Congresswoman Nancy Mace was visibly emotional as she left a private meeting with victims of Jeffrey Epstein on Tuesday, cutting her time short. Photos captured the South Carolina Republican wiping away tears outside the Government Reform Committee in Washington, D.C., where victims shared their harrowing stories. When approached by reporters, Mace shook her head, clearly overwhelmed.
On her social media account, Mace opened up about why she left early, revealing the intense emotional toll the session took on her. “As a recent survivor (not even two years in), listening to their stories triggered a full-blown panic attack sweating, hyperventilating, shaking. I couldn’t breathe,” she wrote. “I feel the immense pain of how hard all victims are fighting for justice because none of us can expect others to fight for us. GOD BLESS ALL SURVIVORS.”
The meeting lasted over two hours and included six Epstein victims meeting with Mace, Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, House Speaker Mike Johnson, and others. The committee is investigating the federal government’s handling of Epstein’s case.
Mace has been a vocal advocate for survivors. Earlier this year, in a powerful House speech, she named four men, including her ex-fiancé, accusing them of “some of the most heinous crimes against women imaginable.” All denied the allegations. “I rise today to call out the cowards who think they can prey on women and get away with it,” she declared, promising to go “scorched earth” in the fight against abuse.
On Tuesday, Mace also addressed former President Donald Trump’s connection to Epstein. “Donald Trump is the one who banned Jeffrey Epstein from Mar-a-Lago,” she said, noting that Epstein was an FBI informant who helped bring Epstein to justice. “So Donald Trump is a hero in this.”
Congress has returned from summer break with the determination to uncover the full scope of Epstein’s crimes and network. Speaker Johnson said the committee would hear from “half a dozen or more” victims this week to push the investigation forward. “The goal is not just to expose Epstein’s evils but to make sure this never happens again and to understand why justice was delayed for so long,” Johnson said. He revealed estimates that as many as 1,000 victims may exist, involving both Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.
The House Oversight Committee released the first batch of documents related to Epstein on Tuesday night over 33,000 files but Democrats argue much of it was previously public. California Rep. Robert Garcia criticized Attorney General Pam Bondi for not fully complying with subpoenas and urged her to release all the files immediately.
Meanwhile, Epstein survivors Teresa Helm and Jess Michaels are set to join Congressmen Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie at a press conference on Capitol Hill Wednesday. Michaels, speaking in an interview Monday, emphasized the need for bipartisan courage on this issue. “No one, on any side of the aisle, should support child sex trafficking or letting perpetrators escape justice,” she said. “We need systems to actually prosecute and stop failing survivors, who have been waiting for justice for decades.”
As the investigation unfolds, emotions run high and lawmakers like Nancy Mace are pushing hard to ensure the voices of survivors are heard loud and clear.
