Chaos Over Epstein Records Triggers Early House Exit
'We want any individual involved in Epstein’s evils to be brought to justice'
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WASHINGTON _ House Republicans are leaving Washington a day early for their summer recess as internal chaos over the push to release Jeffrey Epstein-related files derails legislative progress.
Democrats have forced procedural votes in recent days to compel the Justice Department to release additional Epstein records, triggering gridlock in the House Rules Committee and exposing fractures within the GOP.
Facing pressure from the base to take action and difficulties navigating the gridlock in Rules, leadership informed members they would adjourn Wednesday instead of Thursday. While Republicans have struggled with how to proceed, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) accused Democrats of turning a serious matter into political theater.
“The president himself has said he wants maximum transparency and for all credible evidence to be turned over,” Johnson said Tuesday. “We want any individual involved in Epstein’s evils to be brought to justice.”
He added, “We refuse to participate in another one of the Democrats’ political games… The Rules Committee became the ground for them to do that. We’re not going to allow them to engage in that charade anymore.”
Johnson criticized Democrats for what he called hypocrisy, noting they controlled the Justice Department for four years and “sat on everything Epstein-related.”
“They’ve tweeted about Epstein countless times in the last two weeks,” he said. “But go back and look — they had exactly zero posts on the subject during the Biden administration. Interesting, isn’t it?”
The House Oversight Committee on Tuesday approved a motion to subpoena Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s longtime associate as Republicans assert they will seek the truth. The Justice Department announced it also plans to reach out for a meeting with the Epstein accomplice.
A bipartisan resolution led by Reps. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) is further complicating GOP unity. Massie is collecting signatures for a discharge petition to force a floor vote without leadership’s approval.
“If the executive branch won’t release Phase 2 of the Epstein files, we will,” Massie tweeted Monday, holding a binder labeled “Epstein Files Phase 2, a dig at the White House’s decision to being conservative influences promising additional information would be released earlier this year.” “Americans deserve transparency and the victims deserve justice.”
Johnson pushed back, saying leadership is already pursuing disclosure through appropriate channels. Still, he took a dig at Massie: “I try to follow Ronald Reagan’s 11th commandment: Never speak ill of another Republican. My gosh, it’s hard sometimes. So let me just say — bless his heart.”
Democrats aren’t backing down. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) accused Republicans of deflecting to protect former President Trump.
“Why are Biden and Obama’s names being invoked?” Jeffries asked. “Because Donald Trump is running scared. Release the files so the American people can decide for themselves.”
The FBI and DOJ have said there is no Epstein “client list” and maintain he died by suicide. But calls for full transparency continue to grow from the MAGA base, with some taking aim at GOP lawmakers on social media — even as Congress heads home.
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