'Laughter?' CNN host surprised by Epstein survivors' reaction to question about DOJ

CNN's Audie Cornish remarked on the reaction of Jeffrey Epstein's abuse survivors to a question about the Department of Justice's pending release of investigative files about the late sex offender.

Congress passed a law last month mandating DOJ to publicize redacted files by Friday, and CNN's MJ Lee asked a group of Epstein survivors whether they had faith the department would release everything in its possession – and they all shook their heads no and even burst into laughter.

"Idon't think any prosecutorwants to hear laughter from thepotential survivors of a case interms of their faith in thejustice system," Cornish said. "Help me understandtoday, are we expecting to forsure see something released, andif we don't, what happens ifthey don't comply?"

Legal analyst Elliot Williams told "CNN This Morning" that the Epstein files had grown so large in the public imagination that it was almost impossible to predict what would be revealed, but he was certain the public would be disappointed.

"This concept ofthe Epstein files has sort ofgotten into the ecosystem," Williams said. "So what does that mean? Is itgrand jury materials? Well,those can never be made public,or at least should not be madepublic because the law requiresthat they not be. Is itphotographs? Is it files? Is itcase notes, which alsocannot be made public because ofthe records of the government?So what exactly do they plan onreleasing?"

Another panelist pointed out that White House chief of staff Susie Wiles has already said President Donald Trump was listed in the files, although she said he was not accused of any wrongdoing.

"To your pointabout Susie Wiles," Williams replied, "this was amess of the executive branch'screation. The White Housesuggested that they were sittingon this trove of informationthat they were ready to releaseto the public, and I thinkpeople are going to be quitedissatisfied with whatever comesout."

House Oversight Democrats have been releasing photos and emails, as recently as Thursday, that were obtained from Epstein's estate, and Williams said they had little power to do much more than that if DOJ doesn't provide the evidence survivors hope will be released.

"I thinkultimately in a perfect universe,and we live in a horriblyimperfect one, Congress wouldget together and decide on abipartisan basis what theywanted to see and press thegovernment and even withholdfunding if the government wasnot providing them what youknow, what they foundsatisfying," Williams said. "Democrats really canuse their bully pulpit and makestatements publicly and issuestatements and so on. Butthere's not a ton of power thatthey have by themselves."

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