On Tuesday, September 2, 2025, Representative Nancy Mace from South Carolina had to leave a private meeting in Congress about Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse because she suffered what she described as a panic attack. She told reporters she was crying, shaking, sweating, and couldn’t breathe. This private meeting was arranged by the House Oversight Committee to let survivors of Epstein’s abuse tell their stories directly to lawmakers.
This drew extra attention because earlier this year, Mace had told the public she was also a survivor of sexual assault. She has spoken out about men she said abused women, and one of them sued her, but a judge dismissed the case based on her role in Congress.
After the panic attack, Mace posted on social media saying that hearing the survivors’ stories was overwhelming for her. Now, survivors are planning a press conference on Capitol Hill to ask Congress to release more records and pass stronger laws to improve transparency and help fight human trafficking. Some members of Congress are also pushing to force a vote to make more Epstein-related documents public.
What’s the “Epstein List”?
There’s something people call the “Epstein list.” It’s not an actual single list, but more like a nickname for a bunch of court documents—like flight logs, depositions, emails, and contact lists—that mention people connected to Jeffrey Epstein. These documents came out of a lawsuit years ago involving Epstein’s former partner, Ghislaine Maxwell.
The records name about 150 to 200 people, including celebrities, politicians, and other public figures. Some of the names include former presidents, royalty, lawyers, and entertainers. But being mentioned doesn’t mean someone committed a crime—it just means their name showed up in connection to Epstein.
The Department of Justice has said there is no secret “client list” and no evidence of blackmail tied to these records. Still, many survivors believe not all the truth has come out. Some survivors have even started making their own version of an Epstein list using flight logs and other documents, because they feel the government has not been fully open.
Why It Matters
- The Epstein files and so-called list have become a big part of the national conversation about who was connected to Epstein.
- Courts have unsealed many of the records, but debates continue about what should remain secret to protect victims or fairness.
- Law enforcement collected huge amounts of data—photos, videos, flight logs, emails—but not all of it has been made public.
- Survivors want Congress to release more records and create stronger protections against trafficking. The private meeting where Nancy Mace had her panic attack was one step in that process.
In Summary
On September 2, 2025, Representative Nancy Mace left a closed-door briefing with Epstein survivors because she had a panic attack. She later said it was because hearing the survivors’ painful experiences was too much for her. She is also a survivor of assault, which made the meeting especially emotional for her.
At the same time, the idea of the “Epstein list” continues to stir debate. It includes names of many famous people found in court documents, but being on it doesn’t mean guilt. Survivors and lawmakers are now pushing for more transparency, accountability, and action to help victims.