[0:00]I'm now joined uh by our international affairs editor Doug Herbert. Hi Doug. >> How are you Angela? >> Uh uh all good here. Thanks. Uh so you
[0:10]know there he was Donald Trump saying uh this is a hoax. We have nothing. There is nothing. And then suddenly this major about turn on Sunday night saying Republicans should vote for it. What
[0:21]what was going on there? >> What gave what happened here? Donald Trump basically flipped, surrendered, caved, uh, whichever word you want to use, Angela, because he literally was forced to. He had no choice. He saw the
[0:32]writing on the wall. I could keep adding the cliches here. Uh, the fact of the matter is, you're absolutely right. Donald Trump has spent months, months trying to bury this story, trying to,
[0:43]let's say it bluntly, trying to sweep it under the rug. uh calling it a Democratic hoax uh saying that it was merely uh his enemies were trying to use it as fodder, political fodder to go
[0:53]after him. Um and he's done it about face because he saw that um for once what he has been able to do since returning to office in January, which is to bend the party, the Republican party
[1:04]to his will. He was not able to do that on this issue. >> Okay, I'm going to interrupt you there, uh Doug, because we can go live now to the press conference which has begun. horrific and disgusting corruption
[1:14]scandals in our country's history. You had Jeffrey Epstein who literally set up an island of rape, a rape island. And you had rich and powerful men, some of
[1:25]the richest people in the world, who thought that they could hang out with bankers, buy off politicians, and abuse and rape America's girls with no
[1:36]consequence. Because survivors spoke up, because of their courage, the truth is finally going to come out. And when it comes
[1:46]out, this country is really going to have a moral reckoning. How did we allow this to happen? There should be no buildings named after people in this
[1:58]Epstein class. There should be no scholarships named after them. They shouldn't be enjoying the perks of being affiliated with corporations or universities or writing opeds or being
[2:09]lionized. And many of the survivors will tell you some of these people still are celebrated in our society. That's disgusting. There needs to be accountability.
[2:21]I want to recognize first and foremost the survivors. They are the ones who made today possible. Many of you had uh
[2:31]forgotten about this issue and frankly for decades we have not done enough about this issue and it's only because of their advocacy them coming here to the capital. They showed up here uh time
[2:42]and again and on September 3rd that the country started to pay attention and I also want to thank the courage of two of my colleagues in particular. Both of
[2:53]them have suffered as you know extraordinary political consequences uh for what they did. One my colleague uh Congressman Thomas Massie this would not
[3:03]have been possible if he hadn't led the discharge petition that got 218 signatures uh and is going to force a vote in the House of Representatives.
[3:15]And this would not have certainly been possible if it were not for the courage of Marjorie Taylor Green. She signed the petition and I would keep texting Thomas, is she is she gonna drop off? Is
[3:27]she gonna drop off? Because there was so much pressure against us, so much attacks against her. But she uh stood with the survivors. For Thomas or me, this has never been political. This is
[3:38]not about questions of Trump or Biden. This is a question of doing the right thing for survivors. We're going to get a vote today. I expect an overwhelming vote in the House of Representatives.
[3:49]And I don't want the DC Swamp playing any games. They need to pass this in the Senate. And they should not amend it. President Trump has said he would sign the Epstein Transparency Act. It's going
[4:01]to get overwhelming support in the House. It should go straight to the Senate and it should be signed. No amendments, no adding loopholes. Justice is long overdue. And I want to hand it
[4:12]over to my colleague, Representative Thomas Massie. I want to start by thanking the survivors. I mean, they're giving
[4:22]everybody hope in this country. There are survivors of other sex crimes in this country wondering if they should come forward. They're clouded with shame and concerned that law enforcement will
[4:34]do nothing. And these survivors have stepped forth taking that same risk, worried that they will be defamed themselves. They have been defamed for stepping forward. But we're going to get
[4:45]justice for them. And that's going to happen today in the people's house. The founders set up our government with three branches and and two branches of Congress. And I don't think it's any
[4:56]coincidence that this fight is being started and it's being won in the House of Representatives. I have people, other survivors of other sex crimes who come
[5:06]to me and say, "Thank you. You give me hope. You give us hope. There is hope here. We fought the president, the attorney general, the FBI director, the
[5:18]speaker of the house, and the vice president to get this win. But they never they're on our side today, though.
