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One World with Zain Asher
Jeffrey Epstein Accusers Speak Out; Epstein Accusers, Members of Congress Hold News Conference; President Trump Meets with Polish President Nawrocki. Aired 11a-12p ET
Aired September 03, 2025 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[11:00:00]
MARINA LACERDA, ESPTEIN ACCUSER: And I had no idea what was going on. I was terrified. Until today, I think most of us are still terrified. I thought
somebody was going to kill me. I thought something was going to happen to my sister and my mother. It went further out to even maybe thinking
something would happen in Brazil with my family.
And then one day, the lawyer said that everything was just going to go away like nothing happened. I didn't need to testify. When I asked him why, he
gave no explanation. That was it. So why? Why was I never called to testify then? We could have saved so many women. We could have saved so many lives
from being abused.
Why did he get away with it in 2008? Why was he able to go on in the abuse with hundreds of girls after the Florida investigation? Why didn't they let
me testify to help stop him? Our government couldn't have saved -- could have saved so many women, but Jeffrey Epstein was too important, and those
women didn't matter, why?
Well, we matter now. We are here today, and we are speaking, and we are not going to stop speaking. Today I stand here with the women who have really
helped me to find the strength to come out and come forward to share my story for the very first time. Together, we are stronger than ever. While
she may not be with us Virginia Roberts, we will continue to use our voices to strengthen yours always. Thank you.
COURTNEY WILD, EPSTEIN ACCUSER: Hi, my name is Courtney Wild. I just wanted to take a second and just have a moment of silence for all the women
survivors that aren't here with us today that passed away due to anxiety, depression trying to keep up with this case. A moment of silence, please.
I thank you. My name is Courtney Wild. I was only 14 years old when I was introduced to Jeffrey Epstein by a 13-year-old friend of mine. The details
of the abuse that he inflicted on me for years is not important today. And 2028 I was cooperating with the federal government, government and the
investigation of Jeffrey Epstein. They sent me a letter telling me to be patient because this was going to be a lengthy investigation.
But at the same time, they refused to talk to me and tell me what was going on. So, I hired an attorney, Brad Edwards, because I was hopeful to get
some answers. When I walked into his office at 19-years-old, Brad sued the government for refusing to tell me what was going on under the Crime
Victims' Rights Act.
The only reason anyone ever found out that the government had already given Jeffrey Epstein immunity through the non-prosecution agreement was because
our lawsuit forced the government to tell us, otherwise, nobody would even know that today. Sometimes it's hard to believe that I had to sue the
United States just to learn that my abuser was given immunity.
I started as Jane Doe, but I decided to -- I was proud enough to take on our country, and I was on the right side of history. We fought the
government for 10 years to prove that the government violated our rights as crime victims and the crime victims' rights in order to protect a
pedophile.
We had to win the 11th Circuit Court Appeals to force the government to turn over thousands of pages of emails between Jeffrey Epstein and the
government. Those emails provided the proof of -- proof that the government worked very hard with Jeffrey Epstein to violate our rights, why?
Why did the government work so hard to protect Jeffrey and not so hard to protect me and my other innocent friends? Why was Jeffrey so important to
the government, and why was I so insignificant? Why did nobody but our lawyers care before now? It seems people have only started to care because
of Twitter and politics.
But I would like to say this has nothing to do with politics. This is not a blue thing or a red thing. This isn't everyone thing. We can all agree on
this. The injustice that has happened here multiple over and over, everybody that talks about this just seems to make it worse.
We need transparency. It's time for us to see beyond the curtain. Why was Jeffrey Epstein so protected? Who is still being protected and who
protected them all?
[11:05:00]
So, the world can understand how Jeffrey was able to abuse so many of us for so long? I was lucky to have Brad Edwards, Brittany Henderson and Paul
Cassell take on my case pro bono and fight fearlessly over 20 years' time.
I would like to thank them, and I'd also like to ask the Trump Administration to please sign off on the Crime Victims' Rights Reformed
Act, the Courtney Wild Crime Victims' Rights Reformed Act that's we're trying to get past here so we can close the loopholes in the CVRA case that
Epstein's attorney used to their benefit to get away with this. Thank you so much.
SKY ROBERTS, VIRGINIA GIUFFRE'S BROTHER: Good morning. First and foremost, we want to extend our deepest gratitude to Brad and Brittany Edwards,
Congressman Massie and Khanna and above all, the brave survivors who have entrusted us with the privilege of speaking today on behalf of Virginia,
Robert Giuffre, as her family.
We are here today because we support H.Res.581, the Epstein Files Transparency Act in its entirety. But as much as this bill is about shining
a light on truth, it's not just about the bill. This is about justice. This is about survivors. This is about justice against the rich and powerful who
have stolen something from these women and many children at the time their freedom.
The freedom to live their life without mental and physical scars that have been inflicted upon them by those who thought they were untouchable. The
same freedom that these monsters took from these survivors they should never be afforded. They should never be allowed to continue their lives
with impunity.
Let's be clear, this is not a political issue. This is not about left or right. This is about humanity. This is about doing what's right. And this
is about ensuring that the future we leave behind isn't one where the powerful can hide behind their wealth, their influence and their money to
evade justice.
