Family of Epstein survivor Virginia Giuffre speaks out

Summary

The Briefing with Jen Psaki

Episode: Family of Epstein Survivor Virginia Giuffre Speaks Out
Host: Jen Psaki (MSNBC)
Date: September 4, 2025

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Episode Overview

This episode centers on the ongoing fight for justice and transparency in the wake of the Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell abuse scandals. Jen Psaki covers the urgent calls from survivors, their families, bipartisan lawmakers, and advocates for the full release of DOJ Epstein files—while protecting survivors’ identities—and what this means for accountability in America. The episode includes moving interviews with Virginia Giuffre’s family (following her tragic suicide), firsthand accounts from survivors, and in-depth policy discussion with Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley and Senator Jon Ossoff.

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Key Discussion Points

1. The Survivors Speak: Calls for Justice

• Press Conference on Capitol Hill

  • Survivors of Epstein and Maxwell, many speaking out publicly for the first time, gathered with bipartisan support (notably Reps. Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie) to demand the Justice Department release all records related to the Epstein investigation, redacting identities of survivors ([00:52]).
  • The conversation highlighted how public focus has been on the trauma, but survivors want lasting change and systemic reform ([00:52]).

• Memorable Survivor Testimonies

  • Marina, survivor: Shared her story of abuse starting at age 14, the confusion, trauma, and “not knowing the full extent” of what happened due to withheld government records ([04:21]).

  • Marina requested access to her documents:

    “If the government is going to release these documents to the public describing the crimes committed by Jeffrey Epstein and others, the least that they can do is give me my documents…The other survivors deserve the same respect from our government.” – Marina ([05:05])

  • Honoring Virginia Giuffre: Survivors and their attorneys repeatedly highlighted the importance of Giuffre’s bravery and legacy, calling her an “American hero” whose fight made the current movement possible ([05:23]-[06:10]).

2. Family of Virginia Giuffre: Grief and Advocacy

• Virginia Giuffre’s Impact and Legacy

  • Jen Psaki interviews Virginia’s brother (Sky Roberts) and sister-in-law (Amanda Roberts), reflecting on her role and the emotional aftermath of her passing ([07:26]).
  • Sky Roberts:

    “She fought for so many brave survivors that came forward today…she would just come out and point fingers and was not scared to go up against these rich and powerful men…she should be here today.” ([07:26])

  • Amanda:

    “I felt her presence there today, this morning.” ([08:28])

• Demand for Full Truth and Files

  • Sky and Amanda emphasize the need for all DOJ files to be released transparently, not just partial drops meant to placate the public ([09:39]-[14:38]).
  • On political excuses for withholding documents:

    “We need to stop redirecting the attention. We need to be very straightforward…Transparency and accountability, but that's not just a word. That's an action.” – Sky ([09:39])

  • Amanda stresses that survivor voices have always driven the demand for release and that adequate protections (redactions) are being built into the push for public files ([11:37]).

• Threats, Fear & Culture

  • Amanda details the threats, intimidation, financial ruin, and public scrutiny faced by survivors:

    "She was physically threatened. Her family was threatened all throughout this. ... These were children, they were young girls. And we have forgotten that." ([15:25])

• On the Narrative Against Releasing Files

  • Rebuttal to Speaker Mike Johnson’s claim that unsealing files would endanger survivors:

    "They have been waiting for decades. They came forward a long time ago. And they are for this. This is what they have been asking for." – Amanda ([11:37])

• On Virginia’s Memoir

  • The family’s hesitation about her memoir centered on ensuring her full truth—including experiences of domestic violence—would be included for full context ([18:45]).

• Call for Action

  • Amanda’s advice to listeners:

    "Talk to your legislators, right? That's how we make change...Don't stay silent. Keep talking. Don't let this go back under the rug." ([22:14])

3. Congressional Perspective: Rep. Ayanna Pressley

• Survivor-Centered Congressional Hearings

  • Rep. Pressley describes the historic nature of the survivors’ testimony, the decades of institutional betrayal, and the need for a congressional hearing so their stories are entered into the public record ([27:32]).
  • She calls out the “insult to injury” of survivors being continually dismissed and delayed by those in power.

• Bipartisanship and Political Perspective

  • Notes bipartisan support for disclosure (even from figures like Thomas Massie and Marjorie Taylor Greene) and urges grassroot pressure on Congress to force a vote for releasing all files ([30:22]-[31:30]).

• Sharp Critique of Leadership

  • Pressley calls out Speaker Mike Johnson’s claim that survivors oppose the release as “absolutely false and inaccurate”:

    “I'm deeply furious about it…you should believe survivors, listen to survivors, take your cues from survivors. And if you don't sign on to this discharge petition, well, that is just proof positive of how unserious you are.” ([31:49])

  • She connects the foot-dragging on the Epstein investigation to broader failures in supporting survivors nationwide.

4. Senator Jon Ossoff: Broader Context

• Recent Policy Developments

  • Ossoff addresses the effects of federal and state inaction on broader issues (COVID vaccine access), but pivots back to the importance of accountability and the need to shield children from harm ([40:28]).

