House Bill 5723: Can Illinois Launch a State-Level Epstein Investigation?

Summary

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The Epstein Chronicles – House Bill 5723: Can Illinois Launch a State-Level Epstein Investigation?

Host: Bobby Capucci
Date: May 25, 2026
Episode Focus: Exploration of a proposed Illinois law (House Bill 5723) that would establish a state commission to investigate crimes linked to Jeffrey Epstein and his network, focusing on justice, political obstacles, and the failures of federal authorities.

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Episode Overview

Bobby Capucci discusses Illinois’ new legislative push—House Bill 5723, the Illinois Epstein Files Investigation Act—which would set up an independent state-level commission to investigate Epstein-related crimes with Illinois ties. He examines why state action is necessary given federal inaction, the bill’s structure and potential, the political context, and reactions from both sides of the aisle. The host emphasizes the urgency of real investigations and justice for survivors, interspersing sharp commentary and frustration with federal authorities and partisan politics.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Why State Investigations Are Needed (01:00)

• Federal Government’s Failure:
  Bobby criticizes the DOJ’s inaction and highlights why state-level investigations are necessary:

  “One of the biggest problems with the Epstein investigation is that the federal government has decided not to do its job. …if we're waiting for the DOJ to slap bracelets on people, we're going to be waiting a very, very long time.” (01:00)

• State Commissions as a Workaround:
  States like New Mexico and now Illinois are taking matters into their own hands because federal authorities remain unresponsive.

Details of House Bill 5723 (02:25–07:30)

• Commission Structure:

  • 10 members, governor-appointed, senate-approved; at least 3 from a party different than the governor (06:16).
  • Members are unpaid but can get expense reimbursements.
  • Investigatory authority: subpoena power, ability to request records, protect whistleblowers and victims.
  • Commission expected to produce initial and final reports, then hand cases/files to the Attorney General if open at closure (12:12).
  • Bill aims for a statewide grand jury to investigate/prosecute a broad array of crimes: child sexual exploitation, trafficking, money laundering, racketeering, perjury (12:30).

• Primary Goal:
  Focus on Illinois-based crimes and survivors, “trying to work their way through what could have happened, what might have happened.” (02:45)

• Notable Political Ties:
  Governor J.B. Pritzker’s cousin, Thomas Pritzker, is implicated via association with Epstein, reportedly cited in unsealed files.

  “I'm sure Mr. Pritzker loves hearing this news considering that he was credibly accused of taking part in the abuse.” (03:37)

Political Obstacles and Partisan Reactions (07:32–10:05)

• Host’s Critique of Political Posturing:
  Bobby points out that despite bipartisan rhetoric about protecting children, practical cooperation is lacking.

  “All I've heard for the last 10, 15 years from MAGA is, 'protect the children.' …Here's your chance to care about the kids. And unfortunately, a lot of people have come up short.” (07:37)

• Democratic Lawmaker Perspective:
  Rep. Abdel Nazar Rashid, bill sponsor:

  “There were systems behind it, there was power behind it, and in too many cases there were institutions that looked the other way, institutions that were supposed to protect these young girls but didn't.” (03:56) Rep. Ann Stava:
  “It’s absolutely stomach churning and awful to see what these survivors have been through. And to let the wheels of justice fall off at the federal level is an abomination.” (09:20)

• Republican Leader’s Skepticism:
  Rep. Tony McCombie:

  “Creating a commission here may generate headlines, but it does not deliver justice to victims.” (09:50) Bobby refutes this by noting investigations can lead to local prosecutions and direct accountability.

What Powers Would the Commission Have? (10:00–13:50)

• Investigatory & Subpoena Power:
  Can request records, issue subpoenas, ensure protection of victims/whistleblowers, and refer findings to the Attorney General.