I plead to you, whether you're a dad, a mom, a brother or a sister, look your young ones in the face, look them in the eye, and tell them you didn't
stand against the very people who raped, molested and preyed upon children and young women. Tell them you were willing to negotiate a deal.
Money should never be what makes something right or wrong? If you vote no, your stance will be clear. You will be choosing to stand on the side of the
rich and powerful, allowing money to buy your way out of the consequence. But here's my one ask, look these survivors in the eye and tell them why.
Then look the people of the United States in the eye and tell them why. And then, when you're alone, look yourself in the mirror and ask yourself why.
Virginia said it best, and I quote, I have physical and mental scars that will never heal. I have memories that will never go away.
They say time can heal, but this won't, not until the justice system makes an example out of these people with so called privileges. I just call it
money. The only time I can begin to heal is when their freedom is taken from them, just like they did to me and literally thousands of other
victims. The survivors of this horrific abuse are watching. The American people are watching, and history is watching. Which side will you be on?
Thank you.
JENA-LISA JONES, ESPTEIN ACCUSER: Hello. My name is Jena-Lisa Jones, and I was only 14-years-old when my friend brought me over to Jeffrey Epstein's
house in Palm Beach in 2003. I had a terrible home life, but I was such an innocent kid then. I always did my best in school, and I had such a
positive outlook on life.
Until that day that I met Jeffrey, I have never been more scared in my life than I was that first time that he hurt me. I remember crying the entire
way home, thinking about how I couldn't ever tell anyone about what actually happened in that house.
[11:10:00]
This guy was so rich and had so many pictures with so many famous people, and no one would have ever believed me if I told them. I want to thank
Congressman Ro and Congressman Thomas Massie for having me here today. It was really hard for me to find my voice and to become strong enough to
speak about my abuse.
I didn't come forward until 2019 and even when -- and even then, it was like I was afraid of a ghost. I know that I was just a little kid, but
sometimes I still feel like it is my fault that this happened, being given the opportunity to speak at the United States Capitol building about
something that is so important, not just to me and the women before you, but to the entire country.
Together, we can finally make a change, and that is thanks to the people like these two Congressmen and their teams who actually care about the
victims. If you are a member of Congress and you are listening to all of us speak here today, please really listen to us. Please vote for this bill to
be passed.
Please recognize how important it is for transparency relating to Jeffrey Epstein, whether you are a Democrat or a Republican, this does not matter.
This is not about sides. You are an American and you are a person who has chosen to serve in an elected position, to stand up for those you represent
who cannot always stand up for themselves.
We are those people. We are the Americans that you promised to protect and you and we need your help. Please, President Trump, pass this bill and help
us. Make us feel like our voices are finally being heard. Thank you.
HALEY ROBSON, EPSTEIN ACCUSER: Good afternoon. My name is Haley Robson. I was a 16-year-old high school student athlete who made good grades and had
high aspirations for college when I was recruited and asked by a classmate of mine, alongside with a 20-year-old male, if I wanted to give an old rich
guy a massage.
But what high school girl would not want to do that. That day changed my life forever, and when I got into the massage room, Jeffrey Epstein
undressed and asked me to do things to him, my eyes welled up with tears, and I have never been more scared in my life. When it was over, he made --
he paid me $200 and requested in exchange that I bring a girl each time to make another $200.
I told him I did not want to do that, and then he gave me an ultimatum, either you come here and massage me when I call you, or you bring me
friends of yours to massage and I will give you 200 per girl for each time she comes. I felt and hoped to never hear from him again, but he called me
every day.
He was so wealthy and powerful and he would not let me go, I felt I had no choice if I disobeyed him, I knew something bad would happen, so, knowing I
did not want to be sexually abused. Sorry, I started to bring him other girls from my high school, and he paid me $200. $200 for bringing them. I
just hoped, each time it would be the last time.
One day, the stepmom of one of the girls brought him and called the police on Jeffrey Epstein, the police then called me, called me in for
questioning. I had told them the truth, despite the fact that I was a teenager and a minor, and I was able to tell the police the names of all
the other victims.
The police treated me like a criminal. I had by this time, had turned 18. I had been with Jeffrey since I was 16 and for two years. So, they had told
me, I distribute -- I distributed to the -- so they told me I was going to be arrested. My name was then distributed to the press as a co-conspirator
of my abuser, who I detested.
My entire world was crashing in around me, and I started being threatened and bullied till this day, still receiving death threats. I was singled
out, and for many years, had to suffer a smear campaign of lies about me because of the way that I was portrayed by the press. The press made me out
to be a predator when I was just a 16-year-old little girl who was sexually abused by a powerful man and an evil man.
For years, I had no friends. My boyfriend was murdered, and there was nowhere to turn. The government after investigating more, learned that I
was truly victim, but the damage was done, and it was too late.
[11:15:00]
There was no way to undo the harm the press had caused me. In 2019 I met Brad and Brittany. I met Brad Edwards and Brittany Henderson. They changed
my life, and they believed in me and have helped me to finally heal. Healing is a process, and I may never get there.
But the passage of this bill requiring the government to produce all the evidence that it has gathered on Jeffrey Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell is a
huge component of healing for me and for the many other women who have suffered for so long, for many reasons.