• Political Fallout

  • Criticizes House leadership and the White House for dismissing the push for full accountability in the Epstein case:

    “It’s been extraordinary to see the speaker of the House reduced to lying in order to cover up sex crimes…for the president…to now dismiss it as a hoax. I hope that reason and justice will prevail.” ([45:49])

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Powerful Statements from Survivors & Advocates

• Marina’s Testimony about Healing and Documents ([05:05]):

  “My therapist says my brain is trying to protect itself. But it's so hard to begin to heal knowing that there are people out there who know more about my abuse than I do.”

• Sky Roberts on Transparency ([09:39]):

  “So you can't just say 'transparency and accountability' and then not do anything about it.”

• Amanda Roberts on Public Scrutiny ([15:25]):

  “There's always a constant question of survivors. They were young girls. We have forgotten that.”

• Rep. Ayanna Pressley on Institutional Failure ([27:32]):

  “Jeffrey Epstein is dead and gone, but his trauma and the harm that he caused is alive and well in the lives of these victims, of these survivors, every single day. … It is the survivors that are still very much incarcerated.”

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• Press Conference with First-time Survivor Testimony: [00:52]–[05:23]
• Virginia Giuffre’s Family Interview—Reflections and Demand for Action: [07:26]–[22:14]
• Amanda and Sky on Delays and Threats: [11:37], [15:25]
• Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley Interview on Congressional Action and Survivor Testimony: [27:32]–[34:01]
• Senator Jon Ossoff Discusses Broader Political and Societal Impact: [40:09]–[45:49]

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Episode Tone and Closing

The episode maintains a sober, heartfelt, and determined tone—emphasizing solidarity with survivors, refusing business-as-usual political excuses, and calling listeners to action in supporting transparency and justice. Virginia Giuffre is memorialized not just as a survivor but as a catalyst for a movement fighting exploitation and abuse.

In closing, Jen Psaki calls attention to the organization “Speak Out, Act, Reclaim (SOAR)” that Virginia Giuffre founded, and wears a blue butterfly in solidarity, urging continued public support and advocacy ([22:48]).

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Action Items and Listener Takeaways

• Pressure legislators to support the discharge petition and the full release of DOJ Epstein files (with survivor anonymity protected).
• Combat the culture of disbelief and blame around survivors.
• Support survivor organizations (like SOAR) and amplify survivor voices.
• Stay engaged: “Don’t stay silent. Keep talking. Don’t let this go back under the rug.” ([22:14])

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Summary prepared by Podcast Summarizer AI.

Transcript

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Payment of $45 per three month plan $15 per month equivalent required New customer offer first three months only, then full price plan options available, taxes and fees extra. See mintmobile.com, free for weeks now, we have all the country has been reminded of the many horrific crimes of two sexual predators, Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. And that has been talking about what those two monsters did to the hundreds of young women and girls they abused. But that conversation has too often focused on the worst part of these women's lives, the worst thing that happened to them. The part where they faced unspeakable abuse and trauma at the hands of Jeffrey Epstein and his accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell. The part where they were made to feel powerless at the hands of some of the most powerful people in our country. What's often left out is what happened after that, when a number of those women bravely came forward with each other's support, faced their abusers and demanded justice. And today, this morning, several of those women spoke publicly, won for the very first time, all in an effort to fight for accountability and call for justice. And they spoke at a press conference put together by the once quite unlikely pairing of Democratic Congressman Ro Khanna and Republican Congressman Thomas Massie, to call for passage of a House bipartisan bill that would require the release of virtually all of the Justice Department's records on Jeffrey Epstein, with their survivors names and identifying information redacted. And while I could try and characterize what the survivors said today, many of you may have seen it. All of it, or some of it. I think Enough people have told these women's stories for them. I encourage you to watch that entire press conference when you get a chance. But here's just some of what they had to say today. 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.

[Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley]

Make no mistake, my polished exterior is a shield hiding a wound that still bleeds. But through this wound, I have found.

[Virginia Roberts Giuffre's Family Member (Amanda Roberts)]

Purpose.

[Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley]

To be part of lasting change in how we confront exploitation and abuse.

[Interviewer/Jim]

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. 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.

[Virginia Roberts Giuffre's Family Member (Amanda Roberts)]

From my conversations with women in these last few days and from all of the support that we've received, is very clear to me that we are not going away. We are not going to be quiet, and we are not going to give up.

[Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley]

So I stand here today for every.

[Interviewer/Jim]

Woman who has been silenced, exploited, and dismissed.

[Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley]

We are not asking for pity. We are here demanding accountability.

[Interviewer/Jim]

And I'm demanding justice.

[Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley]

Congress must choose. Will you continue to protect predators, or will you finally protect survivors?

[Interviewer/Jim]

Among the women who came forward today was a woman named Marina, who until today, was known only as one of Epstein's Jane Does. Here's part of the story she told openly today for the very first time.

[Survivor Marina]

I was only 14 years old when I met Jeffrey. It was the summer of high school. I was working three jobs to try to support my mom and my sister when a friend of mine in the neighborhood told me that I could make $300 to give an older guy a massage. It went from a dream job to the worst nightmare. There are many pieces of my story that I can't remember, no matter how hard I try. The constant state of wonder causes me so much fear and so much confusion. My therapist says that my brain is just trying to protect itself. But it's so hard to begin to heal knowing that there are people out there who know more about my abuse than I do. If the government is going to release these documents to the public describing the crimes committed by Jeffrey Epstein and others, the least that they can do is give me my documents that they have about me. The other survivors deserve the same respect from our government.