[5:27]So, let's give them some credit as well. U they they are finally on the side of justice. And as Rose said, don't muck it up in the Senate. Don't get too cute.
[5:38]We're all paying attention. If you want to add some additional protections for these survivors, go for it. But if you do anything that prevents any disclosure, you are not for the people
[5:48]and you are not part of this effort. Do not muck it up in the Senate. So, um, with that, I just want to say I am hopeful, too. I didn't know that we
[5:59]would succeed when Row and I started this effort. Most discharge petitions never make it, uh, maybe only 4%. So, we had long odds, but we had some brave
[6:10]women on the Republican side. My colleague Marjorie Taylor Green is one of them who's here with us today that you cannot even imagine the consequences
[6:20]that they have suffered. My colleague Lauren Boowbert and my colleague Nancy Mace, they stood so strong. They put their names on a document in here and then they were pressured in ways that
[6:32]you cannot even imagine. and they stood strong and that's why we're here today and they didn't take us seriously uh over at the executive branch or in the
[6:42]Senate because they always thought they could flip one of these women. They could convince them or control them or intimidate them into taking their names off of this petition, but they did not
[6:52]succeed. This is a victory for those women and women all over the country today. And I'm just glad to be a part of it. With that, I want to introduce my
[7:00]colleague MARJORIE TAYLOR GREEN. >> [cheering] >> THANK YOU, THOMAS. THANK YOU, RO. I woke up this morning and I turned to my
[7:12]weather app to check the temperature and it was 32 degrees and my first thought was, "Hell has froze over." [laughter] I want to speak
[7:26]goodness and love and hope into the women standing behind me and all of the other survivors whose names you don't even know but
[7:37]stand with these women. They are survivors and they are strong and they are courageous and they are
[7:45]daughters of God. They are not victims. These women have fought the most horrific fight that no woman should have to fight. And they did it by banding
[7:56]together and never giving up. And that's what we did by fighting so hard against the most powerful people in the world,
[8:07]even the president of the United States, in order to make this vote happen today. I was called a traitor by a man that I
[8:17]fought for five, no actually six years for. And I gave him my loyalty for free. I won my first election without his endorsement, beating eight men in a
[8:29]primary. And I've never owed him anything, but I fought for him for the policies and for America first. and he
[8:39]called me a traitor for standing with these women and refusing to take my name off the discharge petition. Let me tell you what a traitor is. A traitor is a is
[8:49]an American that serves foreign countries and themselves. A patriot is an American that serves the United States of America
[9:01]and Americans like the women standing behind me. And I want to tell you that this only became possible today because the
[9:10]American people whom we serve as representatives here in Congress demanded that this vote happen. And they
[9:20]put more pressure on every single elected politician in this city than has ever been put on them. And today you are
[9:29]going to see probably a unanimous vote in the House to release the Epstein files. But the fight, the real fight
[9:38]will happen after that. While I want to see every single name released so that these women don't have to live in fear and intimidation, which
[9:49]is something I've had a small taste of in just the past few days, just a small taste. They've been living it for years. But the real test will be, will the
[10:00]Department of Justice release the files or will it all remain tied up in investigations? Will the CIA release the files? Will a federal judge in New York,
[10:11]sorry, a judge in New York release the information? That's information that needs to come out. And will the list of names that these women privately hold and they hold
[10:23]it because of their fear in their heart of what would happen to them if they release it on their own? Will that list of names
[10:33]come out? That's the real test. So I want to thank Thomas Massie and Roana for your bravery and doing something doing something that is much
[10:44]needed in America. crossing the political aisle that has become bigger than the Grand Canyon in America. But
[10:53]these men cross that aisle on behalf of these women and that is more of what is needed today
[11:01]in America than ever in our history. So, thank you so much. Um, who's next? Ro, I'll let you introduce. >> Thank you. >> Thank you.
