Courtesy of World Without Exploitation
Audio By Carbonatix
Congressman Jeff Crank‘s name doesn’t appear on a new billboard off Interstate 25 near Colorado Springs calling for the release of all files associated with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. But Lauren Hersh, national director for World Without Exploitation, an anti-human trafficking organization that bankrolled the placard, makes it plain that Crank is the target of its message, “Courage Is Contagious.”
“Representative Crank has not signed on to the Epstein Files Transparency Act,” Hersh points out. The legislation would require the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) to publicly publish “all unclassified records, documents, communications, and investigative materials in DOJ’s possession that relate to the investigation and prosecution” of Epstein, a billionaire and onetime pal of powerful politicians across the ideological spectrum, including President Donald Trump.
“Even Lauren Boebert has signed on to the discharge petition, but Representative Crank has not,” she adds.
The controversy is challenging for Crank, since President Trump, who once championed the release of Epstein-related material, now characterizes demands for full disclosure as a “Democrat Epstein hoax,” a reversal that makes many conspiracy theorists suspect that the Donald might be embarrassed by some of the files’ contents. This may explain why the reaction Crank provided to Westword in regard to the billboard, which went on display on October 13, avoids any mention of the Epstein Files Transparency Act. Crank’s statement reads: “I have supported transparency and accountability regarding the business dealings, investigation, and prosecution of Jeffrey Epstein. The American people deserve transparency into Epstein’s dealings, and I support the release of all documents that shed light on what occurred, while protecting the identity of the victims.”
These sentences aren’t new. Indeed, they’re identical to remarks Crank’s staff dispensed in late September following a protest outside his Colorado Springs office led by Sky and Amanda Roberts, brother and sister-in-law of Epstein survivor Virginia Giuffre. Indeed, the couple, who live in Crank’s district, quote directly from these comments in a statement of their own, provided to World Without Exploitation in advance of Westword ‘s outreach to Crank.
crank.house.gov
“It’s a simple, straightforward question of whether you stand with survivors or not,” they say. “As constituents of Congressman Crank, we implore him to do the right thing and join the call for the release of the Epstein Files. We are hopeful that the Congressman’s actions will truly reflect his words when he emphasizes that the ‘American people deserve transparency into Epstein’s dealings’ and that he supports the release of all documents shedding light on what occurred. To truly support survivors, we urge Congressman Crank to back the Epstein Files Transparency Act, ensuring that the full truth is revealed once and for all. The time for accountability is now, and we must stand with survivors by demanding transparency.”
According to Hersh, World Without Exploitation is “the largest national coalition designed to combat human trafficking and sexual exploitation. It was founded nine years ago because, as we looked at the landscape of anti-trafficking work, we recognized that there was so much great work happening, but the vast majority of organizations were overworked and under-resourced. At critical times, when we needed to make headway with legislation and policies, these organizations couldn’t pull together to create bigger, more systemic changes. So we were created to serve as an umbrella to pull these organizations together. We started with about five organizations, and to date, we work with nearly 200, many of them survivor-led.”
Rather than operating out of a single location, Hersh says the organization works remotely, with people in New York, Washington, D.C., and “around the country.”
“Our funding comes from private foundations and individuals. We don’t take government funding, and we are completely nonpartisan. We see human trafficking and sex trafficking as a bipartisan issue. We always work across the aisle, and we see this as a deeply personal issue where people with really different perspectives can come together to combat exploitation.”
The Colorado Springs-area billboard was the first mounted by World Without Exploitation, but it won’t be the last. Hersh reveals that another billboard recently went up in Alston, Illinois, intended for Republican Congresswoman Mary Miller, who likewise hasn’t added her name to the Epstein Files Transparency Act, and several more are earmarked for districts she’s not yet ready to share over the next few weeks.
As for the decision to use old-school billboards rather than social media to get Crank’s attention, Hersh contends, “There are so many different ways to speak messages in this moment in time, but there’s also so much noise online. That’s why we wanted to make sure the people of Colorado Springs saw clearly in their quiet moments this message to stand with survivors. And I hope it inspires people in Colorado Springs to call their members of Congress and urge them to support the Epstein Files Transparency Act.”
When asked if she’s frustrated that President Trump has portrayed those who want to see more Epstein-related documents beyond the ones selectively released by his administration as enemies out to undermine him, Hersh points to “the survivors, and, specifically, Epstein survivors, who’ve said loud and clear that this isn’t political. We want the files released because it’s what’s good for survivors. They need to be able to get the information that has haunted their lives for decades. But it’s also good for the American public, and I think our lawmakers are starting to understand how important it is.”
Whether that will prove to be the case for Crank remains to be seen.