[Interviewer/Jim]

One of the women who could not be there today is of course, Virginia Roberts Giuffre, one of Epstein's accusers who was pivotal to the federal criminal charges that were finally brought against him in 2019. Virginia du Giuffre tragically died by suicide earlier this year. But today she was represented at the press conference by her brother and sister in law who spoke on her behalf. And many of the survivors took a moment to honor her memory. At the end of today's event, the lawyers representing Epstein's survivors made sure everyone there understood the how important Virginia's legacy was continues to be today. Virginia Robert Giuffre is an American hero. She is somebody without whom we would not be able to have this voice. She was the one who had courage.

[Virginia Roberts Giuffre's Brother (Sky Roberts)]

To name names, speak out against people.

[Interviewer/Jim]

And she was standing up against everybody at one time with an enormous amount of pressure. And most of these women are here because of Virginia Robertson. Earlier today, I spoke with Virginia Roberts, Giuffre's brother and sister in law, about today's event, the calls to release the Epstein files, and what happens next. I'm joined now by Virginia Giuffre's brother, Sky Roberts, and his wife Amanda Roberts. I want to thank both of you so much for being here, for just being tireless advocates for not only the memory of your sister, but also so many other survivors. I know you have both been a tremendous source of strength. Let me just start. I have watched, I have been glued, watching every detail of the last 36 hours. And there have been some incredible moments over the course of the last two days. I mean, Brad Edwards called your sister an American hero survivor said today and yesterday that they were there because of your sister. I'm going to get emotional talking about this. I'm sorry. How does that feel? I have siblings. I have not been through anything like you've been through. How has that felt to hear your sister called out as such a source of inspiration over the last two days?

[Virginia Roberts Giuffre's Brother (Sky Roberts)]

We are so proud of what she was able to accomplish, accomplish over her lifetime. You know, I think many people, many people can relate to that. You know, she's a normal person. You know, she's somebody that you could go down the street and have a drink with. But the truth is, is that she fought for so many brave survivors that came forward today. And something that really struck me today was, you know, in talking to some of those survivors was, you know, she was like 15 of them, you know, in one, she would just come out and point fingers and was not scared to go up against these rich and powerful men. And so, you know, and I would say today is a show of force. You know, I am so proud of. Of these women for coming forward, for these survivors coming forward. And she should be here today. She would be here today if she could. But we are very honored and very proud of her.

[Virginia Roberts Giuffre's Family Member (Amanda Roberts)]

Yeah, I will say I felt her in everything that they said, but even in just seeing them and sitting with them, I see so much of her in them. And so I know that she's proud of them. This was a moment that Virginia had been waiting for for a very long time. And I felt her. I felt her presence there today, this morning.

[Interviewer/Jim]

We've talked about this a little bit, but you participated. You were part of this incredibly powerful press conference on the steps of Capitol Hill. And I just wanted to sky paraphrase something you said this morning, because it really stuck with me. You said, if you vote no, your stance will be clear. And I think you were talking, of course, about the discharge petition. You went on to say, 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. And that is fundamentally, whatever the choice that every elected official has, what do you think they are looking, the members who have not come out and said they would support this discharge petition? What are they looking themselves in the mirror and telling themselves as to why they're not supporting it?

[Virginia Roberts Giuffre's Brother (Sky Roberts)]

Do you think they have to live with that? Right. I think, for me, it's not about what you're saying right now. It's about what you're doing. And what kind of actions are we actually bringing forth? Right? We say these really fancy words, transparency and accountability, but that's not just a word. That's an action. Right? So you can't just say it and then not do anything about it. And I think we also need to stop redirecting the attention. We need to be very straightforward. We need to stop beating around the bush. And that's from the top all the way down to the bottom.

[Interviewer/Jim]

Right.

[Virginia Roberts Giuffre's Brother (Sky Roberts)]

And I think part of that right now is letting this is a moment. There really is a true opportunity for them to do the right thing. And if they decide not to, then we know what side you stand on. Your voters, the people who put you in office to serve the people, will now know exactly where you stand. And then that's my question to them because it's so relatable because we are fathers, we are mothers, we are brothers, we are sisters. And so at the very fundamental level, this is a human issue. And I hope to dear God that that is the strong message that continued to be brought forward. Because this is not a party issue, this is a human issue. And so they need to boil it down to the bottom here and stop protecting these monsters.

[Interviewer/Jim]

Redirect is a very good way of saying it. I mean, you both and so many other survivors and family members have been very clear that you want all of these files to be public, that you want them to be available, that you want the families to be able to review them. And yet there are a range of excuses. And again, this should not be a partisan thing. But I just to quote someone specifically, one of the explanations Speaker Mike Johnson gave was that the petition does not, quote, adequately protect innocent victims, as if it is the people who have been the victims who are the reason for keeping these files back. What do you say to that?