[11:13]>> Thank you. >> Thank you. uh Marre, Representative uh Green for your your courage and your your words. Uh before I introduce our
[11:23]survivors, I just want to say that they will make their statements and then you can ask questions of Representative Massie, myself, or Representative Green.
[11:33]Uh but we do not want uh people asking questions and cross-examining the survivors. They're here to tell their stories and they should be heard by the
[11:43]American people with respect. Of course, Congresswoman Massie, myself, and Congresswoman Green would be happy to answer questions after that. With that, let me uh introduce uh the uh survivor
[11:54]who's helped uh organize a lot of this and we'll be introducing telling her own story and introducing uh uh the other survivors. Haley Robson, thank you for
[12:05]your courage and leadership. >> Absolutely. Thank you all. Oh, good morning. It's a little chilly coming from Florida. Not used to it.
[12:16]>> I want everybody to take a look. I know everybody sees us today as grown adults, but we are fighting for the children that were abandoned and left behind in the reckoning.
[12:28]This is who you're fighting for. This is who Congress is fighting for. This is who the House of Representatives are fighting for. and hopefully the Senate will fight for us too. I want to kick
[12:40]this off right and I want to address Marjorie Taylor Green, Thomas Massie, and Roana. I want to express my gratitude for all three of you. And I know Raana, we spoke earlier. This isn't an incredible thing that I'm watching as
[12:52]a Republican and this is nonpolitical, but for you to go against your own party and to be ostracized. There's no place for political violence. There's no place
[13:02]for intimidation. And I can say firsthand stepping out against Epstein and his crimes against children, we have all experienced that ourselves. So for you to knowingly put yourselves at risk
[13:13]and put your career at risk is unbelievable to watch and we are so grateful. I also want to make a proposition for Marjorie Taylor Green because you've been an advocate for this. If you decide to read those names
[13:24]on the House floor for immunity, I will be more than happy. No security needed. I will stand beside you. I will hold your hand. and I will hold your coat in solidarity with you. And on top of that,
[13:36]I did talk to Prial uh Jop Paulal who said she would be more than happy to read those names too on the floor with all of us. It's time that we polit we put the political agendas and party
[13:45]affil uh affiliations to the side. This is a human issue. This is about children. There is no place in society for exploitation, sexual crimes, or
[13:56]exploitation of women in society. There's no room for it, guys. We're not having it. And to the president of the United States of America who is not here today,
[14:08]I want to send a clear message to you. While I do understand that your position has changed on the Epstein files and I'm grateful that you have pledged to sign this bill, I can't help to be skeptical
[14:19]of what the agenda is. So, with that being said, I want to relay this message to you.
[14:27]>> I am traumatized. I am not stupid. I am traumatized. I am not stupid. You have put us through so much stress. The
[14:36]lockdowns, the halt of these of of these procedures that were supposed to have happened 50 days ago, the Adalita Grahalva who waited to get sworn in and
[14:48]then get upset when your own party goes against you because what is being done is wrong. It's not right for your own self-serving purposes. This is America.
[14:58]This is land of the free. Land of the free. In 1863, we have a woman on top of the Capitol building represent freedom. I do not feel free today. I don't know
[15:09]if the women behind me feel free today. So, I am begging every member of Congress, every representative to step up and choose the chaos. Choose the
[15:20]survivors. Choose the children. Protect the children. all children. You protect all of us equally.
[15:31]Thank you very much for your time. Following that, Lisa Phillips will be the next survivor. >> Good morning. My name is Lisa Phillips.
