TRANSCRIPT: Leader Schumer And Senate Democrats Launch Oversight Effort On The Trump Administration’s Mishandling Of The Epstein Files

Washington, D.C. – Today, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), and Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) held a media availability announcing Senate Democrats’ comprehensive oversight efforts to unveil the Trump administration’s coverup of the Epstein files. In the coming days, Senate Democrats’ Epstein Working Group will review the unredacted Epstein files and explore all possible avenues to continue the fight to hold the Trump administration accountable to their legally mandated obligation to release the entire Epstein files. Below are Senator Schumer’s remarks, which can also be viewed here:

It's been 99 days since Congress passed the Epstein Files Transparency Act. The American people sent Donald Trump a clear and simple demand, release the Epstein files. Donald Trump said he wants to turn the page on the Epstein files. Democrats are not going to let Donald Trump turn the page. It was not a suggestion, not a request. The law requires the DOJ to release all the files, not just some of the files, not just the ones they pick and choose and want to do. Since then, we've seen the Justice Department break the law and continue to hide the truth from the American people.

Let me be blunt. There is a massive coverup going on in the Justice Department to protect Donald Trump and people associated with Jeffrey Epstein. As we expected, Trump, Bondi, and their minions have played games with the release of these files. They released some documents that they want to release and continue to hide others. The American people see right through it, and they're all asking the obvious question, “What is Bondi trying to hide?” President Trump, what are you trying to hide? That's the question the American people are asking. Senate Democrats’ Epstein Working Group, including my colleagues here with me, have been preparing for this very scenario. We saw what they were doing. And so, we're working with victims' attorneys, we're working with legal experts, we're working with people very familiar with this case to ensure full compliance of the law.

We know the administration is withholding some documents unlawfully. Yesterday, news outlets reported that several memos detailing a woman's accusation against the President from when she was a minor have been withheld from the public. We know they are abusing redactions to hide the truth. Hundreds of pages are completely blacked out. Identities remain hidden while survivors have been exposed. We're here today to put a shot across the bow of the Department of Justice and the Trump administration that we are going to reveal this massive coverup. We will not rest. It's an all-out oversight effort. We're going to pull on every thread. We're going to chase every lead. We'll talk with whistleblowers. We will get to the truth.

Our working group Senate Democrats will go review the unredacted files in the coming days. Let me repeat that. Our working group Senate Democrats will go review the unredacted files in the coming days. Pam Bondi should listen carefully. The truth will come out. The whole ugly truth about what she's doing to protect people in the files will come out. The whole world is going to know exactly what she knew, when she knew it, and what she did to cover it up. Democrats are going to hold Pam Bondi and everyone involved at the DOJ accountable for this coverup.

Today, we are demanding that the Department of Justice and the FBI preserve records on what transpired behind the scenes. We want to know who was involved in the decision to hide the truth. And a warning to the Trump cronies working on this, we will know if you are destroying documents and evidence. You will not outrun the law. You will not outrun the truth. This isn't political. The survivors deserve the truth, and the American people are demanding it. Democrats and Republicans agree the American people deserve the truth. So, Donald Trump, stop hiding, stop delaying, come clean with the American people. And if you don't, Democrats will make sure the truth comes out.

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