[Virginia Roberts Giuffre's Family Member (Amanda Roberts)]

They've been waiting for decades. They came forward a long time ago. And they are for this. This is what they have been asking for. And it should be with their protection. It should be those who want to remain anonymous, they should remain anonymous. And that is something that, from my understanding, has been worked through with this new bill that they are trying to pass. They have carefully sat with survivors and lawyers of the survivors to make sure that protection is in place. But they are asking, we are asking. Virginia was asking for a long time. Her documents are waiting right now to be unsealed. They've always been asking for this.

[Interviewer/Jim]

One of the. There were so many powerful moments today. Another powerful moment on the steps was Lisa Phillips announcing a list of that a list would be compiled, a list of people who need to be held accountable. And I just want to say, obviously that should not be on the shoulders of survivors to do, but it seems it is currently part of what survivors and their family members are trying to do. Why is that so important?

[Virginia Roberts Giuffre's Brother (Sky Roberts)]

I would say this isn't just a moment. This is a movement right now. And what you're essentially doing is you're putting these survivors in a position where they have to stick their necks out there and potentially get threats. They at risk of being sued. And I think it's a real disgrace to them because it's the government's job to protect the people. It's the Department of Justice's job to protect the people, not the powerful. So by them, basically. Again, I'll say it. They were. They're. Basically. They're putting these files out here at different periods. But what we're starting to feel like is they're not really uncovering much. They're just trying to give this perception of transparency and then shove the rest underneath the rug. And what the survivors are saying clearly is, are you really gonna make us do this?

[Virginia Roberts Giuffre's Family Member (Amanda Roberts)]

Yeah.

[Virginia Roberts Giuffre's Brother (Sky Roberts)]

And I think this is a powerful moment in our history, and it's time to stand by, doing the right thing. Don't put them in this position. Don't make them do that.

[Interviewer/Jim]

And. And you're talking about. Just to make sure people understand, there's been sort of. There was a release just yesterday of 33,000 documents, most of which had been public before. It wasn't a lot of the information that survivors and their families are looking for. That seems to be one of the things that some, including Mike Johnson, are leaning into as this process is happening. We don't need this discharge petition, but that's not enough, is what you're saying.

[Virginia Roberts Giuffre's Brother (Sky Roberts)]

I think we're not releasing all of them. Right. Like, we didn't ask to release some of them. We asked to release all. All of them. And at least from early reports, I haven't personally had the opportunity to go through every single one of them. But it doesn't look like there's a ton of new information inside of there. We're looking for real justice here. And again, it's not a word, it's an action.

[Virginia Roberts Giuffre's Family Member (Amanda Roberts)]

Yeah.

[Interviewer/Jim]

It's only 1% of the files that I think you want access to, and that has been by people who have reviewed it. And 97% of what they released has been released before. So people have reviewed it. For you, I will say, let me ask you about. Because you just touched on this, and I thought this was an incredibly powerful moment of the press conference this morning. There were a number of people, Hally, Robeson, Anouska, talking about the threats and the impact of threats on their lives. Really scary moments. People who are already taking the moment to courageously speak out and feeling threats from a range of people. Where are they coming from? What should people understand about that and the threats that so many survivors are living with day to day. Day.

[Virginia Roberts Giuffre's Family Member (Amanda Roberts)]

Yeah. Virginia lived with that every single day. And when she first came forward, I think it gets lost on people. How large this was. This was a global operation. How powerful these people were, how much. How much money they have. She spoke about basically being threatened into financial ruin. She was physically threatened. Her family was Threatened all throughout this. And then there is the level of public scrutiny. Right. You know, the culture, when they first came out, there's this disbelief. There is always a constant question of survivors. And they're always constantly criticized about how and why they say things. And these were children, they were young girls. And we have forgotten that. And I think we really need to, like, open our eyes and change the culture and the conversation. We have to allow these survivors the safety and protection of their truth.

[Interviewer/Jim]

That is a very powerful way of saying it. One of the things, I mean, you, neither of you have asked to be put in the spotlight. I think you'd probably rather be living your life privately in many ways. But you're here for your sister. There's an easy way that this could all be released. The President and the Department of Justice could release all these files. It doesn't even have to go through this process of a discharge petition. That's not necessary. I don't know if you've seen this. I just want to play because President Trump was asked about. The question he was asked was about the accusations that Department of Justice is slow walking the release of the files. He was just asked this shortly after the press conference. Let's just play it.

[Virginia Roberts Giuffre's Brother (Sky Roberts)]

This is a Democrat hoax that never ends, from what I understand, thousands of pages of documents and 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.

[Interviewer/Jim]

I mean, this is something that everybody should support. How do you even make progress when that is what is standing in the way of having this all released?

[Virginia Roberts Giuffre's Family Member (Amanda Roberts)]

That's a very frustrating feeling. Right? This is the leader of our nation. This was no small thing. It wasn't irrelevant. It's not a hoax. There's testimony after testimony. Ghislaine Maxwell was convicted. We know that this is really American people know that this happened. And so it puts survivors again, these people who have had a very real lived experience live with their trauma. That journey doesn't end. And to hear the leader of their nation say things like that for us, it's gut wrenching.

