Senator Marsha Blackburn says Congress must continue to press for convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein's flight logs and other relevant information from the FBI as nearly 200 names linked to the sex predator will soon be unmasked.
The list of names was drawn up in response to a long-settled sex trafficking charge against Epstein accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell, but a judge recently ruled that they should be released.
Several high-profile figures have already been mentioned, including former President Bill Clinton and Prince Andrew. Others are expected to include well-known public figures and Hollywood stars.
While the fully unsealed document will likely take a few more days, Blackburn told DailyMail.com in an exclusive interview that the buzz surrounding the release of the logs is not a matter of “celebrity” but rather “criminal misconduct.”
And she said that while the list is a starting point, Congress can do much more to ensure accountability and justice for Epstein's victims.
The list of names was drawn up based on a long-settled sex trafficking indictment against Epstein accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell
Although the fully unsealed document will take a few more days, Blackburn told DailyMail.com in an exclusive interview that the furore surrounding the release of the logs is not a matter of “celebrity” but rather “criminal misconduct.”
“This is one step, and we have much more to do as we work to end the modern slavery of human trafficking and sex trafficking.”
This isn't “all we need,” Blackburn added, it's “one victim and one set of information.”
Blackburn, who serves on the powerful Senate Judiciary Committee led by Democrat Dick Durbin, has urged the chairman for months to increase pressure to obtain more information about the “pedophiles and predators” who perpetuate sex crimes.
Blackburn, R-Tenn., told DailyMail.com that Congress should issue additional subpoenas to obtain all of Epstein's flight logs — including to the FBI. She says victims have told her the agency has dropped the ball in many of their cases.
“We know there are other parts we're going to need – we need to subpoena these flight logs, we need to subpoena the FBI, we need Maxwell's 'little black book' so we can see who all was involved. sex trafficking ring.”
Blackburn said what she has also heard from some victims is that the FBI did not take their allegations seriously.
She previously questioned FBI Director Chris Wray about this at a hearing in December, and he responded that he had not investigated the case “in a while.”
“Well, the FBI has time for political ventures, but they don't have time to deal with trafficking in women and children. And we want to see what they have,” she said.
“They have video footage of who came and went from the Epstein residences. That is something we need,” Blackburn told DailyMail.com.
She also warned against the assumption that all celebrities and “public figures” who will be on the list are guilty of crimes.
The list will name individuals who “may be accused of misconduct or perhaps accuse Epstein and Maxwell and others of misconduct,” she said.
Or there could have been “witnesses to a crime” from Epstein associates or people who visited his home or flew on his plane.
In total, fifteen on the list were accused of “serious misconduct,” while 90 are said to have been “connected” to Epstein in some way.
The Republican senator sent a letter to Durbin on Wednesday, reiterating her requests to subpoena additional Epstein flight logs and relevant data.
Blackburn says this should be the commission's “first act” when it returns from recess next week.
“I hope I can rely on your commitment to work with me to obtain this data so that we can finally bring transparency to the American people and justice to the women and children that Jeffrey Epstein and his associates trafficked and abused.” , Blackburn writes in the newspaper. letter obtained by DailyMail.com.
Blackburn's underlining effort is to ensure there is more transparency about Epstein's sex ring.
Countless others — including other well-known public figures and once Hollywood royalty — will now be exposed, thanks to the December ruling by a New York federal judge
An infamous photo of Virginia Roberts, Prince Andrew and Ghislaine Maxwell taken at Maxwell's home in London's Belgravia
She said many victims never came forward out of fear, but even more so transparency we achieve in this, the more it will encourage victims to come forward.'
And by getting to the bottom of Epstein's crimes, victims can obtain justice.
'We know that powerful people have been trying to take advantage of young women for forty years. So getting to the bottom of this, getting this information that will bring some transparency and therefore some accountability, will be important.”
Maxwell's attorney Arthur Aidala told NewsNation this week that Maxwell has “no say” about Epstein or the list.
She is currently serving 20 years after being found guilty of sex trafficking and recruiting underage girls for Epstein, who hanged himself in his prison cell in 2019.
