Representative Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) vehemently defended the push to release all government files related to the Jeffrey Epstein sex trafficking network, framing the effort as a non-partisan quest for justice for the victims on Meet the Press with moderator Kristen Welker,
Rep. Khanna, who is spearheading the bipartisan “Epstein Files Transparency Act” alongside Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), insisted the goal transcends political point-scoring, even as a newly released trove of committee emails from Mr. Epstein included a statement claiming President Donald Trump, “knew about the girls.”
When pressed by Welker on whether Democrats were attempting to “score political points against the president” by releasing the documents, Khanna offered a sharp denial.
“No. In fact, on Tuesday, what we’re going to ask is for a president to meet with these survivors,” Rep. Khanna stated. He then added a direct challenge to the President: “If you gave me a choice, I’d rather the president reverse course. I’d rather he release all these files.”
Khanna dismissed the notion of political benefit, saying he doesn’t care if the President garners support from the move.
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“Someone was saying that his numbers would go up. I don’t care if he gets the political win,” Khanna declared. “There is a group of rich and powerful men who abused young girls. It’s the one thing this country agrees was horrible. I don’t think we’ve had a scandal like this in this country, and what we’re asking for is justice for those survivors.”
The California Democrat was clear that the focus is not solely on the President. “So, it’s not about Donald Trump. I don’t even know how involved Trump was. There are a lot of other people who are involved who have to be held accountable.”
Bipartisan Bill Secures Votes, Focus on Accountability
The interview comes as the Khanna-Massie joint bill is expected to come to a floor vote this week, following a successful discharge petition that forced the measure to the floor against the wishes of House leadership.
When asked if he has the votes for the bill to pass, Khanna responded with confidence: “We do, and there’s nothing I have been prouder of or more meaningful than this work.”
He credited the survivors for their tireless advocacy, noting they will be present at the Capitol for a press conference on Tuesday. He painted a grim picture of the crimes committed by Epstein.
“This was disgusting. Epstein had set up a rape island where rich and powerful men were abusing young girls with impunity. And there are thousands of victims, and rich and powerful men still have buildings named after them, scholarships named after them. This is not partisan. They all need to be held accountable. The Epstein class needs to go.”
Regarding Republican support for the bill, which demands the Department of Justice release all records related to the Epstein investigation, Khanna expressed optimism for strong bipartisan backing.
Asked how many Republicans will support the legislation, Rep. Khanna said: “I’m hoping for 40-plus.”
The passage of the bill in the House would send a powerful, bipartisan message to the Senate and the Justice Department regarding the overwhelming demand for transparency and justice in the high-profile case.
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