.”
According to the congressman, the released files include video footage from the Metropolitan Detention Center on the night of Epstein’s death, various court filings involving Maxwell, a Department of Justice Office of Inspector General Report about Epstein’s death, a memo from Attorney General Pam Bondi to FBI Director Kash Patel about releasing the Epstein files, and communications between the Bureau of Prisons and the Department of Justice regarding Epstein’s death.
The congressman said the only new information is “less than 1,000 pages from the Customs and Border Protection’s log of flight locations of the Epstein plane from 2000-2014 and forms consistent with reentry back to the U.S.”
According to the committee, more documents may be coming from the Justice Department, noting that it has “indicated it will continue producing those records while ensuring the redaction of victim identities and any child sexual abuse material.”
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Congressman Thomas Massie said he was not satisfied with the DOJ’s release.
“My staff has done a quick look at it and it looks like a bunch of redacted documents and nothing new, so it’s not going to suffice,” he said.
During an appearance on MSNBC’s “All In” on Tuesday, Massie said he believes Trump’s reluctance to release the full trove of files has to do with his covering up for rich and powerful Epstein clients.
“I think the best way to clear President Trump’s name is to release all the files,” he told host Chris Hayes. “I actually don’t think he’s done anything criminal. I think he may be covering for some rich and powerful people that are friends of his.”
Shortly after the opening gavel during Tuesday’s House session, Massie filed his discharge petition. If he gathers the support he needs for the petition, it will allow the House to avoid Republican efforts to stop their pursuit of the full trove of documents relating to Epstein.
A chorus of other Congressional leaders voiced their disapproval with the release.
Congressman Raja Krishnamoorth noted that he and other Congressional leaders had met with Epstein’s victims and said that their “message was clear.”
“We need full transparency, we need full accountability, and we need to ensure nothing like this ever happens again,” he wrote in a post on X.
Congresswoman Nancy Mace was seen leaving the meeting with the victims in tears.
Congresswoman Melanie Stansbury said in a post on X that “survivors of sexual violence have been silenced by systems built to protect the powerful—including in this Chamber,” and said some of the victims that spoke to Congress were telling their stories “for the first time ever.”
“What they revealed is not only the trauma of hundreds (maybe thousands) of young women, but a cover-up of epic proportions involving the wealthy, the well-connected, and even our own government—all the way to the top. Let me be clear: we will not stop,” she wrote.
“We will follow every thread, every document, and every bank record until there is justice. To every survivor out there: We see you. We believe you. And we are fighting for you.”
Congresswoman Summer Lee echoed similar sentiments, saying it “is clear the government has failed [the Epstein] survivors.”
“Now it’s our responsibility to deliver justice and the peace and healing they deserve,” she said on X.
Even Republican Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene said she was backing Massie’s discharge petition to demand full transparency from the Department of Justice.
“I’m committed to doing everything possible for the victims of Jeffrey Epstein. Including exposing the cabal of rich and powerful elites that enabled this,” she said. “I’m proud to be signing @RepThomasMassie‘s discharge petition.”
The release comes on the heels of Congressional members, including some Republicans, demanding greater disclosure regarding Epstein’s crimes and those involved with him.
Republican Speaker Mike Johnson is currently trying to thwart efforts from those criticizing the alleged lack of transparency by the Trump administration to force a vote on a bill requiring the Justice Department to release all of the information in the so-called Epstein files, with the exception of victims’ personal information.
