Massie deserves credit for challenging his own party’s leadership and helping force disclosure of the Epstein files. His defeat should never become permission for Washington to abandon the investigation or protect powerful people from scrutiny.
Melissa Strange has made her position explicit. Her campaign platform calls for releasing the Epstein files and prosecuting perpetrators. She also supports restrictions on congressional stock trading, a ban on members becoming lobbyists, and campaign finance reform. These are public commitments voters can use to hold her accountable.
Her Republican opponent, Ed Gallrein, benefited from an outside spending operation that has strong connections to Jeffrey Epstein and Israel.
In the primary Gallrein received from Paul Singer via MAGA KY $3 million. Singer is a major pro-Israel financier who helped fund the operation against Massie, and he is mentioned in Epstein records. His oil company CITGO was a major beneficiary of the Venezuela operation.
Miriam Adelson a joint citizen of US and Israel gave $750,000 to MAGA KY. Both Miriam and her late husband Sheldon Adelson are mentioned in Epstein-related materials.
Hedge Funder John Paulson was a major $410,000 Gallrein doner in primary. Massie publicly challenged Paulson’s appearance in Epstein’s address book, and subsequently released records that show Epstein emailed Paulson about a $50,000 donation to a dinner honoring Howard Lutnick.
Trump Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick contributed approximately $8.75 million to MAGA Inc. during the 2024 cycle. ABC News subsequently reported his acknowledgment of a 2012 visit to Epstein’s island, years after the point at which he had previously said he would never again be in Epstein’s presence.
Ronald Lauder gave MAGA Inc. $5 million, according to Forbes’ review of federal filings. Bloomberg reported that Epstein coordinated a legal entity allowing Lauder and Apollo co-founder Leon Black to share ownership of a $25 million painting. That was a specific financial arrangement involving Epstein.
Schwarzman, Blackstone’s co-founder, contributed $400,000 appears in the Epstein records.
The survivors deserve an accounting of who enabled Epstein, how institutions failed them, and why accountability took so long. Kentuckians deserve a representative prepared to demand those answers even when influential people would prefer silence.
Melissa Strange has committed herself to Epstein disclosure and accountability. On that basis, she has my endorsement for Congress.
Chris Tobe is the Chair of Kentucky Epstein Justice