  • Bobby:

    “If crimes were committed, people who broke it should be held responsible, right? Is that some kind of crazy, rebellious idea?” (13:41)

• Potential for Real Accountability:
  The host underscores that the Illinois commission, unlike many blue-ribbon panels, is “supposed to have real teeth.”
  Senator Graciela Guzman:

  “This commission will have real teeth. Subpoena power, the ability to refer criminal evidence to the attorney general and the independents to follow the facts wherever they lead.” (12:20)

• Bill also allows for a statewide grand jury (with Attorney General involvement) for cases where local prosecutors “can’t or won’t act.” (12:40)

Broader Context & Frustrations (14:40–16:30)

• Comparison to Other States:
  New Mexico passed a similar bill unanimously; Bobby calls for states like New York and Florida to “get on the clock” too.
• Commentary on Delayed Justice:
  Advocacy group leader Jane Ruby:

  “If justice remains a locked door in Washington, then let our state be the battering ram. Let Illinois lead the way.” (15:59)

• Host’s Optimism and Skepticism:
  Bobby supports the investigation wholeheartedly but remains realistic about political hurdles and the time lost due to federal inaction:

  “People have died, people have passed away, people have forgotten things, people have been paid off probably. But sure, let's go back and retroactively take a look. Because the federal government was too busy shitting on the rest of us to protect Jeffrey Epstein.” (14:49)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Institutional Failure:
  “Epstein could have been stopped all the way back in '96. They chose not to and now they should have to answer for that.” – Bobby (04:55)

• On Politicization & Survivors:
  “It'll turn into some kind of mudslinging contest to see who cares about who the most. Meanwhile, once again, it's the survivors that are forgotten about.” – Bobby (08:54)

• On Accountability: “I'm not close to my cousin, but I can tell you that it's very important that people be held to pay the price for whatever it is they may have done.” – Governor J.B. Pritzker, paraphrased by Bobby (14:10)

• On the Federal DOJ’s Failures:
  “For years the country has been told to wait. Wait for Washington, wait for the next document drop, wait for the next excuse, wait while survivors carry the weight.” – Jane Ruby, League of Women Voters of Chicago (15:48)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• 01:00 – Why state action is needed; critique of federal DOJ
• 02:25 – Bill overview; what a commission would look like
• 03:56 – Rep. Rashid on institutional complicity
• 06:16 – Structure and function of the commission
• 07:32 – Political context and obstacles
• 09:20 – Rep. Stava on DOJ failures and survivor suffering
• 09:50 – Minority Leader McCombie’s critique; Bobby’s rebuttal
• 12:12 – Reporting requirements and powers of commission
• 12:20 – Senator Guzman: “This commission will have real teeth…”
• 14:10 – Governor Pritzker’s statement on accountability
• 15:48 – Jane Ruby’s advocacy for state leadership
• 16:30 – Bobby’s closing take: the need for state action and vigilance

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Overall Tone and Final Thoughts

Bobby Capucci is direct, skeptical of political motives, and consistently advocates for accountability and real investigation. He’s motivated by outrage at federal inaction and empathetic toward survivors. While cautiously optimistic, he’s wary that commissions may not deliver unless they are truly empowered and free from political influence.

“So, I'm completely on board and this is something I've been talking about for years. So it's nice to see Illinois getting on board with this, nice to see New Mexico kicking something into gear. …But like usual, we'll keep an eye on things and we'll see where it all goes.” (16:28)

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For all referenced information and links, check the episode’s description box.

