Oversight Democrats call for hearing with Epstein victims

A group of Democrats is calling for a congressional hearing with the victims of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and his associate, Ghislaine Maxwell, who they argue have firsthand accounts that "may not be sufficiently represented in the Department of Justice’s records."

Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.), a member of the House Oversight Committee, led a group of Democrats on the panel, including ranking member Robert Garcia (Calif.) and Reps. Jasmine Crockett (Texas), Ro Khanna (Calif.), Rashida Tlaib (Mich.) and others, in calling on House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chair James Comer (R-Ky.) to hold a hearing.

“If we are to hold powerful people to account, our investigation must center the voices they tried to silence,” the Democratic lawmakers wrote in their letter. “To ensure that our investigation is comprehensive and credible, we urge the Committee to allow survivors the opportunity to provide their testimony if they wish to do so.”

The lawmakers argued that the victims, who suffered abuse from Epstein, are left with deep trauma that deserves to be heard, noting that "releasing the full, unredacted Epstein files will not tell the full story," according to a press release from Pressley's office.

It added that "hearing testimony from Maxwell, an unreliable and untrustworthy co-conspirator, while ignoring those who were abused, will only contribute to more pain for survivors and more misinformation for the public."

“If the Committee is to conduct credible oversight, it must hear directly from survivors, or their representatives, who volunteer to advance our investigation on their own terms,” the lawmakers said in the letter. “Some survivors have expressed a clear willingness and desire to come before Congress, and the Committee cannot meet their strength and bravery with inaction.”

The House Oversight Committee has issued a number of subpoenas connected to the Epstein case, including to Maxwell for a deposition before the panel. Comer agreed to a request to delay deposing her until after the Supreme Court considers her petition to overturn her conviction for sex trafficking.

Comer also issued subpoenas to the Department of Justice (DOJ) and a number of high-profile former government officials, including former President Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

The Trump administration continues facing backlash over how it has handled information related to Epstein, who died in 2019. The backlash notably has come from both sides of the aisle and in particular from members of his own base.