Epstein Survivors Demand Congress Release All Files — Trump Calls It A “Dem Hoax”
A group of women who say they were abused by Jeffrey Epstein gathered at the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, demanding that Congress pass a measure to force the release of long-sealed files tied to the convicted sex offender’s trafficking network.
A lawyer for the women said the files span decades and remain locked behind protective orders and bank secrecy laws.
Marina Lacerda, identified as “Minor Victim 1” in Jeffrey Epstein’s 2019 indictment, spoke out, saying the release of the full files could help her heal.
“It’s so hard to begin to heal knowing there are people out there who know more about my abuse than I do,” she said, speaking publicly for the first time.
The petition has bipartisan support, but House Republican leaders have opposed the effort. Even if the House passes the measure, it would still require Senate approval and President Trump’s signature — which he appears unlikely to support.
ZOOM OUT
Trump downplayed efforts by victims of Epstein to push for more documents to be released, again calling it a “Democrat hoax.” That is despite his repeated mentions of the Epstein files during interviews on the campaign trail in 2024, where he promised more transparency.
On Tuesday, the GOP-led House Oversight Committee released 33,000 documents as part of its investigation, but Democrats noted that only about 3% of the files contained any new information — mostly Customs and Border Protection flight logs.
Victims and their lawyers say the documents fall far short of what they know the government has.
In July, Trump’s Justice Department and the FBI released a brief memo asserting that Epstein had no “client list” of blackmail targets and that his death was ruled a suicide.
MORE TO COME?
Some of the Epstein abuse survivors are considering releasing their own list of individuals they say abused them if the Justice Department doesn't make more documents public soon.
“We know the names. Many of us were abused by them,” Lisa Phillips, a former model and survivor, said, adding that the list will be created “by survivors and for survivors.”