'This is not a hoax': Epstein survivors speak out demanding files be released
Through tears, a group of women who say they were victimized by Jeffrey Epstein shared their stories on Capitol Hill as they called on lawmakers to support the release of records that the Department of Justice has so far withheld from Congress. "This is not a hoax. It's not going to go away," said Marina Lacerda, a central witness in Epstein's 2019 indictmentwho spoke with ABC News. Anouska De Georgiou, the first survivor of Epstein and his longtime associate Ghislaine Maxwell to step to the podium, said the victims are coming together to have their voices be heard. MORE: 'We need the Epstein files to be out': Central witness in Epstein case speaks publicly for 1st time "The days of sweeping this under the rug are over. We the survivors say 'no more,'" she said. "I'm no longer weak, I am no longer powerless and I'm no longer alone. And with your vote, neither will the next generation," she said. "President Trump, you have so much influence and power in this situation. Please use that influence and power to help us, because we need it now, and this country needs it now." Trump was asked about the press conference pushing for transparency on the Epstein files at the White House on Wednesday. He continued to insist it was a "Epstein hoax" distracting from his administration's success. "This is a Democrat hoax that never ends," Trump claimed. Survivor after survivor, however, implored lawmakers to back a bipartisan push from Republican Rep. Thomas Massie and Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna to compel the Justice Department to publicly release the Epstein files. "Mr. President, Donald J. Trump, I am a registered Republican -- not that that matters, because this is not political -- however, I cordially invite you to the Capitol to meet me in person so you can understand this is not a hoax. We are real human beings. This is real trauma," survivor Haley Robson said when asked by ABC News Capitol Hill Correspondent Jay O'Brien about Trump's comments calling the matter a "hoax." At times growing emotional, some survivors also detailed the abuse they said they suffered at the hands of Epstein, some saying the abuse happened when they were teenagers. "I had never been more scared in my life than I was that first time that he hurt me," Jena-Lisa Jones recounted. She said she first met Epstein when she was 14 years old. "I know that I was just a little kid but sometimes I still feel that it was my fault this happened," she added through tears. "It's time for us to see behind the curtain. Why was Jeffrey Epstein so protected? Who is still being protected? And who protected them all, so the world can understand how Jeffrey was able to abuse so many of us for so long," said Courtney Wild, an Epstein survivor. So far, four Republicans have signed on to the Massie and Khanna discharge petition -- a procedural tool to bypass GOP leadership and force a vote. Those signers include Massie, Reps. Nancy Mace, Marjorie Taylor Greene and Lauren Boebert. If all 212 Democrats sign the petition, only two Republicans are needed to reach the 218 needed to compel a vote on the House floor. "I hope my colleagues are watching this press conference. I want them to think, what if this was your sister? What if this was your daughter?" Massie said. "Today we stand with survivors, we stand against big money, we stand to protect America's children. That is really what this is about," Khanna said on Wednesday. MORE: House Oversight chair issues subpoenas for Epstein files, depositions with Clintons Attorney Bradley Edwards, who has represented more than 200 Epstein survivors, said the push should "pass with flying colors." "While we have seen the documents, you haven't, and when you see the documents, you're going to be appalled," Edwards said at the press conference. House Republican leadership, however, is opposed to the Massie and Khanna effort -- as is the White House. Speaker Mike Johnson urged Republicans to not support Massie's discharge petition during a closed conference meeting Wednesday morning, according to multiple sources. "It does not adequately protect the innocent victims, and that is a critical component," Johnson said on Tuesday of the discharge petition. MORE: Johnson says GOP is committed to transparency and justice on Epstein Johnson instead argued the ongoing investigation by the House Oversight Committee, which has subpoenaed records from the Justice Department and the Epstein estate, is the better path because committee investigators will pour over the files and redact any identifying or otherwise confidential information. The House Oversight Committee on Tuesday evening released tens of thousands of pages related to Epstein, much of which was already publicly known. "To the American people -- don't let this fool you," Rep. Robert Garcia, the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, said after the release. "After careful review, Oversight Democrats have found that 97% of the documents received from the Department of Justice were already public. There is no mention of any client list or anything that improves transparency or justice for victims." Epstein was arrested in July 2019 and charged in a federal indictment with conspiracy and child sex trafficking. He died in custody a month later, while awaiting trial. His death was ruled a suicide by hanging. Maxwell was convicted in 2021 by a federal jury on sex trafficking and other charges. She is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence for aiding and participating in Epstein's trafficking of underage girls, which involved a scheme to recruit young women and girls for massages of Epstein that turned sexual.
'This is not a hoax': Epstein survivors speak out demanding files be released Through tears, a group of women who say they were vict...
