Key facts
- Relatives of Jeffrey Epstein victim Virginia Giuffre appeared in an attack ad against Colorado Republican congressman Jeff Crank.
- Sky Roberts, Giuffre's brother, and his wife, Amanda Roberts, accused Crank of refusing to meet with them.
- The couple stated Crank voted to block the release of Epstein investigative files.
- Crank later supported the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which authorized the release of documents.
- Roberts and his wife have become politically active, urging senators to block Todd Blanche's confirmation.
- The couple appeared at Donald Trump's State of the Union address as guests of Rep. Jamie Raskin.
Relatives of Jeffrey Epstein victim Virginia Giuffre have appeared in a political attack ad targeting Colorado Republican congressman Jeff Crank, accusing him of refusing to meet with them and voting against the release of federal investigative files related to Epstein.
Sky Roberts, Giuffre’s brother, and his wife, Amanda Roberts, stated in the ad that Crank, who later supported the Epstein Files Transparency Act, initially voted to block the release of the documents. "My sister Virginia was one of Jeffrey Epstein’s victims. She spent her life trying to expose the truth. After she died, we promised to carry on her fight," Sky Roberts said in the ad backing Crank’s opponent, Democrat Jessica Killin. Amanda Roberts added, "But our own congressman Jeff Crank refused to meet with us. Then, when he had the chance to expose the truth and release the Epstein files, he repeatedly voted to cover them up."
The couple has become increasingly politically active. They previously urged senators on the Senate judiciary committee to block the confirmation of attorney general Todd Blanche and criticized the Department of Justice's decision to restrict the release of unredacted files to Epstein investigators in New Mexico. They also attended Donald Trump’s State of the Union address in February as guests of Maryland congressman Jamie Raskin.
The Epstein issue has surfaced in some political races ahead of the midterm elections, with ads in Maine and Iowa also referencing the financier. The New York Times has identified 35 congressional races featuring ads that mention Epstein, though many use the term in the context of "Epstein class" to oppose unaccountable wealth. The outlet noted that some attack ads fail to mention lawmakers' reversals on document release positions.
Sky and Amanda Roberts told The New York Times that they met with Crank’s district director after participating in protests against his re-election. "At the end of the day, the bare minimum of this job in this role is to hear your constituents," Sky Roberts said, relaying his conversation with Crank’s aide. "How can you stay with your constituents and vote according to their needs if you have no idea what their needs are?"
Separately, Simon Andriesz, a whistleblower and former Wall Street banker who alerted Congress to commerce secretary Howard Lutnick’s ties to Epstein, died by suicide last week.