House Republicans Predict Big Win on Bill to Release Epstein Files
Lawmakers seeking to force the release of files related to the sex trafficking investigation into Jeffrey Epstein are predicting a significant victory in the House this week. According to Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., “there could be 100 or more” votes from Republicans, which would be a substantial departure from the GOP leadership and President Donald Trump’s stance on the issue. The bill, introduced by Massie and Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., aims to release all files and communications related to Epstein, as well as information about the investigation into his death in federal prison, with allowances for redactions to protect victims and ongoing investigations.
Massie and Khanna introduced a discharge petition in July to force a vote on their bill, a rarely successful tool that allows a majority of members to bypass House leadership. Despite initial resistance from Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and Trump, the lawmakers are optimistic about the bill’s chances, with Massie stating that Johnson, Trump, and others who have been critical of his efforts would be “taking a big loss this week.” Khanna, however, has more modest expectations, hoping for 40 or more Republicans to join the effort.
Expectations and Reactions
Johnson seems to expect the House will decisively back the Epstein bill, stating that “we’ll just get this done and move it on. There’s nothing to hide.” The White House has accused Democrats of selectively leaking emails to smear Trump, who has never been accused of wrongdoing in connection with Epstein. Trump’s association with Epstein is well-established, and his name was included in records released by his own Justice Department in February.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., one of the Republicans who signed the discharge petition, attributed her fallout with Trump to the Epstein files, stating that the country deserves transparency on the issue. Greene said, “I have no idea what’s in the files. I can’t even guess. But that is the question everyone is asking, is, why fight this so hard?”
Implications and Next Steps
The vote comes at a time when new documents are raising fresh questions about Epstein and his associates, including a 2019 email that Epstein wrote to a journalist stating that Trump “knew about the girls.” Even if the bill passes the House, there is no guarantee that Senate Republicans will go along. Massie hopes that Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., “will do the right thing” and allow the bill to move forward.
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