First, we and the rest of the world need answers. Why was he so protected, and why didn't anyone ever care to stop him? It doesn't take a brain
surgeon to know that if he is spending thousands of dollars a day paying high school girls, he abuses and other access to -- and had a lot of access
to cash.
I learned through my attorneys and the JP Morgan Class Action Case, that there were years when his staff withdrew over a million dollars in cash a
year, was that not a big enough red flag. There were wire transfers to other victims, and the government -- and the government did not protect us.
The banks did not protect us. So, lift the curtain on these files and be transparent. Every single time a new conspiracy gets circulated in the
media, whether he is still alive, what powerful person had him murdered, who was on the Epstein client list, and there are names going around on
TikTok and Instagram. We the survivors are suffering severely.
We take our kids to school, and everyone is talking about it. We can't read the news or do anything without hearing crazy stories that are only able to
live on because the government continues to hide the evidence and the truth. So, people just make up stories. Those stories hurt.
They hurt real people. Real people who have already been hurt and we have lost so many Epstein victims to suicide, and maintaining the real truth and
secrecy only allows for conspiracy theorists to tell lies that drives up our anxiety and fears and will continue to lead to more pain, more
suffering and honestly, more deaths of innocent victims.
It's time you do is right by us unseal all the documents. We are requesting transparency, and I am requesting every Congressman and women that goes
against this bill be outed. I want to know. Thank you.
LISA PHILLIPS, EPSTEIN ACCUSER: Hi there. My name is Lisa Phillips, and I'm the Host of Award Nominated Podcast called "From now on" a platform
supporting survivors. I want to thank all of my survivor sisters who came before me today, I'll be very short.
In the year 2000 I was taken to Jeffrey Epstein's Island while on a photo shoot on a nearby island who I saw and what I experienced there was a --
was a glimpse into a very dark and disturbing world. For years after I tried to avoid Jeffrey, but he had introduced me to Katie Ford, the owner
of the Ford Modeling Agency.
Epstein's reach went to the very top of fashion, arts and entertainment. This did not just happen to underage girls in Florida. In New York City,
hundreds of young, ambitious women were abused by him. Epstein was not just a serial predator. He was an international human trafficker, and many
around him knew, many participated and many profited, and yet he was protected.
So, I stand here today for every woman who has been silenced, exploited and dismissed. We are not asking for pity. We are here demanding
accountability, and I'm demanding justice. Congress must choose, will you continue to protect predators, or will you finally protect survivors.
And also, I would like to announce here today, us Epstein survivors have been discussing creating our own list. We know the names many of us were
abused by them. Now together as survivors, we will confidentially compile the names we all know who regularly and who are regularly in the Epstein
world. And it will be done by survivors, and for survivors. No one else is involved. Stay tuned for more details.
[11:20:00]
CHAUNTAE DAVIES, EPSTEIN ACCUSER: Hello. My name is Chauntae Davies, and I'm here before you today as a survivor, a survivor of decades of pain, the
trauma and betrayal at the hands of Ghislaine Maxwell and Jeffrey Epstein and the people who enabled them, and a government that for far too long
refused to help.
In 2002 I was living in California, a young woman with high aspirations of becoming an actress. I was already beginning to make a name for myself in
the industry. A person I trusted, someone I thought was a friend, invited me to meet a powerful woman who could help advance my career. That woman
happened to be Ghislaine Maxwell.
I was asked to give her a massage, though I had almost no experience, and when I did, she praised me and promised introductions to someone enormously
powerful, someone who could change the course of my life. And that man was Jeffrey Epstein.
At first, I was an excited young woman on top of the world. Epstein flew me to his private island. He listened to my dreams, promised to help, but his
promises came with a catch. The abuse began. He told me to keep it secret. He manipulated me with quid pro quo. I did not consent to but I felt I had
no one to turn to.
He was too powerful. I was just one of the many young women trapped in his orbit. I was even taken on a trip to Africa with Former President Bill
Clinton and other notable figures. In those moments, I realized how powerless I was. If I spoke out, who would believe me, who would protect
me?
Epstein herself was the most powerful leader of our country. Epstein surrounded himself, I'm sorry, with the most powerful leaders of our
country and the world. He abused not only me, but countless others and everyone seemed to look away. The truth is, Epstein had a free pass. He
bragged about his powerful friends, including our current President Donald Trump. It was his biggest brag, actually.
And while I -- what I endured will haunt me forever. I live every day with PTSD. I live as a mother trying to raise my child while distrusting a world
that has betrayed me. This kind of trauma never leaves you. It breaks families apart. It shapes the way we see everyone around us.
But one thing is certain, unless we learn from this history, monsters like Epstein will rise again. There are files, government files that hold the
truth about Epstein, who he knew, who owed him, who protected him, and why he was allowed to operate for so long without consequence.
Why was Maxwell the only one held accountable when so many others played a role? Why does the government hide this information from the public? This
secrecy is not protection, it's complicity. And as long as the truth is buried, justice will remain out of reach. That is why this bill matters.
Passing it will bless you, endure, ensure that the suffering of survivors is not in vain. Passing, it will bring accountability, transparency and
prevention, it will help protect the next generation of predators who seek to place themselves above the law through wealth, influence and
connections.