[Interviewer/Jim]

I want to ask you about, I mean, your sister, she wrote a memoir titled Nobody's A Memoir of Surviving Abuse and Fighting for Justice. But your family put out a statement and I think this is important for people to hear and understand saying you don't want the book to be released. Help people watch and understand why.

[Virginia Roberts Giuffre's Family Member (Amanda Roberts)]

Well, I think there's A two part to that we were never not for the book being published. I think there is another story about Virginia that she had a very difficult time coming forward with and she was finally able to towards the end of her life that a lot of people were unaware of. And it really is the domestic violence portion of her story. And we as her family, who witnessed it and seen it, and ultimately that's what put her in the position to make the choice that she did. We were very adamant that this book addressed that issue because it's so very important, it's so heavily intertwined. Statistically, it's very easy for you from one abuse to enter another relationship like that. But we were able to come to an agreement with the publishing house to really address those things because we stand by the work and her story needs to be told. But we really wanted to provide context for the reader for them to understand that other aspect of the story.

[Interviewer/Jim]

I think that's so important for people to hear, which is why I wanted to ask, because it's her story, she's not able to tell her story, which is why you two are telling her story. What else, sky, about your sister, do you wish people knew and understood in this moment? Because so many people have heard her name over the last couple of days.

[Virginia Roberts Giuffre's Brother (Sky Roberts)]

Yeah, I think you framed it the best at the beginning of this interview is she really was an American hero, you know, but she was still a mom, she was still a sister, she was still such a normal person. But she was fierce and she would stand up to anyone. And you know, I spoke to a survivor earlier today and she knew Virginia and they said if they just only listened to us 20 years ago.

[Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley]

This.

[Virginia Roberts Giuffre's Brother (Sky Roberts)]

Is the moment she always wanted. She would be screaming right now from a mountain because that's who she is. But it's not, because any other reason she had, there was no motive for her to come forward. The reason she came forward is very simple. And this is why you break it down to the human level, is because when she held her baby girl for the first time, she knew this couldn't happen to any other children out there, because if she hadn't come forward, Epstein would still be doing these absolutely monstrous things. Ghislaine Maxwell would still be doing these monstrous things. And the very disappointing part is our government isn't putting these other people in their place. And that is their responsibility to do. And that's why the show of force today on the footsteps in our nation's capital, it's a powerful statement for her, for people, and she inspired many of these survivors to come forward. And she's still with us.

[Interviewer/Jim]

Before I let you go, I just want to ask you for anybody who's tuning in and is so moved by this story and wants to do something, what happens now and what should people out there be doing?

[Virginia Roberts Giuffre's Family Member (Amanda Roberts)]

Talk to your legislators, Right? That's how we make change. We continue to demand answers, and not just answers, but action. We want to see further investigations. And if that's something that you want to see, which I believe the American people want to see that let them know. Don't stay silent. Keep talking. Don't let this go back under the rug.

[Interviewer/Jim]

Sky and Amanda Roberts, you are amazing people. Thank you.

[Virginia Roberts Giuffre's Family Member (Amanda Roberts)]

Thank you.

[Virginia Roberts Giuffre's Brother (Sky Roberts)]

Thank you, Jim.

[Interviewer/Jim]

I think you can see why the two of them stuck with me through the course of the day after I spoke with them today this morning was so much about empowering and lifting up these incredible survivors. And I wanted to mention that before her death, Virginia Giuffre founded an organization called Speak Out, Act, Reclaim or Soar to help survivors of sex trafficking reclaim their stories. Virginia chose the blue morpho butterfly as the organization's logo to symbolize the transformation from victim to survivor. And that was so much what this morning was about. So tonight I'm wearing my own blue butterfly in support of the survivors of sex trafficking everywhere who have been so bravely speaking out. Coming up next, we're going to take a quick break. But coming up next, the survivors of Jeffrey Epstein's abuse could not have been more clear today. Passed the discharge petition, force a vote, release the files. That is what they said over and over again. And yet the Republican speaker of the House continues to stand in their way. So whose side exactly is little Mike Johnson on anyway? Going to talk to Congressman Ayanna Pressley about that and much more when we come back.

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[Interviewer/Jim]

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[Narrator/Advertiser]

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[Virginia Roberts Giuffre's Brother (Sky Roberts)]

Are you.

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Are you playing me off? That's what's happening, right? Okay, give it a [e-mail] Switch upfront.

[Interviewer/Jim]

Payment of $45 per three month plan. $15 per month equivalent required. New customer offer first three months only, then full price plan options available, taxes and fees extra. Cmnobile.com I'm not switching my team to some fancy work platform that somehow knows exactly how we work. And its AI features are literally saving us hours every day. We're big fans. And just like that, teams all around the world are falling for Monday.com with intuitive design, seamless AI capabilities and custom workflows, it's the work platform your team will instantly click with. Head to Monday.com, the first work platform you'll love to use for more than a month now, House Speaker Mike Johnson has backed Trump's stonewalling of the release of all the Epstein files. He's actively opposing the discharge petition, which would force a vote on on legislation requiring the Department of Justice to release nearly everything from the Epstein and Maxwell cases. And in doing so, he's been citing the victims, effectively claiming it's all in the name of protecting them.

