Shawn Ryan Show

#278 Ro Khanna - Why is Congress Afraid to Subpoena Every Name in the Epstein Files?

February 9, 2026

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  • Representative Ro Khanna believes the lack of accountability for powerful elites implicated in the Epstein files highlights a dangerous two-tier system of justice in America. 
  • The conversation heavily criticized powerful figures, including J.D. Vance and Bill Clinton, for perceived silence or insufficient action regarding the Epstein disclosures, framing it as a failure of moral courage. 
  • The discussion pivoted to the disturbing content on Roblox, where users allegedly recreate mass shooting events and Epstein's island, suggesting a cultural replication of depravity mirroring the elite's actions. 
  • The incomplete release of the Epstein files suggests a sophisticated tactic to provide enough information to appear legitimate while protecting the most powerful individuals connected to the network. 
  • There is a fundamental problem in America characterized by a 'tale of two Americas' where the elite, exemplified by the 'Epstein class,' believe rules do not apply to them, leading to a loss of respect for those who built the country. 
  • The pervasive accessibility of extreme pornography, featuring incest and other shocking content, is contributing to a societal sickness that desensitizes youth and potentially drives some victims toward becoming abusers themselves. 

Segments

Sponsor Reads and Guest Introduction
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(00:00:00)
  • Key Takeaway: The episode opens with multiple sponsor advertisements covering sleep aids, language learning, and dietary supplements.
  • Summary: The initial segment features advertisements for Beam sleep products, Genesis of White Plains auto leasing, Dose Daily liver support, and Babbel language learning. Representative Ro Khanna is then welcomed back to the show, joking that his previous appearance prompted the DOJ to release 50% of the Epstein files.
J.D. Vance’s Shifting Stance
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(00:04:04)
  • Key Takeaway: Host criticizes Vice President J.D. Vance for previously condemning the powerful connections to Epstein but now remaining silent, suggesting fear of political consequences.
  • Summary: The host quotes a past statement by J.D. Vance criticizing the powerful connections to Jeffrey Epstein and his mysterious death. The host argues that true masculinity involves standing up for beliefs regardless of consequences, implying Vance has been silenced or compromised by powerful interests.
Roblox Platform Abuses
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(00:06:38)
  • Key Takeaway: Roblox hosts user-created games that graphically simulate mass shootings, including Sandy Hook, with victims’ names used as characters.
  • Summary: The conversation details disturbing content found on Roblox, including recreations of mass shooter events like Sandy Hook and Epstein’s Island. Victims’ names from these tragedies are reportedly used as characters in the games, which the host finds sickening and potentially illegal.
Fear and Accountability in Media
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(00:09:56)
  • Key Takeaway: The host suggests that media figures with large audiences avoid confronting powerful people due to fear of lawsuits or retaliation from billionaires.
  • Summary: The host questions Ro Khanna’s lack of fear in taking on powerful figures, contrasting it with others who are afraid of being sued or turning off wealthy donors. The host notes that previous investigative work on Roblox caused a $6 billion drop in market value for the platform.
Epstein Files Redactions and Justice
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(00:10:49)
  • Key Takeaway: Khanna demands investigation for every person named in the files who visited Epstein’s properties, criticizing the redaction of abuser names.
  • Summary: Khanna, a co-sponsor of the bill to release the files, states that anyone mentioned visiting Epstein’s Island or ranches where young girls were present must be investigated under oath. He finds it suspicious that abuser names were redacted while other details were released, noting Polymarket gives only a 19% chance of anyone being jailed.
DOJ Official’s Controversial Statement
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(00:12:39)
  • Key Takeaway: DOJ official Todd Blanche’s statement that ‘it’s not a crime to party with Epstein’ is condemned as offensive given the context of child abuse.
  • Summary: The host highlights Todd Blanche’s statement suggesting that merely partying with Epstein is not a crime, which Khanna refutes by emphasizing the known presence of minors. Khanna challenges Blanche to an in-depth interview rather than brief media appearances to answer specific questions about torture videos and foreign girls.
Contempt Vote Explanation
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(00:16:42)
  • Key Takeaway: Khanna clarifies his vote against criminal contempt for the Clintons was based on their agreement to testify after the files were released.
  • Summary: Khanna explains the difference between civil contempt (fines) and criminal contempt (jail time), stating he voted yes on civil but no on criminal contempt for the Clintons. His decision was based on the fact that they agreed to testify on February 26th, which he felt made criminal contempt premature at that moment.
Sponsor Read: Helix Sleep
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(00:18:03)
  • Key Takeaway: Helix offers personalized mattresses based on a sleep quiz, providing listeners an exclusive 27% discount site-wide.
