Live Video: Massie, Khanna Press DOJ seeks transparency alongside Epstein victims
A victim of Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted sex offender, expressed dissatisfaction on Tuesday regarding how the government has managed the lawsuit against him, stating that they are in the process of assembling a detailed list of issues concerning the disgraced financier.
“A lot of us survivors are putting together our lists. There are many others out there,” Lisa Phillips, one of Epstein’s accusers, mentioned in an interview with NBC News. “We’re inviting everyone to come forward. We will refine our list and pursue justice for ourselves.”
“I think that’s likely what will happen next,” added the former model, who has previously spoken out about her experiences.
Epstein, who was part of elite social circles before facing accusations of sex trafficking minors, died by suicide in federal prison in 2019, stirring significant public interest in the case. The Justice Department has stated that it does not hold a client list for individuals involved in his offenses.
Since lawmakers returned to Capitol Hill after a month-long recess, discussions surrounding the Epstein case have intensified. The House of Representatives’ Oversight and Government Reform Committee hosted testimony from Epstein survivors in a closed session.
“Their stories are truly heartbreaking,” remarked James Kommer (R-KY) after the conference. “What they endured should never have occurred, and I can only imagine how exhausting this all must be for them.”
The Oversight Committee has released a significant amount of documents from the Department of Justice relating to the case, many of which had already been made public.
In the meantime, Rep. Thomas Massey (R-KY) has initiated a discharge petition to compel Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) to act on legislation requiring the Trump administration to publicly release files and information concerning Epstein’s case.
The committee has also demanded nearly three decades worth of documents from Epstein’s estate and is looking to arrange a meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell, a co-conspirator who was convicted of sex trafficking minors in 2021 and served time 20 years later.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche also conducted a meeting with Maxwell back in July to go over the case and any additional insights she might have regarding Epstein’s crimes, after which she was transferred to a less restrictive prison in Texas.
