Epstein files take second place in midterms but experts say problem hasn’t gone away | American politics

As American voters head to the polls for crucial and difficult midterm elections, some advocates for survivors of the Jeffrey Epstein investigation have expressed concern that the scandal could take a back seat.

Political experts, however, say the Epstein problem won’t go away for good and that many voters may be balancing everyday concerns like affordability and AI with the scandal involving the late financier and sex trafficking accused whose social circle was widespread among America’s elite.

“My biggest concern is not that the public will forget about Jeffrey Epstein, but that politicians and accountability institutions will use the chaos of world events as an excuse to move on,” said Spencer Kuvin of Goldlaw, who has represented several Epstein survivors.

Kuvin added: “Wars, economic crises and political controversies may dominate the headlines, but they do not erase the suffering of victims or the unanswered questions about how Epstein and his powerful associates were allowed to operate for decades.

“Justice should not have an expiration date, and it certainly should not be dictated by the news cycle. We cannot allow the Epstein scandal to become yesterday’s news just because today’s headlines are more urgent.”

Kuvin called on the U.S. government to continue releasing Epstein files — many of which he said were excluded from allegedly incomplete disclosures — and for Congress to demand accountability.

“It has been disappointing to see the attention diverted from Jeffrey Epstein over the past year,” said Jennifer Freeman of Marsh Law, who represents many Epstein survivors in litigation over his sexual abuse of teenage girls.

Freeman, however, was optimistic about the long-term prospects for justice for survivors, saying, “While public attention may have shifted away from the Epstein case, given the election cycle, I am confident that it will require renewed focus and accountability shortly.” »

Freeman noted that she is pursuing her lawsuit against the U.S. government for alleged negligence “in repeatedly failing, over decades, to investigate and prosecute Epstein.” She is also filing a class action lawsuit against her estate related to her collection and production of child sexual abuse images.

Political experts said Epstein might attract less attention from politicians and voters on the campaign trail, but that it was likely a temporary decline, not permanent.

“It really feels like everything is on fire. I think people can worry about multiple things at once, but the things that directly affect their lives tend to take priority,” said Brittany Martinez, a Republican strategist who works as interim director of Principles First. “When they worry about the price of gas, the cost of living, and whether their government is working for them, that can exclude Epstein from the immediate conversation.”

“I don’t think the questions or demands for answers have gone away; they’re just competing for attention. So I would expect to hear less about them for periods of time rather than seeing them disappear completely.”

“There’s just something every day with Trump,” said Shawn Donahue, a clinical associate professor in the political science department at the University at Buffalo.

For Donahue, timing also plays a key role. The US Congress is in recess and without members in the House, so there is no discussion of the proposed new iteration of the Epstein Files Transparency Act. This bill, the Epstein Files Transparency Act II, seeks to address what its advocates see as shortcomings in the current EFTA – such as the lack of enforcement mechanisms.

“It feels like every time Congress comes back into session, it probably starts to become an issue again, especially if Democrats are considering controlling one or maybe both houses of Congress,” Donahue said.

If Democrats win the House, as polls predict, Donahue expects they would “quickly embarrass Republicans” with Epstein. “Democrats are ready to launch the investigation on day one.”

For Julie Roginsky, who co-founded the nonprofit Lift Our Voices and filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against former Fox News CEO Roger Ailes, Epstein’s importance to voters has not disappeared.

“I think Epstein is part of the reason why Trump’s numbers are at record highs. I think that’s something that was one of the reasons why even the Maga Republicans broke with him,” Roginsky said. “I think if Democrats take control of at least one house of Congress this year, then starting next year you’ll see a lot more conversations about survivors and about Epstein.”

Supporters of survivors in Congress said they would continue to fight for truth and justice.

“This is more than a moment. This is a reckoning, and Americans are ready to have this conversation about power, abuse and who is protected,” New Mexico Democratic Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández said in a statement. “Of course, Americans will vote with their wallets. They worry about groceries, gas and rent. But they won’t forget that this president was Epstein’s friend and tried to hide the truth from them.”

“Survivors have fought for decades to be heard. Our responsibility is to continue to fight alongside them, to speak out the truth and to hold those responsible to account. This responsibility does not disappear when the headlines change.”

Massachusetts Democratic Rep. Ayanna Pressley said in a statement: “Justice for survivors of Epstein’s abuse is an important issue among the electorate because people of conscience are seeing through the Trump administration’s cover-ups and demanding accountability — that won’t change no matter how hard they try to flood the zone and distract us.” »

Pressley and fellow Reps. Léger Fernández and Deborah Ross recently introduced legislation aimed at reducing the financial burden on survivors.

New Mexico Democratic Sen. Ben Ray Luján also said that no matter what, he would continue to push for the files to be made public in full, although the Justice Department insisted that it had made public all the Epstein investigative files required by law.

“We cannot lose sight of the need to fully disclose the Epstein files, hold those responsible accountable, and ensure that survivors receive the justice they deserve,” Luján said.

Asked for comment, the White House insisted that Trump had advocated for survivors.

“Just as President Trump has said, he has been completely exonerated of anything related to Epstein. And by releasing thousands of pages of documents, cooperating with the House Oversight Committee’s subpoena request, signing the Epstein Transparency Records Act, and calling for more investigations into Epstein’s Democratic friends, President Trump has done more for Epstein’s victims than anyone before him,” the statement said. White House spokesperson Lauren Bis said in a statement.

The statement went on to claim that several Democrats have yet to explain why they sought money and meetings from Epstein after he was convicted as a sex offender.

As for the Justice Department, it claims to have complied with the disclosure requirements of the original EFTA. They also rejected assertions by New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez that the Justice Department failed to assist the state’s investigation.

““The Epstein Open Records Act does not require, and the protective orders in effect in the Southern District of New York do not permit, the disclosure of personally identifiable information about the victim, and New Mexico has provided no legal basis to justify such sweeping disclosures,” the department said in a statement. “Protecting the privacy of victims remains a top priority for the Department, and neither (legal) requests nor the desire to cooperate outweighs that privacy. The DOJ remains available to assist New Mexico’s investigation in accordance with the law and binding court orders.