Transcript

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What's up everyone and welcome to another episode of the Epstein Chronicles. One of the biggest problems with the Epstein investigation is that the federal government has decided not to do its job. And that's why I've called for states to get more active if they have information about Jeffrey Epstein and potential crimes that were committed by Jeffrey Epstein at the state level. Because that's really the only way to go around the doj, right? If you bring a case at the state level, the DOJ doesn't have the jurisdiction to come in and kill it. So I think that to get around the DOJ that obviously doesn't care, that obviously isn't going to do anything to rectify this issue, then we have to get creative, right? And that's what they're doing in New Mexico. And now we're hearing that Illinois are pushing for an Epstein probe with real teeth in their state as well. And I say good. Remember, we have no idea just how many victims there really is. So I think that having a commission here to try and work their way through what could have happened, what might have happened, is a great idea. Because if we're waiting for the DOJ to help us out, if we're waiting for the DOJ to slap bracelets on people, we're going to be waiting a very, very long time. So today we have an article from the State Journal Register and the headline illinois Lawmakers Push for Epstein Probe with Real Teeth. The author of this article is Maggie Dougherty. Illinois lawmakers are calling for an independent commission to investigate Illinois linked crimes connected to international sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein. Democratic lawmakers Monday joined advocates for women and survivors of sexual abuse to introduce House Bill 5723, called the Illinois Epstein Files Investigation Act. The bill, if passed, would create a commission to investigate Illinois based crimes connected to Epstein's network. Those would focus primarily on the stories of victims in Illinois and crimes that may have occurred in illinois. I'm sure Mr. Pritzker loves hearing this news considering that he was credibly accused of taking part in the abuse. Survivors connected to Jeffrey Epstein's trafficking network have been telling us the same thing, that the abuse didn't happen in a vacuum, said bill sponsor Representative Abdel Nazar Rashid, Democrat from Bridgeview. There were systems behind it, there was power behind it and in too many cases there were institutions that looked the other way, institutions that were supposed to protect these young girls but didn't. Not wrong about any of that. Let's do a fact check real quick. Oh, yep, factual. All these institutions look the other way. Epstein could have been stopped all the way back in 96. They chose not to and now they should have to answer for that. The measure has a long way to go to become a law. Rasheed was listed as the bill's loan sponsor as of Monday afternoon, the day it was filed, though he was accompanied by two other supportive Democrat legislators. Now look, I have no idea about the local politics in Illinois or Chicago, but I'm guessing it's volatile and I'm guessing a lot of special interests have their fingers in the pie. So are the special interest in Illinois going to allow this to occur? Some kind of truth commission? I don't know. We'll have to see. And if it does occur and it's created, is it going to have teeth? And that's still a question I have about what's going on over in New Mexico as well. Certainly supportive of the idea and I think it's a great, a great step in the right direction. But is it going to have teeth? Is it going to produce results and is it going to be as fearless as it needs to be? Those are the questions I have. The 10 member commission would be appointed by the governor and approved by the state Senate. At least three of those members must be from a different party than the governor. Members of the commission would be unpaid but could submit for reimbursement on of expenses should the General assembly decide to provide funding. While Rashid said he would welcome bipartisan support, the board's makeup and the governor's power over it may make Republican votes difficult to find Wow. I just don't understand. Honestly, like, all I've heard for the last 10, 15 years from MAGA is, is protect the children. What about the kids? Don't you care about the kids? Well, here's your chance to care about the kids. And unfortunately, a lot of people have come up short. Bill advocates say the commission is needed to fill a gap left with the federal level as the US Department of Justice faces criticism for withholding records from the Epstein files, particularly pertaining to President Donald Trump, despite a law that Trump signed mandating their release. Trump's mentioned more than 38,000 times in the documents that have been released so far, nothing to see here. Come on, stop asking questions. How dare you? What do you have, Trump derangement syndrome? God forbid you ask questions about somebody who's been named 38,000 times in the Jeffrey Epstein files. God forbid. I mean, have you checked the Dow? It's absolutely stomach churning and awful to see what these survivors have been through. And to let the wheels of justice fall off at the federal level is an abomination, said Representative Ann Stava, Democrat from Naperville. It's often said the wheel of justice turns slowly. In this case, we need to speed that up. Well, that would be nice, but I just don't think there's going to be the will there. There should be. And I don't know how anyone could stand against a commission that's looking for the truth. Now, of course, I'm not naive. A lot of politics come into play, but that's why the Republicans should be involved. If you want to make sure the ground is of equal footing. Well, you don't ignore what's going on. You get involved. You work on it. You reach across the aisle and say, hey, look, this is what I want to do. This is my idea. Let's protect the people in our state. But we all know that won't happen. It'll turn into some kind of mudslinging contest to see who cares about who the most. Meanwhile, once again, it's the survivors that are forgotten about. Tony McCombe, the Republican minority leader in the House, called Epstein's crimes horrific, but added, creating a commission here may generate headlines, but it does not deliver justice to victims. Well, how do you know? Did you investigate anything or did James Comer tell you that, you know, there's nothing left to see here and we're going to move on? I mean, what is wrong with people? Do they really think they understand what's going on with this story? Like, I have bad news. The vast majority of people have a very surface level understanding of what happened here and just how widespread it was. But they talk real confidently, don't they? Like they have all the answers and know exactly what went down. And when breaking news, they don't know their ass from their elbow. But let's also be honest. Illinois legislators cannot subpoena federal investigators, prosecute international trafficking rings or conduct a parallel federal criminal investigation for from Springfield, said McCombie, who represents the 89th District in northwest Illinois. Well, yeah, you can have a commission that does the investigation and then you can refer the people that are investigated. If crimes were committed to local law enforcement, I know it's shocking how that works, right, Mr. McCombie? He thinks you're stupid just like the rest of them. The bill would give the commission investigatory authority to request records from state and and local agencies, issue subpoenas for documents and testimony, and provide confidentiality protection to victims and other whistleblowers. Victims would not be compelled to testify against their wishes, according to Rasheed. Like the Illinois Accountability Commission, which is investigating potential abuses by federal immigration agents operating in Illinois, the Epstein Commission would hold public meetings and issue public reports, redacted as needed for privacy. Yo, whatever people want to do in their own state, I don't have any problem with it. If the lawmakers want to put together a commission and look into the way law enforcement's behaving, good they should. And if you're in law enforcement, you shouldn't be worried, right? If you're doing everything the right way and you have nothing to hide, shouldn't be a problem.

