Epstein survivors implore Congress to act as push for disclosure builds

"Survivors of Jeffrey Epstein's sexual abuse made their voices heard Wednesday on Capitol Hill, pressuring lawmakers to force the release of the sex trafficking investigation into the late financier and pushing back President Donald Trump's effort to dismiss the issue as a hoax. In a news conference on the Capitol lawn that drew hundreds of supporters and chants of release the files, the women shared some publicly for the first time how they were lured into Epstein's abuse by his former girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell."

"It was a striking stand as the push for disclosure of the so-called Epstein files reached a pivotal moment in Washington. Lawmakers are battling over how Congress should delve into the Epstein saga while the Republican president, after initially signaling support for transparency on the campaign trail, has been dismissing the matter as a Democrat hoax. No matter what you do it's going to keep going, Trump said Wednesday. He added, Really, I think it's enough. But the survivors on Capitol Hill, as well as at least one of Trump's closest allies in Congress, disagreed."

Survivors of Jeffrey Epstein publicly pressed lawmakers on Capitol Hill to release the sex trafficking investigation files and sought accountability for abuse endured as teenagers. The survivors described being lured into Epstein's abuse by Ghislaine Maxwell and spoke at a news conference that drew hundreds of supporters chanting for disclosure. Lawmakers debated congressional action to obtain the files while President Donald Trump publicly dismissed the matter as a Democrat hoax. Survivors and allies pushed back against that characterization and appealed for transparency. Epstein died by suicide in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on charges alleging sexual abuse and trafficking of underage girls.

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