Congress’ Epstein probe raises a thorny question: Who counts as a victim? - Politico

House Oversight members are wrestling with whether some people identified in the Jeffrey Epstein probe should be treated as victims or as accomplices after reports that Sarah Kellen told prosecutors she considered herself a victim. Republican lawmakers have highlighted several people who took plea deals and suggested they may have been co-conspirators, raising legal and ethical questions about how the committee should handle witnesses and testimony. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna’s recent decision to paralyze the House shows she is willing to escalate partisan fights beyond committee work, complicating timing and strategy for subpoenas and testimony and putting added pressure on the panel’s public messaging.