Epstein documents force Khanna to rethink elite privilege

• Millions of Epstein documents reveal elite networks spanning politics, tech, and finance.
• Rep. Ro Khanna urges transparency as a prerequisite for democratic reform and accountability.

The release of millions of pages from the Jeffrey Epstein files has prompted a profound shift in the political outlook of progressive Democratic Representative Ro Khanna, according to journalist Ezra Klein. In a column for The New York Times, Klein charts Khanna’s reassessment of his approach to wealth, power, and social justice.

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Khanna, representing a Silicon Valley district that houses the headquarters of major tech companies, long sought to reconcile the interests of the wealthy and tech leaders with a progressive agenda advocating social justice and wealth taxes. He believed these goals could coexist through mutual understanding. The Epstein documents, however, have forced a deep rethinking.

Pushing for full disclosure

Klein notes that Khanna, working with Republican Rep. Thomas Massie, has spearheaded a legislative push demanding full transparency on Epstein’s files, challenging leadership in both parties. To date, roughly 3.5 million pages have been released, while millions of other documents, including victim statements to the FBI, remain sealed pending Department of Justice review.

“What has been revealed so far shocked Khanna, but what remains hidden may be even more consequential,” Klein writes.

Epstein’s network transcends politics

The files show Epstein was not merely a convicted sex offender but a master broker of elite connections. His network included figures across technology, finance, politics, and culture, from Elon Musk, Peter Thiel, and Larry Summers to Noam Chomsky, spanning conflicting ideological camps. What united them was not ideology, Klein explains, but shared interests and mutual leverage.

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Epstein leveraged access, dinners, and introductions to powerful individuals, converting proximity into protection. Even after his 2008 conviction, some influential figures continued interacting with him, exemplifying what Khanna terms the “Epstein class”: a segment of society operating above or shielded from the law.

Profit over principle

Investigations reveal that some financial institutions treated Epstein as a gateway to wealthy clients and lucrative deals, prioritizing pragmatic benefit over ethical concerns. Analysts cited by Klein note that in Epstein’s world, authority was measured not by title or territory but by network density and connection quality. Severing ties with a key figure carried significant social and economic cost.

Accountability as a foundation

For Khanna, the files underscore a deeper crisis of trust. He now argues that any ambitious democratic project — from universal healthcare to major economic reforms — will falter unless elite accountability is addressed. Transparency, he insists, is not retribution but essential to restore faith in the rule of law and ensure relationships cannot replace justice.