Epstein survivor Annie Farmer describes victims' "bittersweet" feelings about release of files
Congress is sending President Trump a bill that would force the Justice Department to release its case files on Jeffrey Epstein.
With the president's signature, the bill would force Attorney General Pam Bondi to release most everything the DOJ has collected over multiple investigations into Epstein and his now-jailed co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell.
The DOJ says Epstein abused more than 1,000 victims. Among them was Annie Farmer, who says she was just 16 years old when Epstein and Maxwell targeted her.
"We weren't able to be dismissed"
Farmer told CBS News New York's Jessica Moore about the first moment she truly felt hope after decades of fighting for justice.
"It's a mix of emotions, for sure. We are incredibly proud of what has been accomplished, especially because there were so many people that were naysayers," she said. "We're proud, we're relieved, but it's also bittersweet because there's people that aren't here to see this."
What started as a group of four House Republicans ballooned into a nearly unanimous vote to release the Justice Department's trove of files on Epstein.
It's also an astounding reversal by Mr. Trump.
"What the Epstein is, is a Democrat hoax," he said Wednesday.
Farmer responded to the president's comment, saying, "It was very bothersome."
"But what I said was, if there's misinformation about this case — which I agree, there has been misinformation — then the best way to dispel that is to give us the facts, right? To give us the files," she continued. "It was a way to try to dismiss us, but we weren't able to be dismissed."
"We're holding a breath a little bit"
Farmer was asked if she believes the release of all the files will lead to transparency.
"I think that it's hard for a lot of us to trust in the government at this point because of everything that's happened in this case," she said. "I will believe it when I see it. Many of us now, we feel very hopeful, and we feel like we're holding a breath a little bit to see what does it mean to get this released. What are they gonna give us?"
The bill requires victims' names be redacted and prohibits the DOJ from withholding certain files for reputational or political sensitivity.
"We're seeing that the people that are in these files are in positions of power — in academia, in the media, in the government — and so they should face scrutiny and they should face consequences for enabling and being involved with Epstein and this group," Farmer said. "I'm glad that they're not gonna get off that way."
"Another example of really what people are so disgusted with"
Farmer feels Maxwell, however, is getting off easy. She described Epstein's co-conspirator as an equal abuser and particularly cruel.
"I've been alarmed by what's happened in that case, by her transfer, hearing about her special treatment. I think it's another example of really what people are so disgusted with, which is people in power, there being a separate set of rules for them, right?" she said. "And so I hope that all the attention that this brings means that she does not have her sentence commuted and that she actually serves it like anyone else with that crime would serve it."
Farmer added that if she could give her 16-year-old self a message, she would say, "It's OK to talk about what happened, tell someone. It wasn't your fault. You didn't do anything wrong."
Survivors say they hope to be inside the Oval Office when the president signs the legislation. The DOJ will then have 30 days to release the files once that happens.