Release the Epstein Files

I just read an article in Wired.com* about a California high school student and his recent homework assignment that almost created a legal crisis. The class was tasked with telling a news story in the form of a slideshow on the school’s Instagram account. Casting about for inspiration, he came up with the idea of finding out if any of his very wealthy, Marin County neighbors were mentioned in the notorious Epstein Files.

An evening’s search of the federal database turned up quite a few links to local communities, businesses and personalities. Most were clearly routine, even trivial, but a few stood out, including a 2013 email exchange between Mr. Epstein and a local modeling agency. One disturbing passage discussed bringing an “Austrian model” to meet Mr. Epstein that evening, and a request to “let me know how I can get my fees.”

Posting the story titled, “Which Marin towns were mentioned in the Epstein files?” the student invited his readers to, “Scroll to see how many times your town was mentioned.” Instead of quoting the troubling citation he edited it to read, “Mill Valley was mentioned in the context of providing models to Epstein from a woman named Gisele Attias Bonnouvrier.”

A week and a half later, this person threatened to sue the school district for character defamation. The school contacted an attorney with the national Student Press Law Center who reassured them, “Her name is in the Epstein Files - no lawyer is going to represent her in this case.”

This suggests a way forward for Epstein’s victims who’ve been awaiting long-denied justice. “No lawyer is going to represent you if your name appears in the Epstein Files.” This is not a legal dictum from Blackstone’s Commentaries, and trial verdicts often depend on who can afford better lawyers. Still, this might work. What if the Epstein victims banded together and started naming names? This might render moot all of DOJ’s stonewalling by its selective release and unnecessary redaction of these files.

Those who are named will undoubtedly hire the best lawyers and public relations firms money can buy to sue and shame the victims. But in so doing, they make themselves the plaintiffs, and the victims the defendants. This places the onus on them to prove their names are not in the Epstein Files. The only way to do that is to release the unredacted files. I suspect those whose names appear more often and with greater notoriety will soon lean heavily on their co-plaintiffs to drop their suits.

Although this gambit might not spare the victims being publicly shamed and humiliated, even here there is hope. There is rising public animosity toward the rich and powerful. It is supported by the MAGA base’s frustrated hopes for the files release as first encouraged, then betrayed by President Trump. This hostility may well play out in the court of public opinion through vilification of law offices and PR firms representing those named as sexual predators, plus advertising campaigns by major companies that highlight their boycott of these firms.

Now is the time to offer the victims renewed hope. Especially after the U.S. Senate’s confirmation of Trump’s personal attorney Todd Blanche to collateral duties as U.S. Attorney General, we can support the victims through a campaign of public support for them to name names and dare their abusers to demand release of the files to prove their innocence.

Justice delayed is justice denied. They’ve waited far too long.

* Ara Rosenthal, “A Teen Reporter Searched for His Community in the Epstein Files. Adults Freaked Out”, July 22, 2026