Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., drew sharp criticism after delivering a speech on the House floor last week, where he named six “wealthy, powerful” men he claimed were “likely incriminated” in the Jeffrey Epstein files, prompting accusations that he abused congressional privilege to target innocent individuals.
Khanna's remarks were part of an effort critics described as a stampede to smear President Donald Trump, trampling four innocent men in the process. The congressman waited to reveal the names until he was protected by the Constitution’s Speech and Debate Clause, which shields members from defamation lawsuits for statements made on the House floor.
According to reports, Khanna and Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky.—a Republican often at odds with Trump—accessed the unredacted Epstein files at the Department of Justice. It was during this review that they purportedly discovered the names of the six men.
In his House speech, Khanna specifically highlighted these individuals as connected to the notorious Epstein documents, fueling concerns that the named men, lacking legal recourse against him, may struggle to clear their names.
The Speech and Debate Clause, enshrined in Article I, Section 6, Clause 1 of the U.S. Constitution, states that members of Congress “shall not be questioned in any other Place” for “any Speech or Debate in either House.” Critics argue Khanna knowingly leveraged this protection despite having no proof of wrongdoing by the men.
Massie's involvement alongside Khanna underscores the bipartisan nature of the disclosure, though detractors contend it was a calculated move to implicate Trump associates without evidence.
The incident has sparked debate over the ethical use of congressional powers, with accusations that Khanna prioritized political attacks over due process for those he publicly named.
