Reporter Kicked Out of RNC Over Epstein Files Question - Newsweek

Journalist Tara Palmeri claims she was removed from a Republican National Committee (RNC) event and had her press credential revoked after questioning a Republican congressional candidate about the handling of files connected to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Palmeri said she was covering the Republican Midterm Convention at the American Airlines Center in Dallas when security personnel approached her shortly after an interview with Robert Burke, a Republican candidate for Congress in Massachusetts’ 8th Congressional District.

According to Palmeri, she entered the venue at approximately 2:05 p.m. with her producer and three survivors of Epstein’s abuse. Palmeri said she had a media credential, while each person accompanying her had obtained a guest pass and been admitted to the convention.

Palmeri posted footage of part of the encounter with security on X and described the circumstances surrounding her removal in her Substack newsletter, The Red Letter. In a later video, Palmeri said officials did not identify a specific rule she had violated.

The RNC has not publicly commented on Palmeri's claims of removal.

Newsweek reached out to Palmeri, Burke and the RNC by email for comment.

Tara Palmeri is an American political journalist and commentator best known for covering the White House, Congress and national politics. She has worked for major outlets including ABC News, Politico, CNN, and the New York Post.

Palmeri said she introduced herself to Burke as an independent journalist before beginning the interview. She also disclosed that survivors of Epstein’s abuse were accompanying her and described the subject she wanted to raise as a “tough question.”

According to Palmeri’s account, Burke called Epstein a “great topic” and said the public needed to know what had happened “from the beginning.”

Palmeri said she asked Burke why more records had not been released, why there had been no further prosecutions beyond Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, and whether he would push for additional disclosures if elected. She reported that Burke said he would support releasing the files.

One of the survivors then told Burke that the issue should be viewed as a human rights matter rather than a partisan political dispute, according to Palmeri’s Substack post.

Palmeri said the conversation lasted approximately eight minutes and ended with Burke shaking her hand and giving the group his card. In her accompanying video, she characterized the exchange as a “great dialogue” and said Burke invited them to speak again.

Palmeri said at least three security personnel approached the group shortly after the interview ended. She reported that security asked whether they were carrying signs, which the group denied.

Footage shared by Palmeri shows her pointing to the group’s clear bags and telling security that they had no signs. When a security guard said they were not in the area designated for the media, Palmeri responded that journalists were allowed to speak to guests.

“We’re allowed to talk to people. That’s why we’re here. We’re media,” Palmeri can be heard saying in the footage.

Palmeri said she repeatedly asked why the group was being removed but was told that her press credential could be revoked. She said security did not provide a more detailed explanation or identify a convention rule that she had broken.

Palmeri and her producer were escorted toward the exit, while the survivors were also directed out of the venue, according to her account. Palmeri said she tripped and fell on stairs as security escorted her from the building.

By approximately 2:40 p.m., around 35 minutes after entering the venue, Palmeri said the group was outside the security barricade. She reported being told that she had been barred from the facility and could be arrested for trespassing if she tried to return.

“I’m a journalist. I just wanted to ask him,” Palmeri said in her video, adding that viewers could evaluate the recorded exchange for themselves.

Palmeri wrote that she subsequently asked an RNC official what rule she had violated, why she had been removed and why her credential had been revoked.

The two-day gathering on September 9 and 10 was the RNC’s first midterm convention and was intended to build support for Republican candidates before the November 3 elections.

The RNC had expected more than 20,000 people to attend, which would make the event larger than the party’s 2024 presidential nominating convention in Milwaukee, according to CBS News Texas.

Among the notable moments was a surprise prerecorded appearance by Democratic Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman, who introduced his Republican colleague, Senator Dave McCormick. Trump also used his nearly two-hour first-night address to propose giving every adult U.S. citizen a $5,000 payment if Republicans retain control of Congress.

The convention generated further headlines on its second day when Trump led attendees in a mock pledge to vote in the November midterms, joking that supporters should “cheat like hell,” as he has repeatedly claimed that the Democrats do.

Meanwhile, during Vice President JD Vance's keynote speech on Thursday, members of the crowd chanted "JD 48," a reference to a potential presidential bid in 2028. The convention also featured tributes to conservative activist Charlie Kirk on the first anniversary of his assassination.

Palmeri’s removal occurred amid continued pressure over the government’s handling of records connected to Epstein and whether all legally required material has been disclosed.

The Department of Justice released more than 3 million pages, approximately 2,000 videos and 180,000 images in January after Congress passed the Epstein Files Transparency Act. Attorney General Todd Blanche said the department had completed its review, but lawmakers and journalists have continued to challenge redactions and the withholding of some material.

Earlier this month, Representative Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican, pushed a new effort to force the release of additional records related to Epstein, arguing that the Department of Justice has not disclosed all available documents and has made excessive redactions in files already released.

More than 100 lawmakers have signed a discharge petition backing Massie's latest bill, which would expand legal avenues for challenging the DOJ's handling of the records and could eventually force a vote in the House.

The Justice Department’s online Epstein Library states that officials applied redactions to protect survivors, private individuals and legally restricted information. It also acknowledges that the volume of material created a risk that sensitive personal information could inadvertently appear in the disclosures.

Questions about the records had already surfaced around the Republican convention before Palmeri’s removal. Days before the event, a website made to resemble the convention’s official site redirected visitors to the Justice Department’s Epstein Library. The RNC said the website was not affiliated with the committee and directed people to the convention’s official website.