Annie Farmer, who testified that she was sexually abused by Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell when she was 16 years old, said Congress’ vote on the Epstein files “feels like a victory, a long overdue victory.”
Both chambers of Congress passed a bill that would force the release of the Justice Department’s Epstein files following President Trump’s signature.
Farmer said she believes the files contain information “that we have not heard before.”
“In terms of names of people that not only participated in these crimes but the people that enabled the crimes and the people that funded the crimes,” she told “CBS Mornings” on Wednesday.
The Senate unanimously approved the Epstein Files Transparency Act to compel the documents release, following the House’s 427 to 1 vote. The passage comes after months of opposition by many Republicans, including Mr. Trump, who recently changed his stance.
“I think that they felt pressure to get on the right side of history here because it was becoming so clear that this wasn’t going away, that people cared about it,” Farmer said.
“I feel hopeful”
Now, Farmer is hopeful for transparency, adding Tuesday’s moment was bittersweet because of what it took to get there.
“I feel hopeful not because I have a lot of trust in the political process, but because of what I’ve seen, what is possible when people come together and demand something and pressure is placed by the American people here,” she said. “I appreciate everyone who spoke out about this.”
But she admitted she still has concerns about getting full transparency.
Farmer’s sister, Maria, who is also a survivor of Epstein’s abuse and was one of the first in 1996 to report it to law enforcement, has made Freedom of Information Act requests for documents related to investigations of Epstein over the years.
“The things that have been released have been heavily redacted and, therefore, you know, really not very helpful,” Farmer said.
Earlier this month, Mr. Trump asked the Department of Justice to investigate Epstein’s ties to prominent Democrats, even though the FBI said over the summer that they had conducted an “exhaustive review” of Epstein-related materials and “did not uncover evidence that could predicate an investigation against uncharged third parties.”
“So these files should be available now. They should not be tied up in any kind of investigation,” she said. “But we’re concerned about things like that, that might get in the way of what we’re looking for.”
Maxwell’s sentence
Farmer testified at Maxwell’s trial in 2021. A key accuser in the trial, Farmer said that she went to Epstein’s New Mexico ranch in 1996 hoping he and Maxwell would help with academic endeavors. Farmer told jurors at the trial that Maxwell allegedly massaged her breasts and Epstein climbed into bed with her without her permission.
Earlier this month, CBS News reported Maxwell planned to ask Mr. Trump to commute her sentence, according to documents obtained by Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee.
“She needs to serve her full sentence,” Farmer said about Maxwell, who was sentenced to 20 years in prison in 2022 for her role in the Epstein sex abuse case.
“She harmed so many more than just individuals that were involved in the trial and so I think to now see her getting this special treatment and potentially be receiving some kind of pardon, it’s really unfathomable,” Farmer said.
In a letter from Democrats to Mr. Trump, which was seen by CBS News, the lawmakers alleged Maxwell was receiving preferential treatment.
“Federal law enforcement staff working at the camp have been waiting on Ms. Maxwell hand and foot,” says the letter signed by Rep. Jamie Raskin, the ranking Democrat on the committee.
“I think it’s absolutely disgusting that she’s getting this preferential treatment,” Farmer said.
Maxwell’s attorneys have denied she is trying to get her sentence reduced and that she is receiving preferential treatment, saying, “It is clear that no effort to fact check the credibility or veracity of the so-called ‘whistleblower’ was made.”
Justice and healing
Farmer said what justice looks like is “a complicated question.”
“A big part of it is just recognition of what actually happened here,” she said.
She said her sister Maria hasn’t been given any protections as a whistleblower and has been threatened.
“I think just the acknowledgment that, ‘wow, what you did was so brave and this didn’t need to happen.’ That there have been mistakes made over and over by law enforcement that we don’t want those things to continue happening,” she said.
She added, “I think the systemic institutional betrayals have not gotten the attention they deserve and those things we really do need to investigate in order to prevent.”
