Ghislaine Maxwell ‘should be in a harsher prison’, say US politicians after viewing unredacted Epstein files

Epstein's former partner was moved from a high security prison in Florida to federal jail in Texas in August.

Her new prison houses 600 inmates, all women and primarily for non-violent, white-collar offences. It has 37 acres of land and contains dormitory-style housing for inmates, rather than the cells of her former facility.

Speaking to a reporter outside the Department of Justice, Lauren Boebert, the Republican Representative from Florida ,said "Maxwell should get more time" and argued she "should definitely be in a harsher prison."

Ms Boebert was among several lawmakers invited to the DOJ on Monday to view redacted documents included in the Epstien Files.

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Ro Khanna, a Democrat from California who also viewed the redacted files on Monday, wrote on X: “She [Maxwell] must immediately be sent back to the maximum security prison where she belongs.”

Lawmakers have accused officials of covering up information to protect high-profile individuals.

They say a top official and five others were included in the document dump after they were allowed to review the initially redacted files for the first time on Monday.

The files contained multiple previously unreported young victims, including one as young as nine, the lawmakers said.

It comes as Maxwell refused to answer questions about paedophile Jeffrey Epstein during a behind-closed-doors meeting in front of a powerful Congressional committee.

During a ten-minute hearing, Maxwell, 64, answered no questions by invoking her Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination.

Mr Khanna blasted Maxwell refusing for refusing “to answer a single question about the men who raped underage girls, saying she would only do so” if she received clemency from President Trump.

Maxwell is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence for sex trafficking, conspiracy and other crimes committed while in the service of Epstein.

Those present at the hearing on Monday said the British socialite's lawyer used the opportunity to "campaign" for a pardon from President Donald Trump.

In a post on X after the questioning, Maxwell's legal representative, David Markus, said his client would be "prepared to speak fully and honestly if granted clemency by President Trump".

Mr Markus also said: "Some may not like what they hear, but the truth matters.

"For example, both President Trump and President (Bill) Clinton are innocent of any wrongdoing.

"Ms Maxwell alone can explain why, and the public is entitled to that explanation."

Following the hearing, House Oversight Committee Chairman Representative James Comer said: "Unfortunately, she had an opportunity today to answer questions that every American has, questions that would be very important in this investigation, and she chose to invoke her Fifth Amendment."

The House Oversight Committee forced Maxwell to sit for a recorded deposition as part of its ongoing investigation into the US government’s handling of the cases against Epstein and Maxwell.

Maxwell was found guilty in December 2021 of being an accomplice in Epstein's scheme to sexually traffic and exploit female minors.

Members of Congress say a top official and five others were included in the document dump after they were allowed to review the initially redacted files for the first time on Monday.

The DOJ said at the time of her sentencing that Maxwell "enticed and groomed minor girls to be abused in multiple ways."

Justice Department officials have interviewed Maxwell about other individuals who may have committed crimes against victims of Epstein.

After sitting for an interview that stretched across two days, Maxwell was suddenly moved from a high-security prison in Florida to a minimum-security prison in Texas.