  • Summary: The host endorses Helix mattresses for improving sleep quality, reducing soreness, and eliminating tossing and turning. The company customizes mattresses based on body type and sleeping style, offering a 120-night trial with free shipping.
Clinton’s Epstein Connections
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(00:20:07)
  • Key Takeaway: Khanna demands Bill Clinton explain his numerous meetings with Epstein, including at CIA headquarters and concerning international financial dealings.
  • Summary: The host notes the abundance of photos of Bill Clinton with Epstein and demands explanations regarding the frequency of their meetings and knowledge of Epstein’s activities. Khanna questions Epstein’s access to high-level figures like CIA Director William Burns and UK officials regarding sensitive financial trades.
Silicon Valley Elite Implication
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(00:21:48)
  • Key Takeaway: Many prominent Silicon Valley figures, including major Democratic donors, are implicated in the files, suggesting involvement in the elite network.
  • Summary: Khanna lists figures like Jay-Z, Bill Gates, Elon Musk, and Peter Thiel as being named in the files, noting many are significant Democratic donors. He insists every person named must be hauled before Congress and questioned under oath about what they witnessed regarding the abuse of young girls.
Bill Gates Email Controversy
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(00:23:17)
  • Key Takeaway: Bill Gates’ explanation for an email regarding secret antibiotics for his wife, allegedly drafted but unsent to Epstein, is deemed insufficient without sworn testimony.
  • Summary: The discussion references an email where Bill Gates allegedly sought antibiotics from Epstein regarding an STD scare with Melinda Gates, which Gates claims was only drafted, not sent. Khanna insists Gates must state this explanation under oath during an investigation.
The Two-Tier Justice System
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(00:26:01)
  • Key Takeaway: The elite’s ability to engage in heinous acts, like attending parties where girls are raped, without consequence proves the existence of two tiers of justice in America.
  • Summary: Khanna asserts that the elite feel immune from justice due to their wealth and influence, contrasting their behavior with those who fight for the country. He notes that survivors were told not to report crimes because powerful people were involved, reinforcing the sense of a rigged system.
Elite Game Plan for Recovery
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(00:28:30)
  • Key Takeaway: The elite’s strategy is to issue lawyerly apologies focused on ‘regret’ for association rather than moral shame, hoping the scandal fades before they regain influence.
  • Summary: Khanna outlines the elite’s plan: issue minimal statements of regret regarding their judgment, wait for the public outcry to subside, and then leverage their money and connections to be rehabilitated in society. The public must decide whether to allow them to escape accountability.
UK Accountability Contrast
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(00:29:34)
  • Key Takeaway: The UK is showing consequences for Epstein associates, with Prince Andrew stripped of titles and an aide resigning, contrasting with US inaction.
  • Summary: Khanna points out that in Britain, consequences are occurring, citing Prince Andrew losing his titles and an aide to Gordon Brown resigning amid the scandal. He emphasizes that this is a matter of good versus evil, not left versus right politics.
Path to Accountability
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(00:34:30)
  • Key Takeaway: Accountability requires simultaneous action from the DOJ/FBI investigating released files and Congress holding public hearings and issuing subpoenas.
  • Summary: Khanna proposes a three-pronged approach: the DOJ/FBI must interview everyone named in the released files under oath; Congress, led by Oversight Committee Chair Comer, must hold hearings and subpoena hundreds of implicated individuals; and the public must demand accountability from those still holding positions of honor.
Barriers to Congressional Action
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(00:46:50)
  • Key Takeaway: Congressional inaction stems from the fear of alienating powerful donors to both parties and the fear of incurring Donald Trump’s political wrath.
  • Summary: The primary barriers to action are the financial influence of donors and the political threat posed by Donald Trump, who has publicly urged people to ‘move on’ from the Epstein files. Khanna notes that attacking these figures risks facing opposition from billionaire-funded Super PACs.
Epstein’s Unanswered Power Access
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(00:41:03)
  • Key Takeaway: The central unanswered question is how Epstein accumulated power allowing him access to heads of state, intelligence agencies, and critical national security investments like Palantir.
  • Summary: Khanna questions why Epstein, an inmate, was advising major financial institutions during the 2008 collapse and receiving sensitive information from UK officials. He argues that Epstein’s access to the CIA, foreign leaders, and key tech/finance figures suggests a national security compromise requiring a presidential commission.
Sponsor Read: BUBS Naturals
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(00:52:39)
  • Key Takeaway: The segment transitions into sponsor reads for BUBS MCT Creamer/Collagen and Dose Daily, followed by Babbel language learning.
