TRANSCRIPT: Leader Schumer Addresses The Press Following His Call For Unanimous Consent To Release The Epstein Files

Washington, D.C. – Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) today answered reporters’ questions regarding the unanimous consent vote on the Epstein Files Transparency Act. Below are Senator Schumer’s remarks:

Leader Schumer: Today was a good victory for victims, for the American people, for transparency, but there's a lot more to do. First, when I got to the floor at three o'clock, I said that I would offer a unanimous consent request to pass the bill that the House had just passed by an overwhelming majority, and the Republicans not wanting to block the bill because we confronted them, relented, and allowed my motion to pass. The motion is just technical, but the motion says that when the House sends the bill over, it automatically goes to the President's desk. The Senate cannot delay it, cannot amend it, cannot change it in any way. We deemed it passed. That's the word, the technical word used, and so this was a very good thing, and Democrats fought and fought and fought to have this happen. It took too long, but we persisted and persisted and got it done. I want to give huge credit to the victims and their courage and their strength. It wouldn't have happened without them. But there's a long, long way to go.

First, Johnson should send the bill over now. Right now, there's no reason it can't be on the President's desk in an hour. Second, the President has to sign it. You never know with him. He said he would. Let's wait and see. But third, we have to make sure that all of the documents are released, that there are no games, that we know there's a corrupt Justice Department. We know that Bondi and Kash Patel do just what the President asks and wants. And we Democrats, I just had a meeting of 10 of my colleagues, are going to do everything we can to make sure all of it, all of it comes to light, and they don't hide evidence against anyone who might be incriminated by these documents. So good, good, good victory today. Fight continues until the American people see all of the documents. And I'm satisfied that all of those documents are released, and there's no game playing, no cover up. We are continuing to fight.

Reporter: Leader Schumer, quick question. What exactly can you do to ensure that all the documents come out given Pam Bondi and the Department of Justice, you know, or how can it happen?

Schumer: We are going to make, we have many different ways that we are going to do everything we can to see that everything comes out. Pressure works. If not for the pressure from Democrats, this wouldn't have happened. Bondi didn't release documents. Bondi didn't do what she did, change her mind, say yes, say no. Kash Patel didn't do what he did. Johnson didn't do what he did. Thune didn't do what he did, and the President didn't do what he did without pressure from Democrats. That pressure will continue in every way. And we have talked about five or six different ways that we're going to see that that happens.

Reporter: Leader Schumer, if there's something that, one of the, one of the criticisms that had come out of the Democrats was that this had also been an issue during the Biden administration and that, you know, why wasn't it taken up, in your opinion, why wasn't it taken up then? Was it just that it was an open investigation and you didn't want to tip her hat?

Schumer: Look, the difference is real. President Trump campaigned on this. He promised to get this done. He's the one who's backed off on this, period.

Reporter: Republicans are saying that you consented to adding this provision into the approach bill that would allow senators to sue if their phone records are obtained. Is that true?

Schumer: Look, the bottom line is Thune wanted the provision. And we wanted to make sure that at least Democratic senators were protected from Bondi and others who might go after them. So we made it go prospective, not just retroactive, but I'd be for repealing all the provisions, all of it. And I hope that happens.

Reporter: Why precisely go with UC and not force a vote to get some of these folks on the rim?

Schumer: Because we want to get this done. And if they would have been allowed amendments, they could have delayed it. And if you have amendments, guess where it goes? Not to the president's desk, to the House and the House, who knows what they do with it. So that was enough.

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