Rep. Nancy Mace is escalating her push for transparency in the federal investigation tied to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, alleging that the Justice Department is still withholding vast amounts of evidence from the public.
In a Monday appearance on Cuomo, Mace claimed the DOJ has yet to release “terabytes” of data connected to the case, arguing that the scope of Epstein’s crimes may extend far beyond sex trafficking.
“I’ll be the first one to tell you, the DOJ hasn’t released all the files,” Mace said. “We’re talking about terabytes of data. I think millions of more files. Information is being hidden.”
Epstein, who was arrested in 2019 on federal sex trafficking charges and later died in jail while awaiting trial, has long been at the center of speculation about powerful associates and potential co-conspirators. While some court documents have been made public in recent years, Mace argues that critical records remain undisclosed.
The South Carolina Republican, who is currently running for governor, was one of four GOP lawmakers to sign a discharge petition aimed at forcing the release of additional Epstein-related files. She has also criticized the DOJ’s handling of documents released under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, saying many were heavily redacted and lacking meaningful detail.
“This is much bigger than a prostitution and sex trafficking ring,” Mace told host Chris Cuomo, suggesting the investigation may involve alleged financial crimes, including potential Ponzi schemes, and even raising questions about possible connections to federal agents. “Maybe our government didn’t want to investigate it. Didn’t want to.”
Mace went further, speculating publicly about whether Epstein may have had ties to U.S. intelligence operations — a claim for which no evidence has been presented publicly. “That’s why I say I think he was an Intel asset,” she said, arguing that the case being “swept under the rug” defies simple explanation.
Her concerns extend beyond the Justice Department. Earlier this month, Mace wrote to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York seeking access to an unredacted version of a 2019 memo reportedly detailing investigative findings about Epstein’s possible co-conspirators.
She has also formally called on the Central Intelligence Agency to disclose “any and all” records regarding Epstein and his longtime associate Ghislaine Maxwell, who is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence for her role in recruiting and grooming underage girls for Epstein.
In her letter to CIA Director John Ratcliffe, Mace referenced a 2011 Freedom of Information Act request made by Epstein’s attorneys seeking documents that might show any affiliation with the agency. The CIA at the time refused to confirm or deny the existence of such records, citing classification rules — a standard response known as a “Glomar” reply.
“Epstein’s potential ties to the CIA and its operations raise serious questions which require serious answers,” Mace said previously. “The survivors of Epstein’s heinous crimes and the American people deserve complete transparency.”
Mace has repeatedly framed her advocacy through the lens of victims’ rights. A sexual assault survivor herself, she has spoken emotionally about the need for accountability. Last fall, she was seen leaving a House committee meeting with Epstein victims visibly shaken.
Her calls for consequences have extended to high-profile figures associated with Epstein, including Prince Andrew, whom she has said should face criminal accountability.
“Who’s next?” Mace said in a recent statement. “We will not be silenced. We will not back down.”
For now, the DOJ has not publicly responded to Mace’s latest claims regarding unreleased files. But as scrutiny over the Epstein case continues years after his death, Mace is signaling that she intends to keep pressing federal agencies for what she calls full and unfiltered disclosure.
“We will not stop until every co-conspirator, every enabler, and every powerful figure who hid behind wealth and connections is held fully accountable,” she said. “No one is above the law.”
