Senator Roger Marshall Faces Criticism Over Epstein Files Stance

Kansas Senator’s Controversial Stance on Epstein Files Release

Kansas Senator Roger Marshall’s initial decision to oppose the disclosure of Justice Department documents concerning the investigation of Jeffrey Epstein has drawn significant attention.

Following his arrest on federal sex trafficking charges, Epstein died by suicide in a Manhattan jail cell in 2019. The Justice Department’s files revealed Epstein’s connections with several notable figures, including President Donald Trump.

Amidst an unexpectedly tight reelection race against Democratic pastor Adam Hamilton, Marshall’s position on the file release has become a focal point. Polls in both April and June demonstrated Marshall’s narrow lead of just four percentage points.

In September 2025, Marshall voted to table a bipartisan amendment to a defense bill that required the release of the Justice Department’s documents. Although the amendment was unsuccessful, then-Attorney General Pam Bondi initially endorsed the file release before retracting her support, allegedly under pressure from Trump.

Marshall characterized the amendment as a “political stunt” and expressed disinterest in the release of the files, labeling Democrat efforts as a “psychosis.” Despite this, a standalone bill for the file release passed in the House and received unanimous consent in the Senate, with Marshall not opposing the bill. Public opinion polling showed widespread support for releasing the files.

Campaign finance records reveal Marshall received contributions from two individuals linked to Epstein: $17,500 from Blackrock CEO Stephen A. Schwarzman and $8,500 from Blackrock executive Joseph Baratta. Their names appear in the files 23 times and twice, respectively. It is important to note that an individual’s name in the files does not inherently indicate criminal activity.

In 2020, Marshall accepted $500 from attorney Greg Ezring, mentioned in the files 35 times, and $11,400 from Joel Magerman, CEO of Bryant Park Capital, who appears three times.

Marshall’s actions regarding the Epstein files may highlight his previous votes related to sexual assault survivors. In 2019, while in the House of Representatives, he voted against an amendment to the Violence Against Women Act to aid colleges in training personnel on interviewing sexual assault victims. He also voted against reauthorizing the Act altogether.

Around the same time, Marshall did not participate in a vote on an amendment preventing Export-Import Bank transactions with individuals under sanctions for human rights abuses, including sex trafficking.

Additionally, Marshall supported the confirmation of cabinet members accused of sexual assault, such as Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. He also voted to confirm Todd Blanche as Attorney General, contrary to the requests of Epstein survivors.