The federal government is on the brink of shutting down. And Speaker Mike Johnson is shutting down justice for sexual abuse survivors who have been demanding the release of the Epstein files. Attorney Spencer Kuvin, who represents nine Epstein survivors, said the petition brought by Republican Congressman Thomas Massie deserves an “up or down vote.”
“Either you stand behind the release of this information or you don’t,” he told Lincoln Square Editor
. “And everyone’s going to have to go on record.”And Spencer adds: “I don’t think that the survivors are going to wait much longer for the government to do the right thing.”
But from the start, victims weren’t just ignored — they were treated like criminals. Police brushed off a 15-year-old who accused Jeffrey Epstein, forcing her parents to seek outside counsel when it was clear disbelief was baked into the system. Spencer didn’t mince words: “The system is rigged kind of against them.” In Palm Beach, power was presumed credible and children were presumed liars.
Training has improved, yet survivors are still re-traumatized when forced to recount abuse in front of federal agents and strangers. Susan asked if that dynamic had changed, and Spencer was blunt: “We have a ways to go.” Parents continue to watch their children broken down by the very process meant to protect them, proof that reform on paper often fails in practice.
Ghislaine Maxwell lent Epstein legitimacy, expanded his reach, and turned recruitment into a system. “There would have never been a Jeffrey Epstein without a Ghislaine Maxwell,” Spencer argued. By grooming girls into recruiters and selling abuse as opportunity, she multiplied the harm and made betrayal the engine of the enterprise.
The justice system’s collapse is the through-line. Spencer noted a case of a local man who was sentenced to 30 years in prison for one sexual assault, while Epstein — accused of dozens across borders — secured a sweetheart deal that branded victims as “prostitutes.” Spencer was direct: “There are two justice systems that exist in this country.” One is merciless for the poor, the other bends to the rich, and until the sealed records come out, that double standard endures.
Tune in for the whole conversation — because we cannot let Trump cover this up. And if you missed our special earlier this month featuring survivor Jess Michaels, investigative journalist Vicky Ward and survivors attorney Gloria Allred, you can watch it below.
Breaking Silence: Inside the Epstein Files
This may be the first time anyone reading this has ever felt something like agreement with Marjorie Taylor Greene. But today, at the gut-wrenching and powerful press conference for Epstein and Maxwell survivors, there she stood. And her words sounded, well, reasonable.
