WASHINGTON — The victims of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein will address the media on Capitol Hill — some for the first time publicly — when Congress returns from its annual recess in September.
The survivors will be joined by their attorneys and Reps. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., and Ro Khanna, D-Calif., marking the latest escalation of efforts to release information about the Justice Department’s investigation into the disgraced financier and his alleged sex trafficking ring. The press conference comes as the pair of lawmakers plan to force a vote on releasing the Epstein files despite President Donald Trump’s demands to stop talking about the situation altogether.
It’s not clear how much information the victims and their attorneys will share at the press availability. Massie and Khanna will speak about the importance of their resolution, which they will try to force a vote on through what is known as a discharge petition.
Through the petition, lawmakers can bring legislation to the House floor even without leadership’s approval so long as they get a majority of House members to sign on. The petition will be eligible for signatures when the House returns from its August recess, after which Massie and Khanna can call for a vote within two legislative days if the signature threshold is met.
The resolution comes as other lawmakers have pushed for transparency on the Epstein files, even going so far as to subpoena the DOJ to provide materials from its investigation earlier this year.
The House Oversight Committee approved nearly a dozen subpoenas last week compelling former government officials to appear before the panel, including former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. The subpoenas come after the committee already approved a subpoena for Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s alleged co-conspirator, last month to interview her from her prison cell.
Both the Clintons are being compelled to testify before the committee by mid-October to provide any information related to Epstein.
The committee similarly issued subpoenas to former U.S. attorneys general William Barr, Alberto Gonzales, Jeff Sessions, Loretta Lynch, Eric Holder and Merrick Garland for depositions. Former FBI directors Robert Mueller and James Comey were also called to testify.
The Justice Department must comply with its subpoena to release all Epstein-related materials by Aug. 19, according to the subpoena, which would give lawmakers sufficient time to sift through information and decide on next steps before Congress reconvenes after Labor Day.
Top Republicans in Congress have carefully waded into the discussion, expressing support to release files as a way to calm their base while also being careful not to anger Trump as he pushes to end the news cycle.
House GOP leadership drafted a resolution last month calling for the release of the investigative materials as a way to provide Republican lawmakers with some political cover as Democrats hammer them on the subject. But that resolution is nonbinding and largely symbolic, prompting criticism from some rank-and-file members.
That anger only began to grow when House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., did not schedule a vote on any Epstein-related measure before Congress left town for its annual August recess, instead saying the Trump administration needs to be given time to process credible materials for publication.
Massie has repeatedly criticized GOP leadership for failing to schedule a vote, making clear he would push ahead with his efforts to consider his resolution when lawmakers returned from recess.
GOP leaders could attempt to block the vote with a motion to table, although it’s not yet clear whether Johnson will choose to do so. Johnson has repeatedly insisted on protecting victims’ identities, but it’s not clear if he will change his mind after some of those survivors volunteer to speak before the media.