The Jim Acosta Show
Episode: BREAKING EPSTEIN NEWS – LIVE FROM CAPITOL HILL
Date: November 18, 2025
Host: Jim Acosta (moderator, not present in transcript)
Location: Capitol Hill
Main Participants: Rep. Ro Khanna, Rep. Thomas Massie, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, multiple Epstein survivors
Episode Overview
This landmark episode features live coverage of a historic press conference on Capitol Hill, where bipartisan lawmakers and survivors of Jeffrey Epstein's sex trafficking ring come together to push for the passage of the Epstein Transparency Act. The episode is an impassioned call for justice, full public disclosure of Epstein’s files, and institutional accountability. Survivors share harrowing personal stories and demand action from Congress, while lawmakers express bipartisan solidarity and address obstacles in getting the bill passed.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Legislative Breakthrough: The Epstein Transparency Act
- Rep. Ro Khanna and Rep. Thomas Massie (bipartisan) led the effort for the bill to release the Epstein files.
- Credit given to Republican women, especially Marjorie Taylor Greene, Lauren Boebert, and Nancy Mace, for enduring political blowback to champion the bill.
- The bill expected to pass overwhelmingly in the House, with calls to the Senate for a quick, amendment-free vote and for President Trump to sign.
Quotable Moment:
"For Thomas or me, this has never been political… This is the question of doing the right thing for survivors."
– Rep. Ro Khanna [00:53]
2. Bipartisan Courage & Personal Costs
- Speakers address immense political and personal risks taken by lawmakers, especially Republicans breaking with party pressure.
- Survivors and allies emphasize that the issue surpasses politics—it's about fundamental human decency and justice for children.
Memorable Quote:
"A patriot is an American that served the United States of America and Americans like the women standing behind."
– Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene [05:25]
3. Survivor Voices – Stories & Demands
- Survivors recount first-hand experiences of abuse, manipulation, and institutional failure involving law enforcement and powerful figures.
- Common themes: Betrayal by the justice system, silencing and intimidation, trauma, and the need for collective action.
- Survivors demand not only the release of files but also an overhaul of systems that protected abusers.
Key Survivor Quotes & Moments:
-
On Reclaiming Narratives:
"We are fighting for the children that were abandoned and left behind in the reckoning."
– Haley Robson [09:44] -
On Skepticism Toward Leadership:
"I am traumatized. I am not stupid. You have put us through so much stress… It's not right for your own self-serving purposes."
– Haley Robson, directed at President Trump [11:23] -
On Political Weaponization of Files:
"Please stop making this political. It is not about you, President Trump. You are our president. Please start acting like it. Show some class, show some real leadership."
– Generalisa Jones [15:39] -
On Institutional Betrayal:
"This is a case of institutional betrayal. Because these crimes were not properly investigated, so many more girls and women were harmed."
– Annie Farmer [36:04] -
On the Men Involved:
"Epstein and Maxwell didn't just abuse her. They trafficked her to a network of the rich and powerful: princes, prime ministers, politicians, financiers, and lawyers."
– Sky Roberts, on behalf of Virginia Roberts [36:40] -
On Justice and Accountability:
"Without transparency, there’s no accountability. Without accountability, there is no justice. And without justice, there is no democracy."
– Unnamed survivor [45:10]
4. The Fight Beyond Politics
- Survivors note diversity in their backgrounds—different races, religions, and political affiliations—but emphasize unity in their call for justice.
- Emotional appeals to the audience and lawmakers, urging them to imagine their own daughters at risk, and to take decisive moral action.
Emotional Exercise:
"Close your eyes or stop at your gaze just for a moment. And I want everybody to think of a child that is close to them ... Would you allow that child to enter [Epstein’s house]?"
– Danny Bensti [55:16]
5. Action & Accountability
- The House is set to pass the bill, but advocates are wary of delays or “mucking it up” in the Senate.
- Survivors and lawmakers urge passage without loopholes or amendments and call on President Trump to meet with survivors before signing.
Legislative Process Details:
- Concerns raised that any changes in the Senate could delay justice ("justice delayed is justice denied").
- Lawmakers clarify that survivor protections are built into the bill, and further protections can be added after passage if needed.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
| Timestamp | Speaker | Quote/Event | |-----------|---------|--------------| | 00:53 | Rep. Ro Khanna | "For Thomas or me, this has never been political … This is the question of doing the right thing for survivors." | | 05:25 | Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene | "A patriot is an American that served the United States of America and Americans like the women standing behind."| | 09:44 | Haley Robson | "We are fighting for the children that were abandoned and left behind in the reckoning." | | 11:23 | Haley Robson | "I am traumatized. I am not stupid... It's not right for your own self-serving purposes."| | 15:39 | Generalisa Jones | "Please stop making this political. It is not about you, President Trump. ... Show some class, show some real leadership."| | 36:04 | Annie Farmer | "This is a case of institutional betrayal. ... so many more girls and women were harmed."| | 36:40 | Sky Roberts | "Epstein and Maxwell didn't just abuse her. They trafficked her to a network of the rich and powerful: princes, prime ministers, politicians, financiers, and lawyers."| | 45:10 | Unnamed survivor | "Without transparency, there’s no accountability. Without accountability, there is no justice. And without justice, there is no democracy."| | 55:16 | Danny Bensti | [Guided exercise to imagine a vulnerable child and question whether they’d allow that child into Epstein’s world—a powerful, emotional moment.]| | 66:54 | Rep. Ro Khanna | "There are a thousand survivors. They can’t open enough investigations to cover up everything that’s in these files ... they will be breaking the law if they do not release these files."| | 67:24 | Rep. Ro Khanna | "It incriminates the FBI, it incriminates our intelligence agencies, it incriminates police departments ... and that's what has been protected by this, either willfully or unknowingly. And it's time to end it."|
Timestamps for Important Segments
- 01:00 – Rep. Khanna, Massie, and Greene outline the bill's history and bipartisan struggle.
- 09:40–36:00 – Survivor statements: harrowing personal stories, direct calls to Congress, indictment of the justice system.
- 36:00–49:30 – Sky Roberts memorializes Virginia Roberts; survivors articulate why justice and transparency matter for American democracy.
- 49:41–57:36 – More survivor stories; focus on solidarity, nonpartisanship, and the national scope of the movement.
- 57:41–64:39 – Q&A with Reps. Khanna, Massie, Greene: legislative process, concerns about Senate amendments, accountability for the DOJ, and political motivations for delays.
- 64:39–End (~67:30) – Reflections on what the day's actions mean for survivors and democracy, the historic scale of this reckoning.
Tone and Language
The language throughout is impassioned, direct, and frequently emotional—alternating between expressions of trauma, resolve, hope, and fierce demands for justice. There is a relentless focus on the nonpartisan, human stakes of the issue, often pushing back against attempts to politicize the survivors’ fight.
Conclusion
This episode chronicles a pivotal turning point in the Epstein justice movement, as survivors and bipartisan lawmakers unite to demand sweeping transparency and accountability. Survivors’ voices take center stage, sharing their stories not only as a call for justice for themselves, but as a warning and a moral imperative for the nation. The episode closes with calls for urgent Senate action and the hope that this day marks the beginning of the end of institutional cover-ups for sex trafficking crimes.
For Listeners
If you haven’t heard the episode, this summary covers the major developments, emotional testimonies, and urgent political context. The story is ongoing; listeners are encouraged to follow up with their representatives and to look for updates on the bill’s progress.