Anouska De Georgiou speaks throughout a press convention and rally in help of the victims of Jeffrey Epstein and his confederate Ghislaine Maxwell exterior the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday.
Roberto Schmidt/AFP through Getty Photos
conceal caption
toggle caption
Roberto Schmidt/AFP through Getty Photos
Ladies who say they have been victimized by Jeffrey Epstein stood with a bipartisan group of Home members on Wednesday, demanding extra transparency into the federal investigation of the convicted intercourse offender and his longtime affiliate, Ghislaine Maxwell.
In an emotional press convention exterior the U.S. Capitol, the Epstein survivors voiced help for an effort led by Reps. Ro Khanna, D-Calif. and Thomas Massie, R-Ky., to drive a Home vote that will require the Justice Division to launch its information in full, with redactions to guard details about victims and ongoing investigations.
“To be clear, the one motive for opposing this invoice can be to hide wrongdoing,” mentioned one of many survivors, Anouska De Georgiou. “You’ve gotten a selection. Stand with the reality or with the lies which have protected predators for many years.”
De Georgiou has mentioned she was abused by Epstein when she was simply an adolescent. She was one in every of eight survivors who spoke Wednesday, sharing painful recollections of abuse they suffered, and the emotional scars it left them with.
One other lady, Marina Lacerda, mentioned she was talking publicly for the primary time. She mentioned she was 14 when she first met Epstein.
“They’ve paperwork with my identify on them that have been confiscated from Jeffrey Epstein’s home and will assist me put the items of my very own life again collectively,” she mentioned.
Survivor Anouska De Georgiou embraces survivor Danielle Bensky as survivor Marina Lacerda seems to be on in the course of the information convention.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Photos
conceal caption
toggle caption
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Photos
“At present, as you possibly can see, we’re united in restoring belief in authorities. We’re right here not as partisans, we’re right here as patriots,” Khanna mentioned, standing alongside the survivors. “We start the work of bringing this nation collectively: progressives, independents, moderates, and, sure, MAGA supporters to demand fact and justice.”
The survivors spoke as lawmakers in Congress are confronting how a lot info from the federal government’s investigation into Epstein needs to be made public. The Home Oversight Committee has already subpoenaed the Justice Division for information associated to the investigation, and on Tuesday launched an preliminary tranche of greater than 30,000 paperwork.
However the panel’s work has drawn criticism from Democrats — in addition to some Republicans, together with Massie — who’ve expressed concern that any info shared by the committee would not be intensive sufficient.
“They’re permitting the DOJ to curate the entire info that the DOJ is giving them. If you happen to’ve seemed on the pages they’ve launched to this point, they’re closely redacted. Some pages are solely redacted, and 97% of that is already within the public area,” Massie argued, whereas urging extra Republicans to help his effort.
To get their plan handed, Massie and Khanna have turned to a hardly ever used legislative maneuver generally known as a discharge petition. The instrument permits any member to drive a vote, however they first have to assemble 218 signatures from the Home.
Three Republicans have already signed onto the petition: Reps. Marjorie Taylor Inexperienced, Lauren Boebert and Nancy Mace. If each Home Democrat joins in, Massie and Khanna would want simply two extra Republican signatures.
In remarks, Greene, lengthy generally known as a staunch Trump ally and conservative firebrand, expressed frustration over how the problem has divided factions of the GOP in latest months.
“It is grieved me to observe the arguments and debates happen amongst my colleagues and even the administration,” she mentioned. “I believe that is one thing that’s value preventing for.”
The Epstein difficulty has precipitated a uncommon cut up between President Trump and plenty of of his most loyal supporters. On the marketing campaign path, Trump referred to as for the discharge of extra information, however the administration has confronted blowback in latest weeks, stemming from a DOJ memo issued in July saying there was no proof Epstein had possessed an alleged “shopper listing.”
Democrats have sought to highlight Trump’s previous friendship with Epstein — although Trump has repeatedly mentioned their relationship ended earlier than Epstein was indicted for soliciting prostitution in 2006.
That relationship was highlighted in the course of the press convention by Epstein survivor, Chauntae Davies, who mentioned that Epstein surrounded himself “with essentially the most highly effective leaders of our nation and the world.”
“The reality is, Epstein had a free cross. He bragged about his highly effective buddies, together with our present president, Donald Trump. It was his largest brag, truly,” she mentioned.
Chatting with reporters from the Oval Workplace on Wednesday, Trump sought to sidestep a query concerning the survivors, describing the Epstein difficulty as a “Democrat hoax that by no means ends.”
All through the press convention, a number of survivors additionally referred to as on the president to take motion. Requested about his comment earlier that morning, Epstein survivor, Haley Robsen, urged the president to “humanize” the survivors and their tales.
“Mr. President, Donald J. Trump, I’m a registered Republican – not that that issues as a result of this isn’t political – nevertheless, I cordially invite you to the Capitol to fulfill me in particular person so you possibly can perceive this isn’t a hoax,” she mentioned. “We’re actual human beings. That is actual trauma.”
