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Jayapal invites Epstein survivor to State of Union
The Congresswoman will skip the address but has ensured the survivor's presence.
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Anushka Pathak - Mon, 23, Feb 2026
- 16:15 EST
- 23
Rep. Pramila Jayapal / X/@Pramila Jayapal
Rep. Pramila Jayapal announced Feb. 23 that she will host Marijke Chartouni, a survivor of Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse and her constituent, as her guest at the State of the Union address.
Jayapal said she will not attend the president’s speech but is inviting Chartouni to ensure that Epstein survivors are represented in the chamber.
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“While I will not be attending this year’s State of the Union, I am glad to be hosting Marijke to ensure that survivors of Epstein’s horrific abuse are in the room,” Jayapal said in a statement.
She described Chartouni and other survivors as “so incredibly brave and resilient” in their push for justice and said the moment should remind elected officials that “the fight for truth will not end until the perpetrators and enablers of these crimes are held accountable.”
Chartouni, who has publicly identified as an Epstein survivor and appeared in the documentary “Surviving Jeffrey Epstein,” said accountability efforts remain stalled. “Thirty years after the FBI first ignored reports of Epstein’s crimes, Pam Bondi’s Justice Department continues to fiddle rather than hold perpetrators to account — even as other countries act decisively,” she said.
Chartouni added that she is attending the address “to remind the House, the Senate, and the Executive that survivors will not remain silent through this continued institutional failure.” She said, “This injustice cannot be buried, and we will continue to make our voices heard, at every opportunity, until there is truth and accountability for every survivor of Epstein and his ring.”
The invitation underscores ongoing demands for transparency and accountability in the Epstein case, which has drawn criticism over the federal government’s handling of investigative files and related proceedings.
Jayapal has repeatedly advocated for Epstein survivors in recent months. In early Feb. 2026, she joined Reps. Jamie Raskin and Robert Garcia in urging the Department of Justice (DOJ) to end what they described as secret surveillance of lawmakers reviewing Epstein-related files.
During a House Judiciary Committee hearing, Jayapal pressed Attorney General Pam Bondi to apologize directly to survivors present after the DOJ released files that exposed private victim information without sufficient redactions.
Jayapal has also shared letters from survivors criticizing the Justice Department’s actions and has stated publicly that she will not rest until survivors receive justice and recognition.
The State of the Union address comes as scrutiny continues over the Justice Department’s handling of Epstein-related matters, with survivors renewing calls for full accountability more than a decade after Epstein’s arrest and death.
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