Congress' Epstein probe raises a thorny question: Who counts as a victim?

"“There is a list of four alleged victims that took plea deals that I think are co-conspirators and got let off the hook,” Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.), a member of the Oversight Committee, said recently. “And I'd like to bring them in.”"

"“If you're an adult female and you're recruiting underage girls, you're not a victim. You're a prostitute, a child predator, and a sex trafficker,” said Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.), another committee member, in an interview. “Certainly the adult women that were recruiting underage girls should go to jail.”"

"The files show that Manhattan prosecutors discussed a possible witness tampering charge for Kellen and that they submitted a prosecution memo concerning her to then-U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman. But Kellen argued that she was a victim, according to the files and people familiar with the deliberations, who like others were granted anonymity to share private conversations. Prosecutors opted not to bring a case against her."

"House Oversight Chair James Comer (R-Ky.) said in an interview that several GOP women on his committee were eager to have Kellen testify and he has deferred to them in deciding which women should be invited to give statements in the Epstein probe. But while some members of Congress support the decision to bring in Kellen, others are also signaling they, too, recognize the complicated dynamics of questioning a woman who claims to have been sexually abused."

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna and Rep. Nancy Mace call for bringing Kellen in and argue that adult women who recruit underage girls are not victims but child predators and sex traffickers who should go to jail. After Epstein’s suicide in 2019, federal officials considered whether to prosecute Kellen, including discussions of a possible witness tampering charge and a prosecution memo submitted to then-U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman. Kellen argued she was a victim, and prosecutors ultimately chose not to bring a case. House Oversight Chair James Comer said some GOP women want Kellen to testify, while other members acknowledge the complexities of questioning someone who claims sexual abuse and the need for trauma-informed approaches.

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