[15:50]It's an honor to stand here again for something America is finally united on. the immediate release of the entire Epstein files
[16:00]in a divided nation. This is one demand we all share. Last time I stood here, I made a promise to all survivors watching. If those in
[16:10]power refused to release the truth, we would start uncovering it ourselves. For anyone who doubted that, that moment has already arrived.
[16:21]Since that day, more survivors across the country and around the world have reached out, text, emails, DMs, firsthand accounts, and evidence.
[16:33]Many are women who were abused or trafficked through the international modeling pipeline Epstein built, promising visas, apartments, opportunities, futures, while exploiting
[16:44]their dreams for abuse. Most are still terrified to speak publicly because the men involved are powerful. They're connected and as we
[16:53]know, they're protected. For too long, survivors have watched others speak for us. And while we are grateful for our allies in Congress on
[17:04]both sides, we've realized something. This fight belongs to us. We lived it and we know the truth. and we will not wait quietly for
[17:15]institutions to decide when we're allowed to speak. The survivors now coming forward have entrusted us with their stories. We are sharing that information with the proper authorities and when it can safely be made public,
[17:27]it will be. So today we are launching something historic. the first national survivor-led
[17:36]political movement in America. Nonpartisan, laser focused on exposing the systems, the loopholes, power structures, and
[17:47]silencing mechanisms that have protected predators for far too long. We are stepping directly into the halls of power,
[17:58]into the political arena. We will help rewrite laws that failed us and build protections for our nation's children together targeted by sexual
[18:09]exploitation. Together today, survivors begin our own fight,
[18:18]the survivor revolution. And we intend to change this nation for the better. If you're a survivor who wants to join
[18:30]us, please reach out. And to anyone who benefits from the current system, intentionally or not, remember this. Alone, yes, we are
[18:41]afraid, but together we are feared. >> Thank you. Good girl.
[18:53]>> Hello everybody. I am Jenna Lisa Jones and just as Haley I would just like to give a little reminder that this was me
[19:00]at 14 years old. I was a child. I was in ninth grade. I was
[19:10]hopeful for life and what it the future had held for me. He stole a lot from me uh by at 14. So just a little reminder
[19:19]there for everybody. Sorry. So, um [snorts]
[19:30]I just want to start out by saying thank you for all of you for being here today. I want to start by expressing my deepest gratitude to the members of Congress who have stood with us, the survivors, and
[19:42]demanding the transparency and justice. Your support is a signal that this institution can still serve the American people. This issue was never one that
[19:52]should have divided us the way it has. In fact, it should have united us. Sexual abuse is not a Republican issue. This it is not a de or a democratic
[20:01]issue. It is not a it is also not a hoax. We are here as American survivors of a man who used his wealth and power to hurt young girls and women.
[20:12]The world should see the files to know who Jeffrey Epstein was and how the system catered to him and failed us. Emotionally, this process has been distressing. First, the administration
[20:23]said it would release everything and applauded President Trump for that. Then, it fought to release nothing. Now that that that now that that checks and
[20:34]balances of our dem democ democracy have worked and the bill is getting passed to release the files. We are hearing the administration say they intend to investigate various Democrat Democrats
[20:46]who were friends with Epstein. I beg you President Trump please stop making this political. It is not about you President Trump. You are our president. Please
[20:56]start acting like it. Show some class. Show some real leadership. Show that you actually care about the people other than yourself. I voted for you, but your
[21:06]behavior on this issue has been an national embarrassment. >> It is time to take the honest moral
[21:16]ground and support the release of these files. not to weaponize pieces of the files against random political enemies that did nothing wrong, but to understand who Epstein's friends were,
[21:26]who covered for him, what financial institutions allowed his trafficking to continue, who knew what he was doing, but was too much of a coward to do
[21:37]anything about it. Jeffrey Epstein and Glain Maxwell were able to recruit and abuse young girls and women,
[21:47]then the country will learn no the country will learn nothing and has horrible history will repeat itself if we do not do something about this. Thank
[21:57]you to the brave congressmen and women who have stood by us and recognize our side is the American side and we should all be proud once again to be Americans. I want to just extend my thank you so
[22:08]much to all three of you very very much. The first time we were here listening to uh people yell shame at you and when she was here in support of us really hit
[22:18]home and spoke some volumes and I just and very much appreciable of um your support and and we stand by you. Don't let any of them bully you. We're we're here for you.
