A bipartisan group of lawmakers heard from victims of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell on Thursday as calls for accountability in the long-running case continue. The meeting, organized by Reps. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), brought renewed focus to the victims’ experiences and ongoing demands for justice.
The private session of the House Oversight Committee lasted about two and a half hours and included testimony from six women who described their abuse and efforts to seek accountability. Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) and House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) were among the attendees.
Johnson described the meeting as both “heartbreaking and infuriating,” noting that victims identified additional “persons of interest” connected to Epstein’s network. Comer emphasized that the committee will pursue the matter wherever the investigation leads.
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Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.), who has spoken publicly about being a survivor of sexual violence, left the hearing early, visibly emotional. In a post on X, she explained that listening to the testimony triggered a panic attack. “I feel the immense pain of how hard all victims are fighting for themselves because we know absolutely no one will fight for us. God bless all survivors,” she wrote.
Johnson told reporters that for some participants, it was the first time they had shared their stories publicly. “There were tears in the room. There was outrage,” he said. “Justice has been delayed for far too long.”
According to Johnson, victims described being targeted by Epstein, Maxwell, and others as far back as 30 years ago. Some have been engaged in civil litigation for two decades. “These brave women came forward courageously to share their thoughts in hopes that the House will seek answers in a bipartisan way,” he said.
The Oversight Committee continues to face pressure from lawmakers and victims to release more government records related to Epstein. Several members, including Mace, support a bipartisan petition aimed at making those files public.
