America watched as a tiny fraction of the 1000+ Epstein victims shared their stories on the steps of the U.S. Capitol. It was difficult to hear them at times, since Donald Trump scheduled a military flyover at the exact moment they were scheduled to speak. Anyone who believes it’s a coincidence of timing that USAF F-35 fighters performed a missing man formation directly over the head of Epstein survivor Chauntae Davies as she spoke about how “Epstein had an eight by 10 picture frame of Trump on his desk” because “they were very close” is missing the plot.
This week the women spoke bravely, sometimes emotionally, and in the most detail we’ve yet heard about their horrific experiences. Some went on to give more extensive interviews: Annie Farmer telling NPR the government has never once spoken to the victims, and Jena-Lisa Jones describing to Lawrence O’Donnell her disappointment in Trump calling the Epstein case “a hoax” even after she, as a lifelong Republican, voted for him.
In watching the news conference yesterday, a bipartisan effort organized by Reps. Thomas Massie, R-KY, and Ro Khanna, D-CA, and hearing the stories of the women, I had a tough time seeing Marjorie Taylor Greene standing just to the side of them on camera. While I respect the support and recognize her bravery, Lauren Boebert, Nancy Mace, and any other loyalists who dare defy the throne to do the right thing instead of defending their wannabe dictator felon, it was difficult seeing Greene at the podium beside survivors.
The motives of Greene aren’t pure. It shouldn’t be forgotten that she voted alongside Matt Goetz against a human trafficking bill that was set to combat international sex tourism travel by convicted child sex offenders and boost funding for survivors. She also voted against the Respect for Child Survivors Act, a bipartisan bill intended to establish multidisciplinary FBI teams (including mental health and advocacy professionals) to support survivors of child sexual abuse and reduce re-traumatization during the legal process.
And although it’s great she and fellow GOP Rep. Nancy Mace agree on supporting Epstein survivors now, she publicly attacked Mace, a rape survivor, for supporting rape and incest exceptions in abortion restrictions—calling Mace “trash” and “pro-abortion,” despite Mace’s trauma-informed position on the issue.
Forgive me for not applauding Greene’s appearance alongside these survivors, as she’s consistently stopped short of tying her “fearless leader” Trump to their victimization when there is countless evidence of it, even in the skies above her. The dissension in the MAGAverse ranks is popcorn-worthy. Ghoulish Trumpkin Laura Loomer threatened to show a tattletale screenshot of MTG standing near a “#pedo47” sign from the news conference directly to the commander-in-chief, shrilling, “It’s time for Marjorie Traitor Greene to be kicked out of MAGA for being the phony fraud she’s always been!”
How does one get “kicked out of MAGA?” Is there a weekly fire ring ceremony, like on Survivor, where flames are dramatically extinguished and if so, could a reality show be considered so we could watch? Mo and Massie are just a few votes short of getting the files released despite theatrical military flyovers, unconstitutional Democratic city military invasions, random wars, Rosie O’Donnell citizenship revocation threats, death watch rumors and other staged distractions by 47. Trump knows the Epstein files are the one bipartisan, inexcusable thing he can’t escape.