This is not just my story. It is about every survivor who carries invisible scars. It's about the weight we live with daily. It is about the families
broken and the future stolen. So, I ask you, President Trump and members of Congress, why do we continue to cover up sexual abuse and assault? Who are
we covering for?
Let the public know the truth. We cannot heal without justice. We cannot protect the future if we refuse to confront the past. Thank you.
REP. RO KHANNA (D-CA): Just give a round of applause for all the courage and strength that the providers have done. We now will take a few
questions. You can always Congressman Massie, me or Congresswoman Greene in the hallways and other places. If you have questions for us, that's fine.
But I wanted to see first, if you have questions for the lawyers and the survivors, and Brad will facilitate any of the questions to the survivors.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. This question would be for the survivors. President has said that this Epstein issue is a hoax. Is the word that we use. Can we
get your reactions to what will you hear him say that?
ROBSON: I'll answer that. 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.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What does it feel like, emotionally to hear about devastating.
ROBSON: So, it's being gutted from the inside out. Not that I would know what that feels like, but I imagine it's the anxiety build up with the
depression and the survival mode.
[11:25:00]
And then your nervous system goes limp and, ironically, is shot, and it feels like you just want to explode inside, because nobody again, is
understanding that this is a real situation. These women are real. We're here in person to say that it's a hoax. Is just not. Please humanize us.
I would like Donald J. Trump and every person in America and around the world to humanize us, to see us for who we are, and to hear us for what we
have to say. There is no hoax. The abuse was real. Now, what goes on behind closed doors, I can't speak for that.
What happens around the world politically, I cannot speak for that. But I am here with all of these women, including our attorneys, and I would be
more than happy to meet with him, and I will meet him halfway.
MANU RAJU, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The victims could respond to the news from recently about Ghislaine Maxwell being transferred to a lower
security prison.
(CROSSTALK)
BRADLEY EDWARDS, ATTORNEY FOR EPSTEIN ACCUSERS: Do you want that one?
ANNIE FARMER, EPSTEIN ACCUSER: About her transfer --. I'm happy to speak to that. We were horrified to learn that she had been transferred to a prison
camp. She is someone who was found guilty by a jury of sex trafficking. She not only -- we often hear that she procured women for Jeffrey, which I
think is a very sort of polite and minimizing term.
She also participated in abuse. She was a major architect of the scheme, and the fact that she has painted herself as a victim, I think, is
disgusting, and it was horrifying, I think, to us that we were not told about her prison transfer. We found out about it in the news. One minute, I
think --
ANOUSKA DE GEORGIOU, EPSTEIN ACCUSER: So, Anouska De Georgiou, I testified alongside Annie at the trial of Ghislaine Maxwell. I was horrified when I
found out, not only had Ghislaine Maxwell been transferred to what's called a -- you know, a low security it's, it's, really is like a -- like a
holiday camp. And then afterwards, I got a notification from the Department of Justice telling me that this was going to happen when it had already
happened.
This woman abused children. I was abused by Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell for over 10 years. Ghislaine Maxwell was present for some of my
abuse at the hand of Jeffrey Epstein. She was present. She was complicit. She was enabling. And it is appalling and disgusting.
And it's one of my worst nightmares that she not only be transferred, but at the possibility that's very much going around that she might be
pardoned. This is not OK, guys, this is not OK.
FARMER: And I just want to add that I think it sends a very dangerous message to our country, to the young people in our country, that someone
that we all know is aware of these crimes could be given a pass.
RAJU: Just for the last survivor, she said that Epstein would brag about her relationship with Donald Trump. Could she please elaborate about?
DAVIES: Yeah, I did say that the like. My first trip to the Palm Beach residents, I drove there from the airport with Ghislaine Maxwell and they,
Jeffrey and Ghislaine, were always very boastful about their friends, their famous or powerful friends, and his biggest brag forever was that he was
very good friends with Donald Trump. He had an 8 by 10 framed picture of him on his desk with the two of them like they were very close.
EDWARDS: Go ahead. Wait one second, one second.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (Inaudible).
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So, Lisa, what -- what's your envision here?
PHILLIPS: Is it going to go to the public, or just amongst the survivors?
EDWARDS: Come out.
PHILLIPS: They were reaching out to survivors that are scared to come forward and that also know who they were trafficked to. So that's the list
that we're compiling. We're not quite sure you know how we're going to release that, or even if we're going to the Department of Justice, needs to
release the list.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: For folks at home, they might be confused -- you know survivors know the names. We've seen these powerful people. Why can't you
say the names? Could you just explain?
[11:30:00]
PHILLIPS: Why do we have to say the names, when the government knows the names. And we're also scared to do so look what's happened to so many of
the survivors that have revealed names.
EDWARDS: I think it's also worth saying that having represented, I think, between our firm and Boyce Schiller, hundreds of victims, and we've talked
to them about the various people that they were farmed out to. So, we've created somewhat of a list most of these individuals, the victims, are very
scared to say these names, because they could get sued.
They're going to get attacked, and nobody protected them the first time, and that was against one person. So, is there a list? There is a list. But
just to dispel kind of the common theme here, every one of these women was abused by Jeffrey Epstein, and his scheme was to personally abuse women.
When they reached a certain age, he did farm a section of them, some of them out to some of his friends. That doesn't mean all of his friends. With
that said, I'm more than happy to assist in helping create the list behind the scenes and see what we do with it. Go ahead.