[Senator Jon Ossoff]

There are innocent victims of those unspeakable sex crimes, so we cannot be careless.

[Virginia Roberts Giuffre's Brother (Sky Roberts)]

In an open release like that, you have to be very careful.

[Senator Jon Ossoff]

It does not adequately protect the innocent.

[Interviewer/Jim]

Victims, and that is a critical component of this.

[Senator Jon Ossoff]

The Massey discharge is protected, poorly written. It does not adequately protect victims.

[Interviewer/Jim]

Now, contrary to what Mike Johnson is saying all of those times, the House bill would allow the Justice Department to redact the names of victims as well as any other identifiable information and depictions of abuse. More importantly, when the survivors of Jeffrey Epstein actually speak for themselves, as they did this morning, they reject those phony concerns and continue to call for the full release of the files. 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.

[Virginia Roberts Giuffre's Family Member (Amanda Roberts)]

And some people I talked to today are not signing the discharge petition because.

[Interviewer/Jim]

They say you don't want them to. Can you clarify if that is?

[Senator Jon Ossoff]

I think all of them are on.

[Virginia Roberts Giuffre's Brother (Sky Roberts)]

The same page that they want everything released.

[Interviewer/Jim]

I want the bill to pass. The bills, yes, unequivocally, redact personally identifying information and release everything else unequivocally. Joining me now is a member of the House Oversight Committee, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley. Congresswoman, I remember so well the last conversation we had you are a survivor yourself. You speak so passionately. First, let me just ask you what today meant for you, meant to you as you watched that today.

[Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley]

Well, this day is long overdue for those who have been harmed, silenced, dismissed these grown women who were groomed as children, as young as 13 years old, groomed, preyed upon, exploited their bodies violated, their minds manipulated, their dreams denied and then trafficked. And they have been spending these many decades doing the work of their own personal healing while trying to get justice. And it has just been instant insult to injury after experiencing these vile, vile things by powerful, wealthy and well connected people. Jeffrey Epstein, a man of great privilege who could have used that privilege to do good in the world and instead used it for some predator Ponzi scheme to feed his daily perversions. Maxwell has been platformed her lies. And we need to platform and center the the victims. There can be no thorough investigation, no meaningful path to transparency, accountability, healing, or some semblance of justice. And I say semblance of justice because they could never really have justice, because this should not have happened. Yesterday at the roundtable with the six brave survivors that came forward to tell their stories, some spoke of entering an elevator with a man on their way to the roundtable and questioning if they were safe, being alone in an elevator with a strange man. Another survivor spoke of being a parent, being a mother now to a daughter, and afraid to leave her daughter because she feels she has to spend every waking moment protecting her daughter from the world. This is a lifetime sentence. Jeffrey Epstein is dead and gone, but his trauma and the harm that he caused is alive and well in the lives of these victims, of these survivors every single day. And although Maxwell, well, is incarcerated, it is the victims, it is the survivors that are still very much incarcerated. So, you know, I've, I called for a congressional hearing to center the voices of survivors. The roundtable was a positive step in the right direction, long overdue. Many of the survivors said it was the first time they felt actually heard. But they also said, you know, you seem sincere or you could just be great actors. We've been here before, we've been telling our story for decades and more people have been harmed because of what has been an institutional failure and betrayal. And so we cannot disappoint them again. And there needs to be a congressional hearing so that their stories are a part of a congressional record and so that the public also is afforded that transparency about just how far and how deep this goes with the powerful, wealthy and well connected who were a part of this for many decades that were enablers and components implicit in this harm.

[Interviewer/Jim]

Do you think there's any chance, I mean, you have, you have been working, you've been on the same side of some people that are surprising, I think. Marjorie Taylor Greene, Thomas Massie. Do you think there's a chance there could be broad support for public hearings? Is that something that could actually happen with pressure?

[Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley]

You know, look, there were people I was with, allies and survivors from all over the country who came here in solidarity with our fellow survivors. You know, unfortunately, this is a universal truth for so many people from every walk of life. And they are paying close attention. And so anyone watching, please reach out to your member of Congress and encourage them to call for a congressional hearing to support my calls for that and also to sign the discharge petition to force a vote. Let's get people on the record. You know, how serious are they really, how serious are they really about listening to and believing they're survivors? Because they have said they support this discharge petition. And they also told me that they support and see the need for a congressional hearing.

[Interviewer/Jim]

And yet the speaker of the House is suggesting that the survivors don't want the discharge petition, which is absolutely false and inaccurate and why we keep calling it out. But how do you feel about that? And how do people even deal with that on the Hill?

[Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley]

I'm deeply furious about it, Jen. And you know, these survivors, they have been, they have been demoralized every step of the way for these many decades. And you should believe survivors, listen to survivors, take your cues from survivors. And if you don't sign on to this discharge petition, well, that is just proof positive of how unserious you are. Do you think 12 hour roundtable for decades of harm and maybe as many as 1000 girls who have been sentenced to a lifetime of trauma and shame, they are walking in shame when this is not their shame to carry. And moreover, this is about every survivor. Survivors of military sexual assault, of campus sexual assault, of intra family childhood sexual sexual abuse. This is something that is a lifetime sentence. They are deserving of healing. They are deserving of transparency and accountability. We will only have that with the full release of the Epstein files. Unredacted, of course, protecting the names of survivors. There are already laws on the books that protect them. So, I mean, this is just. It's BS and it shows how unserious they are. That's the same reason why they're gutting the Violence Against Women Act. It's why they cut funding to the Office of Violence Against Women. They're unserious. I mean, the fact that oversight Dems forced a vote for a subpoena to be discharged from the Department of Justice, that happened within the context of a subcommittee hearing on federal law enforcement on child trafficking to call out their hypocrisy. Very effective strategy thanks to our chair of the subcommittee, Congresswoman Summer Lee, and of course, working in partnership with our ranking member, Robert Garcia. So oversight Dems are about justice for these victims and survivors from Jeffrey Epstein and his enablers. And Republicans seem to be caring more about shielding powerful abusers who participated in this predator Ponzi scheme. And that's their track record. Jim Jordan, Matt Gaetz, Donald Trump, Jeffrey.

[Interviewer/Jim]

Epstein, that certainly is Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley. I think you stated it very clearly there. Thank you for being as t and direct and bold as you are. And thank you for being with us. We're going to take a very quick break. We're going to talk about chaos at the CDC after that under RFK Jr. S leadership or lack of leadership, and how that's raising the possibility of a public health disaster. Now some state officials are taking matters, for better or worse, into their own hands. We'll talk about that after a break.

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[Interviewer/Jim]

I'm not switching my team to some fancy work platform that somehow knows exactly how we work. And its AI features are literally saving us hours every day. We're big fans. And just like that, teams all around the world are falling for Monday.com with intuitive design, seamless AI capabilities, and custom workflows, it's the work platform your team will instantly click with. Head to Monday.com, the first work platform you'll love to use.

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[Interviewer/Jim]

Of $45 for three month plan equivalent to $15 per month required new customer offer for first three months only. Speed slow after 35 gigabytes of networks busy taxes and fees extra see mint mobile.com right now, as Covid cases are surging all across the country, your ability to get a vaccine depends on where you live. I mean, in three states, CVS pharmacies aren't offering Covid vaccines at all. In 13 other states, you can only get a vaccine if you have a prescription. Now that's not because CVS is short on vaccines. It's because Trump's federal health agencies have ignored science and created regulatory chaos everywhere in the process. Now, the way this all normally works is that there is a board of experts inside the CDC that approves Covid vaccines each year as they are updated. Technically, their approval is called a recommendation. But that federal recommendation allows pharmacies to give out the vaccine all across the country. And for people who visit pharmacies to feel comfortable that the vaccines they are getting are safe and approved by medical experts, it's hugely powerful in that regard. Now, last year, that board of the CDC had approved the new Covid boosters by June. Compare that to June of this year, when Trump's HHS secretary, RFK Jr. Fired everyone on that CDC board. He then replaced all of the experts on that board with vaccine skeptics who have yet to federally approve this year's Covid booster. Now, without that federal approval, the ability for pharmacies to give out Covid booster shots is a state by state issue. On top of all of that, last week the FDA limited its authorization of the new COVID vaccine just to people 65 years old or older and to people with underlying health conditions. So all across the country, the federal government is making it harder and more confusing for people to get vaccinated. But states are actually starting to fight back. Just today, Massachusetts Governor Maura Haley effectively wrote a prescription for the majority of her state. She issued a standing order authorizing pharmacists in her state to give Covid boosters to anyone over the age of five, despite the FDA's restrictions. Hours later, the top health official in Colorado issued a similar order allowing pharmacists in his state to provide Covid shots to anyone six months or older. New Mexico did a similar thing over the weekend. And on the west coast today, a California, Oregon and Washington state announced plans to form what they are calling a health alliance to make vaccine recommendations on their own, without the federal government States like Massachusetts, Maine, Vermont, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania are considering their own health alliance in the Northeast. All of that is powerful and important work and it will undoubtedly protect the health of countless Americans. But there is a reason we as a country handle health care nationally. To begin with, viruses don't care about state lines, and particularly when it comes to the protection offered by vaccinations, we are only as strong as our weakest link. And right now, some people in our country will have greater access to vaccines than others, depending on which state they live in. Which brings me to today's news out of the state of Florida.

[Senator Jon Ossoff]

The Florida Department of Health, in partnership with the governor, is going to be working to end all vaccine mandates in Florida law. All of them?

[Interviewer/Jim]

All of them. That was the Florida Surgeon General announcing that Florida will soon be the first state in the nation to drop all vaccine requirements. That's right. This is not just about COVID Florida public school children will no longer need to be vaccinated for things like measles, mumps, chickenpox or hepatitis B. And again, that won't just impact Florida. 130 million Americans visited Florida last year, more than a third of the country's population. And then they returned home to their own states. Of course, the lack of real federal leadership at our nation's public health agencies is putting the health of all Americans at risk, not just in these states. Georgia Senator Jon Ossoff, whose state borders Florida, of course, and is home also to the cdc, joins me live next. Joining us now is Senator Jon Ossoff, a Democrat from Georgia, of course, running for reelection. Senator Ossoff, it's great to see you.

