'Like we're criminals!' Epstein survivors in disbelief after getting boot from convention

Charleen Richard, a survivor of Jeffrey Epstein's abuse, said being escorted out of President Donald Trump's Dallas convention made her and the others "feel like criminals," even though they had done nothing but walk in with valid passes alongside a reporter asking about the Epstein files.

Richard and fellow survivor Marijke Chartouni were among three survivors who accompanied independent journalist Tara Palmeri into the Republican midterm convention on Thursday, only to be removed roughly 35 minutes after arriving.

"We were there for about 45 minutes before we were escorted out," Chartouni said in a recording posted to X. "We were separated."

Richard added that their badges were seized, and security took photos of them. She said they "wanted to fit in," even wearing hats, emphasizing that sex trafficking is a nonpartisan issue.

"We didn't have anything to indicate that we were there to be provocative," said Chartouni.

"It's not fair that we were asked to leave for no apparent reason," said Richard. "Because we're Epstein survivors."

"They treated us as, I mean," began Chartouni, as Richard finished her sentence, "Like we're criminals."

"We just showed up, and we were escorted out," said Chartouni.

Palmeri, who runs the newsletter The Red Letter, said she entered the American Airlines Center around 2:05 p.m. on a media credential, joined by her producer and the survivors, who each held guest passes. The group carried clear bags and no signs.

They headed toward the stage and stopped to interview Robert Burke, a Republican congressional nominee from Massachusetts, about the Trump administration's handling of the Epstein files. Minutes later, security arrived and asked whether the group had signs. Palmeri said it did not, pointing to the clear bags and her press pass. Security revoked her credential anyway and walked the group out, with an official warning that police would be asked to trespass them if they returned.

Palmeri saw only one explanation.

"We obviously hit the third rail," she said. "Epstein at an event for President Trump and this is how we were treated."

The survivors were in Dallas for a traveling exhibit displaying millions of Epstein files, part of a campaign pressing the administration to prosecute Epstein's enablers and release the full trove the government still holds. It ran as counter-programming to the Republican midterm convention, where Trump, whose long ties to Epstein have drawn years of scrutiny, headlined both nights.