BRITTANY HENDERSON, ATTORNEY FOR EPSTEIN ACCUSERS: I think if someone's interested in prosecuting, they may have something different to say about
sharing a list, but they're not sharing a list for nothing to happen, and that's the experience that they've had for all of these years.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (Inaudible). We're waiting to see the fate of this discharge petition right now. As for here, the speaker and others have said
that the people he met with yesterday had concerns about your names being released if this bill were passed, and some people I talked to today are
not signing the discharge petition because they say you don't want them to. Can you clarify, do any of the survivors here not want the bill to pause.
REP. THOMAS MASSIE (R-WV): First of all, first of all, our legislation. Ro Khanna and I went through this, we talked about this, and we were very
careful to make sure that there is an exception, so that personally identifiable information, not just their names, but anything they could be
identified by, would not be disclosed.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And can you speak to that as survivors yourself?
EDWARDS: I think all of them are on the same page. They want everything released. Yes, unequivocally, redact identity, personally identifying
information and release everything else.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (Inaudible).
EDWARDS: Yeah, sure.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is the first time we understand correctly. You have never before gone public or storm. And to share this, can you help us
understand why today? Why now? And why here?
LACERDA: Well, it is not OK for us to be silenced, and it's not OK for Jeffrey Epstein and everybody else to be put on a pedestal. I think
everybody needs to hear from us, because we know what went on, right? And there is not only me who has been silenced. There are hundreds of women
that are silenced.
My hope is to stop this abuse for the future, right for people that are coming up, for women, my daughter, for example, these people have -- these
women have daughters, they most definitely don't want that anymore. And I think mainly it is -- it is this is therapy for all of us too.
You know, we want to be heard. Nobody also has never asked me to speak. That's also another thing. So, I can say for all of us, here we are here.
We want this bill to pass. It is very important, OK, and we need transparency. We are tired of looking at the news and seeing Jeffrey
Epstein's name and saying that this is a hoax.
We are tired of it. We are done. We are not going to be silenced. And I hope that my voice will bring other survivors and other victims to come
along and speak up so that we can be more of a stronger voice and louder.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (Inaudible).
LACERDA: Listen, I don't like to -- I don't want to send a direct message to him. I'm already scared enough just pass the vote. Listen to us. This is
not a hoax. Like it's not going to go away, and like I said on my speech earlier, we are not going to be -- we're not going to be silenced anymore.
We will be speaking moving forward, wherever we need to be, we will be, and we need to pass this.
EDWARDS: Go ahead.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (Inaudible).
EDWARDS: So, there's not a list. So here is what it was, just like you heard everybody today. Jeffrey Epstein created through an organization that
of enablers, of people that were on his payroll. It was a complicated scheme where others should still be investigated, because they helped to
enable him and operate this scheme without. Those people he could not have done this, but the purpose was for him to personally abuse people.
[11:35:00]
With that being said, certain of his friends, he farmed out certain of the women that he was exploiting too. But that wasn't the primary purpose of
that scheme, and I don't think he wrote the names of those people down. There's not a list of, hey, here's all of the people that I sent females
to. That's just not how that organization works. Agreed?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Is there any evidence was involved with or tied to the CIA or a foreign intelligence operation?
EDWARDS: I think that the safest thing for me to say is all files should come out, whether it is for this with the CIA, FinCEN, SEC, FBI, I'm not
just making these up haphazardly. I'm giving you a road map where to look. Go ahead.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (Inaudible).
EDWARDS: I'll go first, and then I'll let them. They're much more important than me. But I don't understand why it's a hostile act. I can tell you that
I talked to President Clinton. I'm sorry, President Trump back in 2009 and several times after that, he didn't think that it was a hoax then, in fact,
he helped me.
He got on the phone. He told me things that were helping our investigation. Our investigation wasn't looking into him, but he was helping us then. He
didn't treat this as a hoax. So, at this point in time, I would hope that he would revert back to what he was saying to get elected, which is, I want
transparency this about face that occurred.
None of us understand it. In fact, I don't understand how this is an issue that's even up for debate. How do you not stand behind these women after
you've heard their stories and know that hundreds of them were abused, and it was only because files are being kept in secrecy. The world should know
who he is? Who protected him, and the other people that are out there to be investigated, need to be investigated.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (Inaudible) -- people who are currently serving in government, who are named, who you know of are in these files, who you had
relations with, anything of that sort, who Jeffrey Epstein connected to you?
EDWARS: Sorry, I think I'm not going to answer.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (Inaudible).
GEORGIOU: Anouska De Georgiou. I have been threatened. I was threatened by phone. My daughter was threatened when I was volunteering to participate by
means of being a witness in a civil lawsuit that Virginia Giuffre was bringing against Ghislaine Maxwell.
I have been followed. I have been stalked. I have been followed not only by journalists, but by people who do not get out of the car and do not try and
talk to me and just drive behind me as I drive my daughter to school. So, the fear is very real for us.
I have also been in multiple situations with both Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, where they have been direct and indirect about implying
and saying that if I was to talk, if I was to bring any kind of trouble, then there would be severe consequence, including death.
