Epstein assault survivor Liz Stein protests outside closed-door interrogation session with former Justice Secretary Pam Bondi (Getty)
Afrasianet - Buthaina Firas - As the midterm elections for the U.S. Congress approach, the case of Jeffrey Epstein, a U.S. financier convicted of sex crimes, has become a central focus of the electoral battle, with Democrats using it in their campaigns against Republicans and mounting demands to release the documents and hold those responsible for withholding them accountable.
In an article published in the British newspaper The Guardian, American lawyer and independent journalist Katie Fang says the case has become a test of accountability in the United States, and an opportunity for voters to hold powerful people accountable.
Fang is based on previous pledges by US President Donald Trump and figures close to him to release the files, before backing down from this position after coming to power.
"The Democrats' report confirms that the Trump administration took measures to withhold information and obstruct the disclosure of the circumstances of the case, under the pretext of protecting the president who is personally involved in a sex trafficking network"
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In July 2025, the Justice Department and the FBI announced that they had found no list of Epstein's agents, nor evidence to warrant new investigations with third parties, and that they would not release further documents.
According to a poll conducted by the GPAO in September, 88 percent of Americans who plan to vote in the midterm elections prioritize candidates who pledge to hold influential people accountable, including the publication of the full Epstein files.
Advertisement in Washington, D.C., shows a letter Epstein wrote about Trump saying "of course he knew about girls" (Reuters)
The article also quotes a Reuters poll earlier this year that found that 69 percent of Americans believe the files reveal that influential figures in the United States are rarely held accountable for their actions.
In April, Fang filed a lawsuit against the Justice Department for violating the Administrative Procedure Act and the Epstein Files Transparency Act, after U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche illegally withheld and redacted documents and information during the publication of 3.5 million pages of Epstein documents.
On June 25, 2026, federal Judge Emmett Sullivan issued a decision saying Blanche had not provided an appropriate response to the arguments raised, deemed his position to include an acknowledgment of a violation of the Epstein Files Transparency Act, and ordered the delivery of specific documents without redaction.
Fang says the Justice Department then continued to procrastinate, failing to comply with court orders and deadlines.
These developments acquire electoral importance as transparency and accountability become two topics through which the opposition can link the issue to the performance and credibility of the administration.
U.S. Senate confirmed Todd Blanche as justice secretary in President Trump's administration on Aug 9, 2026 (Reuters)
A weapon in the hands of the Democrats
In an analysis published by the British newspaper iPepper titled "Trump's Enemies Made This Election Epstein's Election," journalist Daniel Bates observes how Democrats seek to use Epstein's case to pressure President Donald Trump and his party.
Bates notes that Democrats published a 53-page report titled "The Case Against Donald Trump in the Epstein Files," more than a week before the election, detailing Trump's relationship with Epstein, which spanned more than a decade during the 1990s and the first decade of the 21st century.
"According to a CNN analysis, more than 160 Epstein-related election ads aired during the 2026 election, at a cost of $35 million"
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The Democrats' report confirms that the Trump administration took measures to withhold information and obstruct the disclosure of the circumstances of the case, under the pretext of protecting the president, who is personally involved in the sex trafficking network.
The Democrats' report shows that the Trump administration withheld documents, refrained from prosecuting other parties in the case, and transferred Ghislaine Maxwell, who was convicted of child trafficking for Epstein, to a less rigorous prison, amid speculation that she might receive a presidential pardon.
Banners show a photo of Trump and Epstein saying "Make America safe again" in Washington, D.C. (Associated Press)
160 election ads
According to a CNN analysis, more than 160 Epstein-related election ads were aired during the 2026 election, at a cost of $35 million, compared to just three ads, costing $470,000, in the 2024 presidential election, all of which were in local races.
The ads targeted Republican candidates, including Ken Paxton of Texas and Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith of Mississippi, and the family of Virginia Giuffre, one of the most prominent of those who have accused Epstein and Prince Andrew of sexual assault, appeared in an ad against a Republican candidate in Colorado.
Bates argues that restoring the Democrats' majority in the House could open a new phase of investigations, as it would allow them to control influential committees, such as the Oversight Committee, and use parliamentary subpoena powers to demand additional documents and testimony. Democratic lawmakers have previously said the issue will be among their priorities.
The analysis concludes that Epstein's case has gone beyond a previous criminal scandal to become a political test for the Trump administration, in parallel with the cost of living issues and the war with Iran.
Source: iPaper + The Guardian
