NBC Asks …
Six women who say they were trafficked by Jeffrey Epstein or Ghislaine Maxwell urged the federal government Tuesday to release more investigative files and called on President Trump to rule out a pardon for Maxwell. Speaking in Washington, D.C., alongside relatives of Virginia Roberts Giuffre, the women described Epstein as a manipulative predator and criticized delays in accountability. Jess Michaels, Wendy Avis, Marijke Chartouni, Jena-Lisa Jones, Lisa Phillips, and Liz Stein all demanded transparency, with several noting abuse that began when they were just 14. They said many adults enabled Epstein by staying silent and accused the Justice Department of failing survivors. Their remarks coincided with the House Oversight Committee’s release of 33,000 pages of Epstein-related documents. Lawmakers from both parties, including Reps. Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie, are pressing for full disclosure of federal files. Epstein died by suicide in 2019 while awaiting trial; Maxwell is serving 20 years and appealing her conviction. Survivors warned that if officials refuse action, they will pursue justice themselves.