FARMER: Just to add to that, you know, Maxwell also threatened my sister Maria Farmer, you know, when, when the FBI did nothing about her initial
report. You know, we did. She reported individually at that time, and then in 2002 we spoke to a reporter at Vanity Fair, telling our stories, fearful
that perhaps other people were being harmed.
You know, we were not -- we believed that was going to make a difference. We believed that would be put in print, and that story was crushed, and it
was because of their power. And the message that we got from that was direct threats from Maxwell to my sister about her well-being and her
safety and that of our family. So there, I think many people have similar stories of threats that has been a very real part of this case.
EDWARDS: Go ahead over here.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (Inaudible).
FARMER: I just want to say one thing that's very clear. When people say, you know, please share names. There are names that are very well known,
like that of Les Wexner, who, everyone knows, supplied an enormous amount of Epstein's -- you know financial wealth and allowed this operation to
happen.
So, it's -- I think, confusing to many of us, why there have not been more ramifications for him, and he's been seen as a victim when clearly, I
believe there's more to it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (Inaudible).
FARMER: Don't answer him. Next question.
GEORGIOU: Don't answer him.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (Inaudible).
FARMER: No, we are not answering this question. Anybody else.
EDWARDS: Go ahead.
[11:40:00]
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (Inaudible) -- Ghislaine Maxwell.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think that you had a question.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (Inaudible).
EDWARDS: I don't -- I don't know that we're able to reveal what we've seen and what we have not seen by way of protective order. But my point being in
that circumstance was, if anybody wants answers, there's an easy place to get it. I told you where to get it.
I said the estate of Jeffrey Epstein has it serve a subpoena on them; they'll turn it over. And if we had served a subpoena on them in the past,
they would have turned it over and we would have seen it, which I don't usually miss, subpoenas like that. So, there we go. Go ahead.
KHANNA: You know, the -- to your question about the allegations, there's a simple answer. Release the files. Let the American public decide. Instead
of harassing, instead of -- if I gave you your say, look, look --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You're hired by Dershowitz.
KHANNA: You've been heard. You've been heard. You've been heard. And even Alan Dershowitz, even Alan Dershowitz, has to release the files, release
the files. That is the answer, and that's what we're here for.
RAJU: (Inaudible) -- help in 2009. Can you elaborate on your interactions with Donald Trump back in 2009? And for any of the victims, they didn't
ever see the president, but then, not president yet, but never, ever see Trump with Epstein in any way.
EDWARDS: I don't know -- who's -- I don't think that we can answer that question. Did anybody see Trump with Epstein back then? This is really not
a political thing. We want the passage of the bill. And this is not the call out President Trump.
RAJU: -- action.
EDWARDS: My point was that he was friendly back then. Did not think that it was a hoax, and was trying to help. And now it seems like all of the sudden
somebody's in his ear and he's not. So, I'm hoping he'll come back to where he was, back in 2009 be on the side of the victims and stand with us. Go
ahead.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (Inaudible).
EDWARDS: Do you want to answer.
TERESA HELM, EPSTEIN ACCUSER: I wanted to ask, do you want to answer it? Theresa will step up. Theresa J home, happy to speak on that, because what
I will say is she got this airtime and platform, her voice was elevated way before our voices were elevated here today.
And that same calm, manipulative voice that she had so polite there that day with Todd Blanche was the same polite, coercive, manipulative voice
that I heard as she was grooming me to then send me off to the home of Jeffrey Epstein, where he would assault me.
So that's what she was doing for hours, speaking with me, building relationship with me, building trust with me, allowing me to believe that I
was going to get this job, a dream job that I had been recruited from my college, flown across the country from Los Angeles to New York City to
interview. So, I thought.
So, her voice that day was the same voice that sent me off to a monster. So, believe, nothing can be believed from what she says, because she's been
charged with perjury. I myself could sit there and listen, and as I did, I sat there and listened to this woman's voice lie, and there was no push
back from Todd Blanche, because does he even have the facts to be able to push back on her?
We could sit there and push back. Why didn't we get to attend that? Why weren't we there that day, or why wasn't even one of us consulted prior to
that day in that meeting? And why on earth has she been moved from Florida to her -- it basically is prison spa?
I mean, you know, let's be real. None of us were consulted. I found out, just like everyone here found out through the media, through all of you
who. We found out about Ghislaine's transfer.
[11:45:00]
So, we are all -- I'm very angry to sit there and listen the feelings that come up listening to this woman's voice is repulsive. Yes, I would say it's
triggering. We all work very hard on healing, and it still gets to us after two decades. That's a very long answer, but that it's repulsive to sit
there and listen to her voice in her interview.
EDWARDS: Can we take can we take two more -- two more questions, one over here.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (Inaudible).
EDWARDS: I think that -- there's nobody that's immune from us going after them if there's a legitimate action to take. So, to the extent that that
evidence exists, then show it to us and we'll help in every way we can. We stand with the victims. OK, one more.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Speak to -- speaking of being threatened and being afraid to come forward with his story, to the case of Katie Johnson, who
alleged with Donald Trump and Jeffrey --
EDWARDS: I don't think we can talk about. I don't think we can talk about that case. I do think it's worth saying, though, despite the comments that
he made, Virginia Roberts Giuffre is an American hero. She is somebody -- she is somebody without whom we would not be able to have this voice.