[22:30]>> Thank you guys. Well, you were listening there, of course, to some of the key figures in the Republican movement who have taken a stand against Donald Trump's original
[22:41]position on the Epstein files and there most importantly the survivors speaking out. Now, this I'm joined by Doug Herbert who's been watching this with
[22:52]me. Uh Doug, this feels like a very major development, a big moment. They were talking about they are setting up a movement the survivors which they hope
[23:02]will be nonpartisan and it feels like a me too moment. Do you think uh they will gather momentum? >> Look, it is a remarkable moment and I
[23:14]think you're absolutely right. It needs to be underscored here. Um, I think right now the question that a lot of people are looking for when they listen to these these women, these brave women
[23:24]coming forth to speak after living with this for decades and decades and calling on other survivors to come forth and and and the word survivors well chosen because this is a trauma that they have
[23:35]survived but which very much continues to have an impact on their lives decades later. Um, the question people are asking is, is this the moment when Donald Trump's aura of invincibility was
[23:47]punctured? Because for better or for worse, until now, and especially since Donald Trump returned to power back in January, he has been willy-nilly able to bend the Republican party um, and the
[23:58]MAGA movement more broadly to his will. And what I mean by that is MAGA movement was whatever Trump said it was. The policies were whatever he said they
[24:07]were. you uh rejected his take on these policies. You rejected his version of how things should be at your own risk.
[24:17]Um one reason this is remarkable is yeah, they're coming forward and as you underscored, this is a nonpolitical nonpartisan movement. As we heard um one
[24:28]of the survivors saying there, this is um this is not a Democratic um issue. This is not uh a Republican issue. And she also pointedly said, and it is not a
[24:39]hoax, a clear shot across the bow once again to Donald Trump, a man for whom she said she had voted. Um that as he has called it, a Democratic hoax hoax. Donald Trump in the past pitching the
[24:50]Jeffrey Epste issue is little more than a petty weapon being wielded and brandished by his opponents to get at him uh at him who had absolutely nothing to do with Epste. What's very
[25:01]interesting today and we heard um illusions to this before is all of a sudden the abruptness of this of this switch of this about face not only on Trump's part but on the part of the
[25:12]Republican party and I am going to specify on the part of the Republicans in Congress who have now tended to to go in lock step with Donald Trump are now
[25:22]distancing themselves from any efforts to ever block this legislation from going through from being voted on as it's about to be uh today or even to sloww walk it to slow it down. They're
[25:34]distancing themselves. It's almost like who me not not I I never did that when in fact the entire party virtually as a block did oppose any measure so long as Trump was in opposition to it to release
[25:45]these files. Now when Trump has given his blessing suddenly to going forth to this legislation in the face of what is an inevitability he cannot stop it. The Republican party basically all on board
[25:56]with the narrative. I would call it I would call it a revisionist narrative. We were always for releasing these files and bringing Donald Trump on board with this narrative saying and our president
[26:08]who has nothing to do with Jeffrey Epstein was also always on board with releasing these files. It is a revisionist narrative. It is factually incorrect. The truth of the matter is the vast majority of the Republican
[26:20]party with very few exceptions were for keeping these files locked down. unless it was about uh going after Democrats, as Donald Trump said this week, telling the Justice Department to investigate
[26:32]Democrats with alleged ties to Jeffrey Epstein. So, this really is um it's a smoke screen. Um it is uh it is an about face on many people's part, but the
[26:43]narrative that we are hearing today, this new narrative that we were always behind the release of these files and that we're now and then the whole party about to overwhelmingly invoke in favor of their release, this is very new. This
