The headline’s Tuesday screamed that the House voted 427 to 1 in support of The Epstein Files Transparency Act--which mandates that the Justice Department publicly release files related to Epstein and his co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell within 30 days of it being signed into law. That was quickly followed by the U.S. Senate passing the bill by unanimous consent. Now the proposed law heads to Trump’s desk.
But let’s be clear: Trump didn’t want any of this despite his recent BS reversal to support the proposed legislation. Since July, his DOJ has stonewalled the public saying that no Epstein documents would be released—no doubt on Trump’s order. From there, Trump publicly slammed Republicans who clamored for the files release as being “weaklings” who were falling prey to Democratic “bullshit,” dismissing it all as a “hoax.” And he has consistently attacked reporters who asked about the Epstein files—including on Monday when he angrily got into the face of Bloomberg White House correspondent Catherine Lucey, despicably telling her: “Quiet! Quiet Piggy!”
However, too often our discussion of this issue has been in terms of politics. Even I have been guilty of discussing the polling that shows Trump’s vocal opposition to the release of the Epstein files was hurting him politically.
But the focus must be the Epstein survivors. That is why the release of these files is an important first step. That was made clear in early September when a group of brave, courageous Epstein survivors gathered for a press conference on Capitol Hill demanding Congress vote to compel the release of these files. It was that press conference that made me understand that the release of these documents was not just about transparency. The survivors needed these files to help heal after the horrific abuse they suffered at the hands of Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell and countless powerful men.
No one summed up that point more that September day like Epstein survivor Marina Lacerda who explained on a human level why she and others who suffered Epstein’s evil need these files. She stated passionately, “The worst part is that the government is still in possession right now of documents and information that could help me remember and get over all of this maybe and help me heal.”
Of course, the response of Trump to this plea was more smears and attacks. Trump again slammed any who supported the release of the documents saying “only a very bad, or stupid, Republican would fall into that trap” by helping amplify this Democratic “hoax.” And a White House official said at the time that any Republican who supported the petition to force a vote on the Epstein transparency act “would be viewed as a very hostile act to the administration.”
This is a big reason why today we heard Epstein survivors slam Trump for politicizing this issue. Epstein survivor Jena-Lisa Jones declared, “We are hearing the administration say they intend to investigate various Democrats who were friends with Epstein. I beg you President Trump -- please stop making this political. It is not about you, President Trump. Show some class.” She powerfully added, “I voted for you, but your behavior on this issue has been a national embarrassment.”
She is right. This is not about Trump. It’s about the survivors—and that must be our focus.
We also heard today from Epstein survivor Haley Robson who stated point blank she had a message for Trump: “I am traumatized. I am not stupid.” She continued, slamming Trump for getting “upset when your own party goes against you, because what is being done is wrong. It’s not right.” Rather, she added, it was “for your own self-serving purposes.”
Again, despite Trump making this about him, it’s about the survivors. Yet Trump has never, ever expressed any sympathy for these women and the more than one thousand who suffered unspeakable acts by his close friend Jeffrey Epstein—who Trump boasted in 2002 was a “terrific guy.” And worse, in 2020 as President, Trump publicly said after Ghislaine Maxwell was arrested for her role in this rape ring that he “wished her well” and offered her “good luck.” He even challenged the prosecutors saying, “Let them prove somebody was guilty.”
But the release of these documents is not enough. The Epstein survivors and their families deserve justice. That, however, first requires the corporate media to report accurately the true purpose of Epstein’s scheme.
Too much of the reporting has been that Epstein did this for his own enjoyment. But as Epstein survivor Lisa Phillips explained when I interviewed her in September, “Jeffrey wasn’t doing this just for his own sexual gratification. He was building something out.” She then added this stunning line, that Epstein “told me to have things on people, so the young girls were there to serve a purpose, a grander, bigger purpose, darker purpose.”
When I asked her point bank do you mean he had created an international blackmail scheme, the courageous Phillips responded, “Well, Dean, I mean, you hit it on the nail there. I mean, that’s exactly what was going on.” She added, “Epstein “was an international human trafficker, and many around him knew.” Phillips then flagged the real question that demands an answer: “How deep it goes, and who’s involved?”
Phillips then said what needed to be done to help the victims: Accountability. She noted that no one other than Maxwell was prosecuted despite the large number of people involved in this sex trafficking ring from the men who had sex with the women—or raped the children—to others who helped effectuate these crimes.
Accountability can mean different things. For those who raped children, in general there is no statute of limitations for criminal prosecution. If the survivors want to go forward, they must have the support of law enforcement and prosecutors to bring the men to justice.
For the women coerced into sex by Epstein, there should be an investigation to determine all others involved in this plot. And for all others who were part of this sex ring, the public should know their role.
This is not about Trump. This must be all about the survivors of the largest sex trafficking and blackmail scheme we’ve seen in our lifetimes. And whatever path they choose, we must support them.
100% agree. ALL involved (no matter if democrat or republican or independent or unaffiliated) MUST be held accountable.
Jena-Lisa Jones’ words, “Show some class,” was a reminder of what ended the McCarthy era: “Have you no decency?!” Alas, today’s widespread indecency has numbed us to a great extent. Showing class & acting decently are traits that have been devalued massively. Instead, we are facing waves of mean and cruel actions on a daily basis.