Democrat Lawmaker Calls Out ‘Old Guard’ With Epstein Twist

Rep. Ro Khanna delivered pointed remarks about the Democratic Party establishment during his speech at the Voters of Tomorrow Summit, an event for young left-wing activists held in Washington, D.C.

“How can we trust government to do big things when government has been corrupted? My friends, for those who want a progressive future, for those who want a government that works to build security and opportunity for the working class, we must get rid of the big money in politics,” the California Democrat said in his address last week.

Khanna went on to reference the Jeffrey Epstein files, which have become a growing source of controversy in Washington, with increasing calls for greater transparency surrounding the case.

“We must restore a government for the people, by the people, of the people. The release of the Epstein files is not a magic cure for trust, but it is a first step,” Khanna said, according to the New York Post. “It’s a first step to say we will have a new era of transparency.”

In his closing call to action, Khanna directly challenged the Democratic Party establishment with a blunt critique.

“I’ll end with this clear point: The old guard needs to go. The old ways have not been working. This party needs a new rebirth. This party needs a rebirth to stand for human rights,” he said. “This party needs a rebirth to stand for the working class. This party needs a rebirth to stand for people over the donor class.”

Former Vice President Kamala Harris is scheduled to deliver virtual remarks at the summit on Friday, while former Speaker Nancy Pelosi has already served as one of the event’s featured speakers.

“We have no doubt that we will win the election with the House of Representatives,” Pelosi said during her speech. “No doubt.”

“It’s important to be strong in the year in advance, because that’s when the troops line up. We have our messaging, we have our mobilization, we need the money to do it, but they go only next to a school to hold up the most important part: the candidate,” she added.

Khanna’s speech comes at a time when the Democratic Party is working to respond to the challenges posed by the second Trump administration and adjust to significant changes in voter demographics following the 2024 election, particularly among Generation Z.

The upcoming 2026 election is viewed as a key opportunity to gain deeper insight into Gen Z voters, many of whom cast ballots for the first time in 2022 and 2024.

While some within the party are urging a shift toward a more moderate approach, others have embraced Khanna’s hard-left message.

“This party needs a rebirth to find our courage in standing up for immigrant rights instead of running away when people talk about immigration. This party needs more people like you in Congress than the current people we have in Congress,” Khanna said.

“I’m here to say that a new Democratic Party, a reborn Democratic Party, a populist Democratic Party, a multiracial Democratic Party, a Democratic Party that centers the working and middle class, a Democratic Party that looks like the future is a Democratic Party that can lead us back to victory and lead us to a better America,” he said.

“It’s time to take back our party and then to take back our country,” he continued.

Trump ran on a populist-right message of border security, mass deportations, and America first when it came to jobs, reshoring manufacturing, and lowering everyday costs. Former President Joe Biden’s four-year term was defined by just the opposite, and the vast majority of Democrats were silent about his policies.