The Jeffrey Epstein scandal is roaring back into the national spotlight this week, as a bipartisan pair of lawmakers prepares to take the fight for transparency straight to the Capitol steps—this time, with ten of Epstein’s victims standing beside them.
Reps. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) and Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) are ramping up pressure on House Speaker Mike Johnson and the TRUMP administration, demanding that the Justice Department release the long-shielded Epstein files. The lawmakers will hold a press conference Wednesday on Capitol Hill, joined by victims of the disgraced financier—many of whom have never publicly shared their stories.
“They’re going to be on the steps of the Capitol,” Khanna told NBC’s Kristen Welker on Meet the Press. “They will be telling their story, and they will be saying clearly to the American public that they want the release of the Epstein files for full closure on this matter.”
It’s the latest turn in a case that continues to haunt both political parties and challenge public trust in elite institutions.
Fallout from a Fumbled Investigation
Anger over the Trump administration’s handling of the Epstein case reached a boiling point earlier this summer, after the FBI and DOJ quietly announced they had found no credible evidence of a so-called “client list.” That announcement came with the bombshell that they were effectively closing the investigation—no further disclosures, no high-profile names, no justice for victims still searching for answers.
For many, especially on the right, it was the final straw. MAGA-aligned figures like Laura Loomer and Liz Wheeler blasted the administration and demanded Attorney General Pam Bondi’s resignation.
Trump, rather than backing his base’s outrage, threw gasoline on the fire with a dismissive swipe at the entire ordeal, calling the Epstein scandal a “Democratic hoax” and sneering at his own supporters who demanded answers.
“These are PAST supporters who bought into this ‘bullshit,’ hook, line, and sinker,” Trump said last month. The comment sent ripples through his base—and left many wondering who exactly was trying to keep Epstein’s secrets buried.
A Discharge Petition and a Deadline
Not content to let the issue fade into the background, Khanna and Massie introduced a rare discharge petition to force the hand of the Justice Department. The petition, which would compel Bondi to release Epstein-related DOJ files, goes live September 2.
“I’m very confident it will [reach the floor],” Khanna said. “I spoke to Congressman Massie. You had us both on a few weeks ago. We will have the petition live on September 2. We have all 212 Democrats committed to signing it. He has 12 Republicans. Only six of them have to sign it.”
With those numbers, they’re dangerously close to triggering a full House vote—a move that would sidestep leadership and apply serious pressure on the DOJ to stop slow-walking disclosures.
Real Voices, Real Pressure
But it’s not just paperwork and press releases this time. Wednesday’s press conference puts actual survivors front and center—victims who say they’ve waited long enough.
And Khanna is betting that hearing directly from them will make it impossible for lawmakers to keep looking the other way.
The timing isn’t accidental. With Congress back in session and political pressure rising ahead of 2026 races, the bipartisan push is forcing members to choose: stand with victims demanding transparency, or remain silent as the most notorious sex trafficking case in modern history drifts further into the shadows.
Whether or not the petition succeeds, one thing is certain: the Epstein case isn’t going away. Not this week. Not while victims are still standing on the Capitol steps, asking the government to do its job.
