By Democrat Ro Khanna is bringing one of Jeff Epstein’s alleged recruiters to the State of the Union, showing how deranged much of the left has become over the Epstein files.
Either Khanna has oddly taken the Epstein side of the controversy or his staff has no idea how to vet people.
Khanna, a California Democrat and co-author of the Epstein Files Transparency Act, invited Haley Robson as his guest for the joint session. His office described Robson as a “heroic survivor” and said her attendance highlights what Khanna called America’s “two-tiered system of justice.” He has emphasized that the gesture is “not about politics,” but about exposing those who enabled the abuse of underage girls, particularly following the recent arrest in the United Kingdom of Lord Peter Mandelson on allegations tied to Epstein.
Today, the UK arrested Lord Mandelson for his alleged ties to Epstein. But here in the United States of America? Nothing.
Tomorrow, I am bringing Haley Robson, a heroic survivor, to the State of the Union. pic.twitter.com/C4cJtvXHdk
— Ro Khanna (@RoKhanna) February 24, 2026
Robson has said she was trafficked by Epstein beginning at age 16. In recent months she has appeared at Capitol Hill press conferences alongside lawmakers, including Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), calling for additional document releases and renewed investigations into individuals who have not been prosecuted.
But critics argue the narrative is incomplete and misleading.
Police reports from Palm Beach in the mid-2000s and unsealed court documents indicate that Robson received payments—reportedly $200 to $300 per referral—for bringing other underage girls to Epstein’s residence for what were described as massages. Some accounts allege she instructed recruits to lie about their ages and that the encounters could involve nudity or sexual contact, according to reports.
The structure described in those records resembles what prosecutors historically labeled a recruitment pipeline: teenage girls paid per referral, creating a chain that expanded Epstein’s access to minors while insulating him from direct solicitation. The dynamic has prompted some observers to draw comparisons to figures such as Heidi Fleiss, the so-called “Hollywood Madam” of the 1990s, who operated as an intermediary between wealthy clients and sex workers and later described herself as a business operator rather than a trafficker. The analogy, critics argue, underscores the tension in casting someone simultaneously as victim and facilitator.
On social media, legal commentator AG Hamilton and others questioned why Robson should be framed as a “heroic survivor,” contending that doing so risks minimizing the experiences of victims who did not recruit others. One widely shared post argued that elevating Robson for symbolic effect blurs the moral lines of the case.
This is who Ro Khanna is framing as a “heroic survivor” because this is all about politics to him. He never cared about the actual Epstein victims. https://t.co/eg2CJbyJKu pic.twitter.com/jvmbMDnTOm
— AG (@AGHamilton29) February 24, 2026
Khanna’s office has not directly addressed those criticisms. Instead, the congressman has focused on Robson’s cooperation with authorities and her advocacy for transparency, including a recent letter she filed urging enforcement of the disclosure law.
The State of the Union guest list this year reflects the enduring political obsession of the Epstein scandal that has preoccupied critics of Donald Trump. Several House Democrats have invited survivors or family members to spotlight ongoing demands for accountability while Republicans have countered by highlighting law enforcement figures.
No one, however, besides Khanna is bringing someone who allegedly helped Epstein perform his crimes.
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