  • Summary: The host introduces BUBS Naturals products, emphasizing the widespread liver health crisis in America due to diet. Dose Daily is promoted as a clinically backed, plant-forward liquid supplement for liver function, offering a 35% discount for new SRS listeners. Babbel is promoted for focusing on real-world conversation skills.
PR Agent’s Emails Revealed
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(00:56:01)
  • Key Takeaway: Emails from a former guest, Masha Booker, reveal she was Epstein’s PR agent and expressed racist views, preferring to interact only with those who are 98% Jewish.
  • Summary: The host discusses withholding an interview with Masha Booker because she seemed innocent, but subsequent file releases revealed she was Epstein’s PR agent. Her emails reportedly contained slurs like ‘goy’ and expressed a belief that only highly Jewish individuals were smarter than others.
Elite Arrogance and American Values
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(00:59:15)
  • Key Takeaway: Arrogance among the wealthy elite stems from a belief that they are inherently better and exempt from the rules governing ordinary citizens.
  • Summary: Treating every person with equality and respect is a fundamental principle, contrasting with the arrogance of those who feel superior due to wealth or association with networks like Epstein’s. Respect is better earned by those who serve the nation, such as military personnel, first responders, teachers, and steel workers. This sense of entitlement, where the economy should only work for the elite, fuels the division between ’two Americas.'
Epstein Files Protection Tactics
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(01:01:36)
  • Key Takeaway: The selective release of Epstein files appears to be a clever diversionary tactic to satisfy initial scrutiny while keeping the most damaging information and powerful names secret.
  • Summary: The blacked-out names and withheld ’nuclear stuff’ suggest powerful individuals are being protected, possibly through threats to expose others involved if their names are released. Releasing a large volume of damaging but non-nuclear documents allows authorities to claim a legitimate release occurred, making it harder for advocates to demand the rest. This sophisticated approach ensures the worst of the network remains concealed from public accountability.
DOJ Inaction and Club Mentality
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(01:05:10)
  • Key Takeaway: The Department of Justice has failed to indict or investigate any co-conspirators post-Epstein’s death, indicating systemic protection of powerful figures.
  • Summary: The DOJ has not indicted a single person post-Epstein’s death, claiming the matter is closed because he is deceased, despite having files on co-conspirators. This inaction suggests intimidation or that the powerful individuals involved belong to an interconnected ‘club’ that finances the same politicians, preventing rigorous investigation.
Accountability and Truth Commission
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(01:08:36)
  • Key Takeaway: Restoring trust requires elite accountability, potentially through a presidential commission modeled after historical investigations like the Kennedy assassination.
  • Summary: Survivors are alerting advocates to powerful figures in the files who have not received media attention, highlighting ongoing protection. Congress lacks the authority to declassify material, necessitating a president to appoint a commission of unimpeachable integrity to investigate and issue a public report. This process is viewed as essential for a ’new moral beginning’ in the country.
Roblox and Online Child Exploitation
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(01:14:32)
  • Key Takeaway: Online platforms like Roblox are failing catastrophically to police child predators, allowing games that celebrate real-world tragedies like the Sandy Hook shooting.
  • Summary: Predators can target users in teen chat rooms within seconds, demonstrating the immediate danger on these platforms. Roblox hosts games that allow users to reenact school shootings, desensitizing young users to extreme violence. This widespread degeneracy, fueled by accessible pornography featuring incest, creates a cycle where addiction leads to the pursuit of increasingly illegal acts.
Restoring Congressional Intent
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(01:35:50)
  • Key Takeaway: The primary reforms needed to restore Congress to its original intent are removing money from politics and implementing term limits.
  • Summary: Getting big money out of politics, perhaps through public financing or strict district-only donations, would sever the link between wealthy donors and political protection. Term limits prevent officials from viewing office as a lifelong pursuit, encouraging them to take risks and act on principle rather than prioritizing donor appeasement. This system currently incentivizes politicians to keep their heads down and avoid challenging the established power structure.
Epstein Scandal Uniting Public
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(01:44:29)
  • Key Takeaway: The core issue of the Epstein scandal—the protection of the rich who prey on working-class girls—is resonating across political divides and may serve as a turning point for national moral reckoning.
  • Summary: The complexity of the international connections is less important to the public than the simple outrage over powerful people associating with a pedophile while preying on vulnerable American girls. This issue is uniting people beyond typical party lines, evidenced by public confrontations with leaders regarding the protection of abusers. This widespread disgust offers a chance for a ’new moral beginning’ by prioritizing values over intelligence or wealth.