[26:54]is this is very >> in a minute about what what might be released, how it might be released, the actual uh details of that, but you've touched on of course the the the huge
[27:04]political ructions behind this. One of the people we heard speaking there, of course, was Marjgerie Taylor Green, the Republican congresswoman from Georgia. She's become quite well known outside the United States. That looked almost
[27:16]like a a presidential pitch. She was very clearly saying, "I stood up uh uh with all the resistance I had, with all the intimidation I had. Donald Trump
[27:26]called me a traitor." Has he lost control of >> Well, first of all, seeing, you're absolutely right. Seeing Marjorie Taylor Green, the most loyal foot soldier to Donald Trump in the past, if ever
[27:38]there's a loyal foot soldier, it's Marjorie Taylor Green. Uh she was pure blood maga, pureb blood Trump. And on many issues, she perhaps still is. This is the one issue. Well, there are
[27:49]several others. She had been critical of Republicans in in in recent weeks and months. On other issues as well, the Gaza war, she she had called it a genocide. Uh she broke with the Republican party very signally and
[28:00]notably um amid the government shutdown, the recent government shutdown. It's now reopened. Uh especially with regard to Republicans approach to health care, ending those Obama era uh health
[28:10]subsidies uh for lowerincome Americans, for ordinary Americans in general. She was critical of Donald Trump's decision to strike Iran. Those were foreign policy issues, but it did show that this
[28:21]doesn't come out of nowhere. Um, she has been slowly in in different ways signaling that she is an independent woman. She has her independent views. Even though she has been viewed through
[28:32]this very, you might say, cliched prism of Marjorie Taylor, Marjorie Taylor Green is hardwired, attached at the hip to Donald Trump, she has shown in ways uh, big and small that she's not. And
[28:44]this is perhaps the biggest issue in which she has broken ranks. And what she did interestingly is she has perhaps more credibility than almost anyone else. I will I will go out on a limb and say almost anyone else in the entire
[28:55]MAGA movement because she's not some moderate Republican. She was not some what uh you know Donald Trump might view as a wishy-washy Republican, a soft Republican. She was hardcore. I said
[29:06]before she was pure pure bread. So when she comes out and she says that she believes that as a patriotic American, she has to stand with these women. She
[29:17]has to defend these women because it's about defending America patriotism and it's about defending Americans. When she says that, there's really nothing you can say back to her. There's nothing
[29:28]plausible that Donald Trump can say to her when he calls her a traitor. Um, you know, when you see her standing there and herself saying, "I stand with these women. I'm protecting women. Uh I'm
[29:39]protecting Americans and America America and Americans. There's really very little you can do, even if you're Donald Trump, at this moment in time, to push back on that. He's called her a traitor.
[29:49]In recent days, there have been uh uh reported threats to uh a pipe uh pipe bomb scare to uh her construction company. Uh hours later, local police in Rome, Georgia, where Marjgerie Taylor
[30:00]Green lives, they reported a death threat uh to her son. Uh, so when she says that she has now been in sort of this new bubble of of threats, the types of threats that often you have to really
[30:11]be perceived as a as an enemy or opponent of Trump, usually Democrats are on the receiving end of these types of threats. The fact that Marjorie Taylor Green now feels like she is endangered,
[30:22]that she is jeopardized, that she is the target of these threats, that is really saying a lot. And a lot of Americans, a lot of Americans watching her say these things today, it will be quite a reality
[30:32]check if Marjgerie Taylor Green can say these things. It is in a sense in a sense it gives a green light or um broader permission to more people who
[30:43]might have sat on the f fence right now within the MAGA movement within the Republican party to do what she's done and break ranks and come out. I'm being told that we are out of time for now, Doug, but you will be with us later on
[30:54]and can talk more about what might be released, might what might be in it uh uh in our next