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Subramanyam, Krishnamoorthi slam Epstein plea deal at Democrats hearing with survivors
Victims at the event called for those harmed to be compensated and for Epstein’s co-conspirators to be held accountable.
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Jeffin T. Kaleekal - Wed, 13, May 2026
- 02:04 EDT
- 12
Reps. Suhas Subramanyam and Raja Krishnamoorthi / Wikimedia commons
Congressman Suhas Subramanyam said discussions surrounding the Epstein files must remain focused on justice for survivors as House Oversight Democrats convened a shadow hearing on May 12 featuring victims of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Members of the committee heard from survivors of the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in Palm Beach County, a few miles from the infamous Epstein mansion where he abused hundreds of girls, many of whom attended the hearing.
Talking about the hearing, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi, also a member of the House Oversight Committee, said, “The Oversight Committee, on which I sit, is convening the first hearing of its kind to hear from the survivors of the Jeffrey Epstein sex trafficking scheme.”
He continued, “They still have not received a single measure of justice. And today is the first time we’re actually convening these survivors in a proper setting, hearing their stories, asking them questions, and hopefully we will continue to make progress toward a day when we can finally give them the justice they deserve.”
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Apart from recounting their experiences, witnesses also shared how they had been harmed during the last year, when all files related to the case were supposed to be released. Democrats claim millions of files are still being withheld despite Trump signing a bill to make them public amid widespread pressure.
And among the files that were released, information on many victims was not adequately redacted, House Democrats claim.
Victims at the event called for those harmed through the exposure to be compensated and for Epstein’s co-conspirators who still have not been named to be “held accountable.”
Congressman Subramanyam also spotlighted the survivors and said on X, “We wouldn't be this far without the survivors and it's their bravery and their voice that has helped us get this investigation moving forward.”
He continued, “And so we talk about the politics a lot, we talk about, you know, all the other things and the overarching issues about sexual assault, but in the end this is also about justice for the survivors and we will continue fighting for them.”
After hearing from the survivors, Democrats also published a report called “The Price of Non-Prosecution.” The report argues that the plea deal given to Epstein in 2008 “enabled Epstein to continue his abuse and trafficking activities for almost another decade, shifting his focus to European and Central Asian women.” Epstein was not arrested on sex trafficking charges involving minors until 2019.
Rep. Robert Garcia of California, the panel’s top Democrat, promised that if Democrats win the House in November, anyone involved in arranging the deal would be made to testify. He also said the committee would have more questions for Alex Acosta, the former prosecutor who brokered Epstein’s plea deal and served as labor secretary in Trump’s first administration. Acosta resigned amid renewed scrutiny of the Epstein case.
Discover more at New India Abroad.
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