Release the Epstein Files — Secrecy Is Not Protection

I am writing to demand that you reject the argument advanced by Mike Johnson, who has stated that disclosure of the Epstein files must be limited in order to “protect the political system.” That claim is not reasonable. It is avoidance—and it undermines public trust rather than preserving it. Investigative files are not verdicts, but neither are they state secrets by default. The legal system already has well-established tools to release information responsibly: redaction of victim identities, clear labeling of uncharged individuals, and judicial oversight to prevent harm to ongoing cases. Presenting this as a choice between total secrecy and reckless disclosure is a false dilemma. This case is exceptional. Jeffrey Epstein’s crimes involved documented prosecutorial failures, an unlawful non-prosecution agreement, and credible evidence that wealth and influence distorted justice. When institutional failure is part of the record, withholding information to “protect the system” becomes circular reasoning. A system cannot investigate its own misconduct in secret and then ask the public to trust the result. Secrecy does not protect democracy—selective secrecy protects institutions from accountability. Transparency, applied lawfully and carefully, is how democratic systems correct abuse, restore legitimacy, and deter future misconduct. Without disclosure, there is no way to evaluate whether public officials abused discretion, whether laws were ignored, or what reforms are necessary to prevent repetition. Protecting victims and protecting due process are essential. But those goals do not require indefinite suppression of facts. They require responsible disclosure. The burden in a constitutional system is not on the public to accept secrecy—it is on government to justify it narrowly and convincingly. That burden has not been met. I am asking you to act now by: • Publicly rejecting the claim that secrecy is necessary to “protect the political system” • Supporting the lawful release of the remaining Epstein files with appropriate redactions • Using Congress’s oversight authority to ensure full accountability for past failures Democracy is not threatened by truth. It is threatened when institutions ask for silence instead of accountability. I expect you, as my elected representative, to act accordingly.