Members of Congress were recently allowed to view unredacted names from the Epstein files, and some couldn’t wait to run to the microphones. Democrat Rep. Ro Khanna and Republican Rep. Thomas Massie said they found six previously redacted names, which Massie described as men “likely incriminated” by their appearance in the files.
Khanna went even further, claiming the men were “wealthy, powerful” figures the Department of Justice had hidden — then read their names aloud on the House floor. Bold move. Unfortunately, accuracy didn’t come along for the ride.
There was just one small problem: four of those men had no connection to Jeffrey Epstein at all. According to reporting by The Guardian, those individuals were merely used in a New York photo lineup. Their names appeared in the files for that reason — not because they were involved in Epstein’s crimes. So much for “wealthy and powerful.”
After the reporting came out, Khanna tried shifting blame to the DOJ, admitting the men “were just part of a photo line-up and are not connected to Epstein’s crimes.” He criticized the department for creating confusion and failing to protect innocent people. Interesting defense, considering it wasn’t the DOJ that went to the House floor and accused them — that was Khanna.
This is what happens when politicians read random names in massive files without understanding context. The Epstein case involves millions of documents, and the DOJ still has to verify what relates to criminal conduct and what does not. Context matters — a concept apparently optional in Washington.
Massie later said he had mentioned the lineup possibility during a CNN interview, though even there, the implication remained that the DOJ was shielding powerful figures.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche wasn’t amused. He scolded Khanna, saying, “The ‘problem’ is that you didn’t come to us, but immediately ran to X and the House floor and made false accusations about four men while we were checking the facts.” Blanche also noted that the two men who did have contact with Epstein were already named elsewhere in the files, meaning no one was hiding their association.
The episode shows the danger of political grandstanding with incomplete information — especially when innocent people get dragged through the mud for attention. But there is a bright side: the facts came out, the mistakes were exposed, and the truth still matters more than viral soundbites. And in the end, accountability — not theatrics — is what keeps justice alive.
