NEWS & RESEARCH
A new report from the Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee, Jamie Raskin, finds that Donald Trump “abused, assaulted, and even raped numerous women alongside, and in coordination with [Jeffrey Epstein], the most infamous sex trafficker in history.” In the report, eleven women tie Trump to Epstein’s trafficking operation and five of them accused Trump of raping or sexually assaulting them in Epstein’s company or direct physical presence. Yet in July 2025, then-Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche determined “no further disclosure” of the Epstein files would be “appropriate or warranted.” As for the files it did release, the Justice Department failed to redact the identities and images of Epstein’s victims while it simultaneously shielded the details of his potential associates. In February 2026, survivors' attorneys requested emergency court intervention to halt the "unfolding emergency" caused by these disclosures. By March 2026, survivors filed a class-action lawsuit against the DOJ and Google, alleging violations of federal privacy laws. Yet on July 2, 2026, Blanche wrote in a court filing that the Justice Department had withheld 2.5 million pages of Epstein investigative materials because releasing the materials would cause additional harm to Epstein's victims.
SOURCES: CNN | CBS News | Miami Herald | USA Today | House Judiciary Democratic Staff Report
ANALYSIS & OPINION
Rep. Raskin’s report found: “Determined to protect the President at any cost, DOJ itself now leads the cover-up of Epstein’s sex trafficking operation. Todd Blanche has gone from being Donald Trump’s personal attorney to his personal Attorney General.” Victims' rights advocate Stacy Malone told Vanity Fair that exposing these identities violates privacy shield laws and perpetuates a "cycle of abuse." While victims were exposed, Vanity Fair noted that the names of various billionaires, including Trump confidante Tom Barrack, remained redacted in the 3.5-million-page release. The New York Times editorial board labeled the oversight a "grotesque failure," and UN experts warned that the exposure of such sensitive information is a breach of international standards.
SOURCES: Vanity Fair | New York Times | United Nations | House Judiciary Democratic Staff Report
HOW TO FIX IT
Federal action:
Pass Virginia’s Law, S. 3815, a bill that would eliminate the statute of limitations shielding criminals like Epstein and denying survivors the ability to hold them accountable.
Demand Redactions: Investigate the exposure of victims' data and enforce immediate redactions.
GAO Investigation: Support bipartisan calls for the Government Accountability Office to probe the DOJ’s handling of the files.
Legal Support: Back the survivors' privacy lawsuit against the Department of Justice.
Accountability: Continue investigating allegations against Epstein’s associates.
Appoint an independent special counsel to investigate Trump and all potential accomplices ans co-conspirators.
Congress must use its oversight and legislative authority to aid survivors and investigate the administration’s cover-up.
Legislation: S.3815 - Virginia’s Law
