Rep. Nancy Mace left a House Oversight Committee meeting with Jeffrey Epstein survivors Tuesday after suffering a “full blown panic attack” while listening to their stories.
The South Carolina Republican was visibly shaken and wiping tears as she walked past reporters at the Capitol.
She refused to answer questions but later posted on X about her early departure.
Since it’s already being reported – Yes I left the Oversight briefing with Epstein victims early.
As a recent survivor (not 2 years in), I had a very difficult time listening to their stories. Full blown panic attack. Sweating. Hyperventilating. Shaking. I can’t breathe.
I…
— Nancy Mace (@NancyMace) September 2, 2025
Six Epstein accusers met with committee members for two hours Tuesday. Committee Chairman James Comer and House Speaker Mike Johnson attended the closed-door session as part of the Republican-led investigation into how federal agencies mishandled the Epstein case.
Lawmakers learned “additional names” of people who could provide more information about the convicted sex trafficker, who died under mysterious circumstances while in jail in 2019.
“There was outrage. It was both — I would describe it as heartbreaking and infuriating. That justice has been delayed so long,” Johnson said after the meeting.
Mace has spoken publicly about being a sexual assault survivor. In February, she made a House floor speech accusing her ex-fiance Patrick Bryant and three other men of sexual crimes against her and other women.
Mace said she found over 10,000 videos and photos on Bryant’s phone showing evidence of rape and abuse. Bryant and the other men deny the allegations.
The Oversight Committee has subpoenaed Justice Department records on Epstein and released thousands of pages in recent weeks, most of which was already public.
The Justice Department said in July there was no evidence Epstein kept a “client list” and reasserted that Epstein killed himself in prison.
Reps. Thomas Massie and Ro Khanna have a discharge petition to force release of all government Epstein files. The petition needs 218 signatures to force a House vote. Four Republicans lawmakers have signed so far, including Reps. Mace, Lauren Boebert, and Marjorie Taylor Greene.
Johnson said the meeting was meant to hear directly from victims and ensure transparency.
“Yes, it’s for us to hear from them, to express our deep sympathy for what they’ve been made to endure,” he said. “And ensure that we have been and always will be for maximum transparency, for justice to be brought for all those engaged in these evils.”
Epstein victims later held a press conference, where one said the survivors were compiling their own Epstein client list and would share it soon. Take a look —
🚨BREAKING: Epstein victims and survivors announce they will be releasing their own client list:
“We know the names. Many of us were abused by them. We will compile the names we all know were regularly in the Epstein world.”
pic.twitter.com/aI7hCTaU8e— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) September 3, 2025