Security at the Republican National Convention kicked a trio of Epstein survivors out of the event after a journalist they were accompanying dared to ask a House candidate about the Epstein files.
Independent journalistTara Palmeriwent through the proper channels to attend the event, acquiring a press pass and event credentials to enter the unprecedented “Trump-a-palooza.” Palmeri’s four guests—her producer and the three survivors, who were already in town to attend theEpstein Files Reading Room—did the same.
But the full authorization wasn’t enough to protect them from being spontaneously escorted out of the Dallas arena. Palmeri also documented what happened to them on herSubstack.
The group hit a snag just three minutes after they walked into the event space. That’s when Palmeri questioned Robert Burke, a Republican running to represent the greater Boston suburbs, about his position on Epstein’s crimes and the government’s protracted rollout of the files.
“That’s a great topic,” Burke said, as soon as Palmeri informed him she was surrounded by several Epstein survivors. “Because we really need to know what actually happened.”
Burke then prompted the survivors to throw him some questions. One approached the microphone and asked if he would support holding anybody that participated in Epstein’s crimes accountable, regardless of their party affiliation.
“I don’t care who they are, unlawful touching is unlawful touching. Consent is consent,” Burke said. He then added, unprompted, that one of his friends represented Epstein as well as Ghislaine Maxwell, though he declined to offer up the name of the individual.
Palmeri then redirected the conversation back toward the unreleased files, asking why Donald Trump “didn’t want to release the Epstein files.” The Justice Department has released roughly three million pages from the collection, but officials have alsoadmittedthat the sprawling investigation collected more than six million pages, suggesting that a mere 50 percent of the documents have been released since Congress ordered the administration to do so last year.
But Burke only wanted to speak about Joe Biden.
“But here’s the thing—the buck stops where?” asked Palmeri in response.
“The Department of Justice,” said Burke.
“And who controls the Department of Justice?” she pressed.
“Trump does,” said Burke, though he noted that he disagreed with the “premise” of Palmeri’s argument.
Burke then said that those who participated in Epstein’s crimes should be held accountable, “no matter who they are.”
“What if it’s President Trump?” asked Palmeri. “He was friends with [Epstein] for years, he’s mentioned thousands of times in the files. What if it’s him?”
