WNEM: Congresswoman McDonald Rivet on vote to release Epstein files

LANSING, Mich. (WNEM) – Before the House voted on a bill to release all unclassified materials related to the Epstein files, we spoke to Congresswoman Kristen McDonald Rivet about the release, and what it could mean.

McDonald Rivet said the vote was long overdue.

“What we’re looking at is a sex trafficking ring that involved some of the most notable men across the country,” said McDonald Rivet. “And the victims have asked for years to have those files released so they could have some justice, and we owe that to them.”

That is why McDonald Rivet joined 426 other members in the U.S. House of Representatives to approve a bill that requires the attorney general to make public all unclassified materials related to the case of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

“It’s unfortunate that we had to get to a place where we had to procedurally force this,” said McDonald Rivet. “We were fought by the White House and this administration over and over and over again to try to hide these names and hide the extent to which this sex trafficking ring pervaded every aspect of the country.”

President Donald Trump has signaled that he would sign the bill if it clears the House and Senate.

“If the president were in favor of releasing these, he could just order it,” said McDonald Rivet. “It does not require a congressional act. The congressional act is happening, this vote is happening because he refused to release those statements.”

The bill now moves on to the Senate, and if approved there, the president’s desk.

Even if the Epstein files tied to the bill are released, it is not known if there will be more questions than answers.

“It remains to be seen,” said McDonald Rivet. “I am a little bit; I have a little bit of a raised eyebrow about the belief that we’re going to see everything in those files. We hear what statements that are coming from the administration, from the White House, they’re using phrases like ‘we’ll release what we’re legally able to.’ But ‘legally able to’ tends to mean that there will be files that are withheld. And that has been the excuse all summer long. The reason we are staying so close to the victims on this is that they are the people who are going to be able to tell us whether or not everything is in those files or not.”

House members leading the effort to release the Epstein files have called for the Senate to take up the bill without amending it. House Speaker Mike Johnson is already calling on changes to be made in the Senate.