Thomas Massie today: "Releasing the Epstein files is not the end goal. Until we see investigations and arrests, our sys

When over 300,000 documents related to Jeffrey Epstein were finally released to the public, many assumed transparency would naturally lead to accountability. Congressman Thomas Massie, representing Kentucky's 4th District, had a different assessment. He publicly stated what many had begun to suspect: releasing files alone means nothing without arrests.

Massie's statement cut through the narrative that had dominated headlines since the initial document drop. The files themselves were presented as a victory for transparency and justice—finally, the public would see what was hidden. News outlets celebrated the release as if the work of accountability was complete. But Massie recognized a critical gap between transparency and consequences.

The claim was straightforward: 301,000 documents released, zero new arrests. This wasn't speculation or conjecture. It was a factual observation about what had actually happened in the months following the file release. Massie called for individuals involved to be "perp-walked"—subjected to public arrest and prosecution rather than allowed to fade into obscurity.

Officials and commentators initially dismissed such demands as premature. They argued that these things take time, that investigations were ongoing, that patience was necessary. The implication was clear: trust the system, let it work, don't rush to judgment. This standard response to calls for accountability has become familiar to those tracking high-profile cases that never quite reach prosecution.

But Massie's claim rested on something verifiable: the actual count of arrests made after the document release. The number remained at zero. Documents alone do not equal justice. They are tools that could facilitate justice, but only if followed by investigation and prosecution. The files sit in the public domain while the individuals named within them face no legal consequences.