[Senator Jon Ossoff]

Thanks for having me.

[Interviewer/Jim]

Let me start by asking you. I mean, healthcare is personal to you. You have two young kids, your wife is a doctor. I just outlined how there's basically two societies that are being created right now. People who are in states where vaccines are available and states where they are not. Florida is a border state for Georgia. What do you make of this moment? How concerned are you?

[Senator Jon Ossoff]

I think it means more kids are going to be getting sick. And you know, you worry about immunity in schools, but also the number of families who may now, on the basis of pseudoscience and conspiracy theory, choose not to protect their children from something like RSV or measles and the kind of potentially life threatening impact that can have on the child and that child child's peers. It's a deeply worrying situation.

[Interviewer/Jim]

The chaos, all of this chaos has been created under the leadership of RFK Jr. Who's, of course, the Secretary of Health and Human Services. As everybody watching knows, There were over 1,000 HHS employees who have written a letter calling on him to resign. You opposed his confirmation, I should note, but you have not yet called on him to resign. Have you seen enough? Do you think he should resign?

[Senator Jon Ossoff]

Absolutely, he should resign. And he never should have been confirmed to begin with. He is utterly unqualified for this role. And in any normal Senate, he never would have gotten so much as a hearing. I mean, this is someone who, throughout his public life has embraced just about every piece of quackery and pseudoscience that he's come across. He needs to step down. What he is doing at HHS is gross mismanagement that is putting this nation at risk. And the demolition of the CDC has lowered our nation's defenses against deadly disease outbreak and is putting lives at risk. Secretary Kennedy must resign.

[Interviewer/Jim]

I just want to know because I've worked in a lot of administrations, people vote against cabinet members. Rarely do they call for them to resign. And this really speaks to what he has done in office as well, it seems, over the last eight months as well. Your call for him to resign.

[Senator Jon Ossoff]

The CDC right now is in a state of total crisis. The workforce has been utterly and systematically and deliberately demoralized. There's been a political purge. You've seen more than a quarter of the workforce either fired or they've tried to fire or push them out. And again, that means our national defenses are down. The CDC does vital work. And there was a gunman who sprayed a gunman who sprayed hundreds of rounds at the CDC headquarters, a sensitive federal facility where many people work. A DeKalb county police officer killed by that gunman, apparently inspired by radical anti vaccine conspiracy theories. We didn't hear a word about this from the President of the United States. Secretary Kennedy was too busy salmon fishing to initially react to it. And his immediate response is not to support the folks who work at the cdc, who are my constituents, but it's to continue this assault on public health that's putting our nation at risk.

[Interviewer/Jim]

He is also. Secretary Kennedy has also long been one of the biggest drivers of conspiracy theories about vaccines in the country. Do you place some blame at his feet for getting these conspiracies out, going out there in the country?

[Senator Jon Ossoff]

He has been obsessed with these conspiracy theories for a long time. And it's important to acknowledge the scientific method thrives on challenge and dissent. That's not the issue here. Nor is the question whether or not there are seriously broken pieces of our health care system and parts of our public health institutions that warrant reform. Secretary Kennedy is demolishing our entire public health infrastructure. It is negligence. It is, I think, willful and malicious in some cases. I think he holds these scientists and doctors in contempt. He has a chip on his shoulder and an axe to go grind. And he has no business leading the Department of Health and Human Services.

[Interviewer/Jim]

You are navigating all of the craziness in Washington right now while you are also running for reelection in the state of Georgia. And I follow these things quite closely. You have become quite the favorite target of the national Republican Party. Why do you think that is? And how is the race going in the state? You don't have a candidate. You don't have an opponent quite yet. There's a couple of congressmen. There's a football coach in the race on the other side.

[Senator Jon Ossoff]

Yeah, look, they've already spent six or seven million dollars attacking me, like a year and a half out from the election, which as far as I know, is unprecedented. They sent the vice president down a couple of weeks ago to attack me and to try to defund their deep defend their deeply unpopular policy of defunding hospitals and nursing homes. But they are going to hit me with everything they've got because they want this seat and they also don't want young faces and fresh voices in the opposition. And I need help from folks across the country right now. They can go to electjohn.com to support my campaign. This Senate race in Georgia is crucial and we are already under attack.

[Interviewer/Jim]

We only have about 40 seconds left, but I'm sure you caught the press conference this morning. We've been talking about it through the course of the show. Of these survivors, you are also not a naive person. Do you think that will change anything about the politics on the Hill of support for the full release of these Epstein files by your Republicans, Republican colleagues?

[Senator Jon Ossoff]

It's been extraordinary to see the speaker of the House reduced to lying in order to cover up sex crimes. And for the president of the United States to move from a campaign where he and all his lieutenants promised to bring this all out into public light and now dismiss it as a hoax. I hope that reason and justice will prevail.

[Interviewer/Jim]

I hope so, too. Senator Jon Ossoff, thank you. Thank you so much for being here.

[Senator Jon Ossoff]

Thank you.

[Interviewer/Jim]

That does it for me today. You can catch the show Tuesday through Friday at 9pm Eastern on MSNBC. And don't forget to follow the show on Blue sky, Instagram and TikTok this season.

[Senator Jon Ossoff]

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