She was the one who had courage to name names, speak out against people, and she was standing up against everybody at one time with an enormous
amount of pressure.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And most of these women are here because of Virginia Roberts Giuffre.
EDWARDS: All right, last one.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (Inaudible).
EDWARDS: Clearly not us. I don't think that anybody knows, but I can tell you that -- in the Oversight Committee meeting yesterday, they indicated
that they were all for transparency, releasing the files, and asked us to hold them accountable. That right. They said, hold them accountable. So, we
intend to hold them accountable.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (Inaudible).
EDWARDS: We're going to show them where to go with it, and as long as they're doing their job, they should. I'm going to turn it back over to Ro
Khanna, thank you.
KHANNA: Let me just say this. Let me let me say this. I think the people back who are testifying here today are speaking out today. They are
American heroes. Let's give them another round of applause. And you say, look, Thomas Marjorie and I, we're huge believers in the First Amendment,
and we believe in free speech, and we take abuse all the time.
But you see -- you see why it's so hard to do what they have done, because they come forward and you subject yourself to national scrutiny and
national questioning. And I just want to say from the bottom of my heart how appreciative I am and how proud I am of what you've done today.
You've made a big difference. Before I bring on Marjorie and then Thomas, I'll have the last word. I want to summarize three basic things that I
heard from the survivor.
BIANNA GOLODRYGA, CNN HOST, ONE WORLD: All right, hello, everyone. I'm Bianna Golodryga in New York. You have been listening to survivors of the
late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein at a bipartisan news conference on Capitol Hill, speaking out publicly for the very first time.
They say they are not going away and that they are not giving up. The women laid out the terrible things done to them and urged members of Congress and
President Trump to support their efforts for full transparency and to release all of the files collected by the Department of Justice.
CNN's Arlette Saenz has been watching this for us and is joining us live from Capitol Hill. Arlette quite stunning to hear the testimonies quite
chilling, painful, clearly, for all of these victims to come forward and bravely explain to the American public, to the world, what they endured for
so many years at the hands of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, and now are calling for full transparency and for all of the files to be
released.
This is something that the majority of members of the Republican Party in particular had been hoping would be swept under the rug at this point. We
had an extended Congressional leave to avoid a situation just like this, and yet, here they are speaking on the steps the Capitol there in
Washington, D.C., just talk about the significance of this and what stood out to you.
ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Bianna, you could really hear the raw emotion in the voices of these survivors as they detailed the trauma
that they underwent by at the hand of Jeffrey Epstein, really recounting so many of the details, and including talking about how parts of their lives
were simply robbed because of what they had to endure here.
[11:50:00]
Now there were some very poignant moments, including one where survivors were asked about comments from for -- from President Donald Trump, when he
had previously called the Epstein situation a hoax being promoted by Democrats, they very bluntly said, this is not a hoax. This was real abuse.
What these survivors were pleading with was trying to urge these lawmakers to recognize the humanity of the moments that they have had to endure as
they've pushed for President Trump and Congress to be more transparent when it relates to the release of these Epstein files.
Now they were speaking at this press conference that was led by Congressman Ro Khanna, a Democrat, and Congressman Thomas Massie, a Republican. They
are the bipartisan duo who are pushing for trying to force a vote on the House floor for the full release of these Epstein files, but they've run
into some resistance.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, behind closed doors today, was urging the GOP Caucus not to sign on to that so called discharge petition. The White House
has said those who were are aiding Massie and Khanna would be committing a hostile act against the administration, but so far, Khanna and Massie are
undeterred.
In order for this procedural tactic to work, they will need 218 lawmakers to sign on to the discharge petition. If all Democrats agree to do that,
they need six Republicans, and so far, four have said that they will sign on, including Massie. The other three are three women Congresswoman Nancy
Mace, Lauren Bobert, and also Marjorie Taylor Greene, who appeared at this press conference as well, pushing for greater transparency. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. MARORIE TAYLOR GREENE (R-GA): The shame falls on every single person that coldly turned a blind eye to their abuse. The shame falls on every
single person that enabled it. The shame falls on every single person that took money to continue it, and the shame falls on the people in power over
the past several decades that protected the monster, Jeffrey Epstein.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GOLODRYGA: All right, a very busy day in Washington. We're going to take you now to the White House, where President Trump is holding a bilateral
meeting with Poland's President. Let's listen in.
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Is the Justice Department protecting any friends or donors? So, this is a Democrat hoax
that never ends. You know, it reminds me a little of the Kennedy situation we gave him everything over and over again, more and more and more, and
nobody is ever satisfied.
From what I understand, I could check, but from what I understand, thousands of pages of documents have been given. But it's really a Democrat
hoax, because they're trying to get people to talk about something that's totally irrelevant to the success that we've had as a nation since I've
been president.
Even if you look at DC right now, DC, it's a totally safe zone. It's called a safe zone that's a that's a term -- it's a term of art. It's a safe zone,
because it's very safe. You can walk down the street now and nothing's going to happen, no crime, no murders, no nothing. Because we had a lot of
problems with certain places, and we still do, all run by Democrats, or for the most part, run by Democrats.
