Epstein survivors to attend Trump’s State of the Union as section of Democrats boycott speech
WASHINGTON, DC: A number of survivors of the crimes of disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein are expected to attend President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address at Capitol Hill on Tuesday, February 24, appearing as guests of Democratic members of Congress.
Dani Bensky will attend as the guest of Chuck Schumer. Sharlene Rochard is slated to attend with Rep Emily Randall of Washington, while Liz Stein will be the guest of Rep Teresa Leger Fernandez of New Mexico, CNN reported citing sources.
Virginia Giuffre's family to attend Trump's address
Democratic Reps Jamie Raskin and Suhas Subramanyam announced on Friday, February 20, that Sky and Amanda Roberts would be their guests for the address.
The pair are the brother and sister-in-law of Virginia Roberts Giuffre, one of the most prominent Epstein survivors, who have publicly detailed her case.
Lawmakers have long used State of the Union invitations to spotlight issues they see as nationally significant.
The presence of multiple Epstein survivors in the House chamber comes amid renewed scrutiny following the Justice Department’s partial release of millions of files related to Epstein, an action that has triggered international attention and controversy.
Trump was once socially acquainted with Epstein but has not been accused of wrongdoing related to the disgraced financier.
Democrats to boycott speech for ‘people’s State of the Union’
At the same time, at least a dozen Democratic lawmakers are skipping the address altogether, opting instead to participate in a “People’s State of the Union” rally at the National Mall.
The event is being organized by MoveOn Civic Action in partnership with progressive media company MeidasTouch and other allies.
Organizers describe the gathering as a form of counterprogramming to what they characterize as a speech filled with “lies and misplaced priorities.”
Maryland Sen Chris Van Hollen, who is slated to appear at the rally, said last week that he would not attend the State of the Union.
“Trump is marching America towards fascism, and I refuse to normalize his shredding of our Constitution & democracy. This cannot be business as usual,” he wrote on social media.
Those choosing to skip the president’s address include Senetaros Ed Markey of Massachusetts, Jeff Merkley of Oregon, Chris Murphy of Connecticut and Tina Smith of Minnesota, along with Reps Yassamin Ansari of Arizona, Becca Balint of Vermont, Greg Casar and Veronica Escobar of Texas, Pramila Jayapal of Washington state, Delia Ramirez of Illinois and Bonnie Watson Coleman of New Jersey.
