In a rare and emotionally charged "shadow hearing," House Oversight Democrats returned to the "scene of the crime", Tuesday, May 12, 2026. Led by Ranking Member Robert Garcia (D-CA) and Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA), the committee gathered just miles from the late Jeffrey Epstein's former waterfront estate to hear public testimony from those who survived his decades of abuse. Because this was a shadow hearing organized by the minority party, witnesses were not compelled to testify under oath and Republican members did not participate. However, Democratic leaders called the event a critical "blueprint for accountability" as they continue to push for the full, unredacted release of the remaining Epstein files.