So, what they're trying to do with the Epstein hoax is get people to talk about that. Instead of speaking about the tremendous success like ending
seven wars. I ended seven wars; nobody is going to talk about because they going to talk about the Epstein whatever.
I understand that we were subpoenaed to give files, and I understand we've given thousands of pages of files, and I know that no matter what you do,
it's going to keep going. And I think it's -- I think really, I think it's enough, because I think we should talk about the greatness of our country
and the success that we're having.
I think we're probably having, according to what I read, even from two people in this room, we're having the most successful eight months of any
president ever, and that's what I want to talk about. That's what we should be talking about, not the Epstein hoax.
(CROSSTALK)
TRUMP: I have no message to President Putin. He knows where I stand, and he'll make a decision one way or the other. Whatever his decision is, we'll
either be happy about it or unhappy, and if we're unhappy about it, you'll see things happen.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Can you give us a sense of what the U.S. policy, or what you're trying to achieve with the aircraft carriers or the boats, I should
say, and near Venezuela, and also the boat that you mentioned yesterday, where 11 people were killed? What was found on that boat and why and were
the men killed instead of taken on the boat?
TRUMP: On the boat they had massive amounts of drugs. We have tapes of them speaking.
[11:55:00]
It was massive amounts of drugs coming into our country to kill a lot of people. And everybody fully understands that. In fact, you see it, you see
the bags of drugs all over the boat, and they were hit. Obviously, they won't be doing it again.
And I think a lot of other people won't be doing it again. When they watch that tape, they're going to say, let's not do this. We have to protect our
country, and we're going to Venezuela has been a very bad actor. They've been, as you know, they -- they've been sending millions of people into our
country, many of them Tren De Aragua.
Some of the worst gangs, some of the worst people anywhere in the world in terms of gangs, and we had some in Washington, D.C. We took care of them
very quickly, but they're out of here. They've gone. But Venezuela has been very bad, both in terms of drugs and sending some of the worst criminals
anywhere in the world into our country.
They emptied out. You don't know this, but they emptied out their prisons in Venezuela, and they emptied them out into the United States of America,
and that's part of the problem we have. We're getting them out. We're getting them out rapidly, but it's caused a tremendous problem.
And people -- and all of the people that are working very hard to rectify the stupidity of the Biden Administration allowing these people to pour
into our country with open borders. We are paying a big price as a country for the incompetence of the Biden Administration.
But think of it opened up prisons, drug dealers, drug lords, everything coming out of Venezuela. They said that. We said we're not going to put up
with it anymore. So, Venezuela has been one of the worst actors in the whole group, and we have a group of pretty bad actors.
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yeah, thank you, Mr. President. At the end of this month, the government or Congress has to pass a budget. Do you think we can
avoid a government shutdown?
TRUMP: Yeah, I do. I think the Republicans will vote for an extension. We won't have any Democrat votes. We could give the greatest budget ever, tax
cut of 50 percent everybody taken care of. Perfect for women, perfect for men, perfect for minorities, perfect for everything.
And we wouldn't get one vote for the Democrats, because they've lost their mind. They are so deranged. They have Trump derangement syndrome, and I
don't want to burn the Republican Party with it. But they really are. They've become almost sick.
They're -- you know, they actually think there is a disease. It's called Trump derangement syndrome. They've got it. No matter what we did, no
matter how good you could -- you could give them everything that they've ever dreamed of, and you wouldn't get one vote. These are sick people, and
I think we're going to have a tremendous midterm.
We just approved the largest tax decrease in the history of our country. We have things when you think of it, no tax on tips, no tax on Social Security
for our seniors, no tax on overtime deductions when you buy a car and you borrow money to buy a car. First time they've ever seen anything like this.
Middle income people get deductions. You get a deduction when you buy a car nobody's ever seen. And by the way, they're selling cars like crazy. Cars
are pouring back because of the fact that we have tariffs. Cars are pouring back into our car plants are pouring back into our nation.
They're coming from all over the world, they're coming back. You know, we lost about 54 percent of automobile manufacturing over a 30-year period,
35-year period. They're all coming back. I think they're coming back higher than ever before. We have AI going up. What we've done is amazing, and what
we've -- what we've passed, is amazing.
But the Democrats, I don't believe, will get one vote, it's very anti- crime. We want anti-crime. They're in favor of crime. We're against crime. You know, they gave us things like men playing in women's sports, open
borders for everybody, transgender for everybody.
I mean, they want a transgender for all of the crazy things that they were saying. And, you know, people would say they're 80, 20 issues. I say they
were 97 to 3. I would say 97 to 3. And nobody knows who the threat. This is the best issue of all. They are against preventing crime. They are fighting
us.
I want to go into Chicago and have this incompetent governor that doesn't want us. Do you know that this weekend, 72 people were shot in Chicago? I'm
embarrassed to say it in front of the President of Poland, 11 people were killed. 72 people were shot.
Last week, seven people were killed in Chicago, a place which is probably your number one place. I hate to say it. And we got to keep it safe, but
seven people were killed. The week before that, five people were killed, and 21 people were shot. This is in three weeks.
So, in three weeks I lost almost 35 people were killed. It could have been stopped, if you look at Washington, D.C. three weeks ago, it was the same
or worse, and now it's considered a totally safe zone. Restaurants are open. They're bustling restaurants.
END
