Ghislaine Maxwell's clemency pitch has intensified as she continues to assert her willingness to cooperate with authorities, despite her refusal to testify before Congress last week. Recent commentary from Ro Khanna, published in the NYTimes on February 16, 2026, emphasizes troubling revelations from the Epstein files, stating, "Epstein’s network may not have known everything, but it is hard to deny that many of them knew enough to know better." This underscores the ongoing scrutiny of connections between Epstein and elite figures, particularly given notable redactions in the U.S. Department of Justice's correspondence with lawmakers involving individuals such as Donald Trump, Barack Obama, and Bill Clinton. Khanna's insights suggest that Maxwell's potential disclosures could complicate the narrative surrounding Epstein's associates and their awareness of his illicit activities.