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It would be required to submit an initial report within its first year of operation and another before it ceases operation. And after five years, any investigative files open at the time the commission closes its doors would be transferred to the attorney general's office. This commission will have real teeth. Subpoena power, the ability to refer criminal evidence to the attorney general and the independents to follow the facts wherever they lead. Senator Graciela Guzman of Chicago said the bill also strengthens the attorney general's hand by allowing a statewide grand jury when local prosecutors can't or won't act. Look, I think it's a good idea. Obviously, you have to have evidence, right? And the way to do that is to have an investigation. And as you all know, that has not happened. So if the states want to kick off investigations, I think that's a good idea because the federal government refuses to do it. So if the state wants to use something like dual sovereignty, I'm all for it. The bill will allow the attorney general to call a statewide grand jury to investigate and prosecute crimes related to Epstein, including sexual exploitation of children, child pornography, human trafficking, money laundering, racketeering, and perjury. Well, they hit all the bases, huh? All the greatest hits. Because Epstein was involved in all of that. It would not replace prosecutors, Rasheed said, but give the state the tools it needs to fully investigate where Illinois law was broken. If Illinois law was broken, people who broke it should be held responsible, right? Is that some kind of crazy, rebellious idea? I think it's the very bottom level of, of what we should expect the governor's cousin. Thomas Pritzker recently resigned from his role as the executive chairman of Hyatt Hotels after his association with Epstein and accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell came into clear review through emails released in the Epstein files tranche. Oh, that's not all that that's been said about him. Virginia credibly accused Thomas Pritzker of abusing her. Why doesn't anyone ever talk about that? When asked about his cousin's connection to Epstein in recent interviews, the government said that anyone who has done something wrong should be held accountable. I'm not close to my cousin, but I can tell you that it's very important that people be held to pay the price for whatever it is they may have done, pritzker said. If the bill becomes law, Illinois lawmakers would join New Mexico in creating state level bodies to investigate Epstein's criminal sex trafficking network. And it shouldn't be that way. The federal government should have done their job. But no, now we have to go back, have state investigations when evidence has already walked. People have died, people have passed away, people have forgotten things, people have been paid off probably. But sure, let's go back and retroactively take a look. Because the federal government was too busy shitting on the rest of us to protect Jeffrey Epstein. Epstein Zorro Ranch in New Mexico has faced scrutiny as a hub of his sex trafficking crimes. New Mexico lawmakers passed the bill unanimously in February. Supporters of the Illinois bill said that they hope that other states would join the fight in lieu of accountability at the national level. For years the country has been told to wait. Wait for Washington, wait for the next document drop, wait for the next excuse, wait while survivors carry the weight, jane Ruby, president of the League of Women Voters of Chicago, told reporters. If justice remains a locked door in Washington, then let our state be the battering ram, she added. Let Illinois lead the way. Hey, good for you guys. If you can get it through, that's going to be awesome. Is it going to find anything? Who knows? But we don't know until we have an investigation, right? So I'm completely on board and this is something I've been talking about for years. So it's nice to see Illinois getting on board with this, nice to see New Mexico kicking something into gear. So now New York, you're on the clock and for all the big talk that comes out of New York from all the politicians, you'd think they'd be on board with this. So let's see what happens. But I think having New Mexico and Illinois do. This is certainly a step in the right direction and I hope that Florida and New York both follow suit. But like usual, we'll keep an eye on things and we'll see where it all goes. All the information that goes with this episode can be found in the description box.

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