Massie takes steps to force vote to release Epstein files
'You run into the same situation that Pam Bondi did'
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WASHINGTON _ Conservative Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) introduced his measure aimed at circumventing House GOP leadership to force a vote on binding legislation to release the Epstein files on Tuesday as lawmakers return from their August recess.
Massie and his coauthor, Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), will need to garner 218 signatures on the discharge petition to force the vote, which the Kentucky conservative told 24sight News he is confident they will reach. Democratic Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.) was the first lawmaker to sign onto the petition shortly after it was filed.
"I don't know — it could happen in the next day, or if it could take a while, but this discharge petition stays live until the end of Congress," Massie told reporters.
The move is at odds with the White House and House GOP Leadership's approach to handling information about Jeffrey Epstein's abuse of minors publicly, with House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) instead pushing members to rally behind a resolution set to come to the floor later this week aimed at directing the House Oversight Committee to continue its investigation into the matter.
Johnson has asserted that they are committed to transparency, dismissing Massie's criticisms that the resolution in support of the committee probe doesn't have teeth.
"I would describe virtually everything Thomas Massie says as related to this issue as meaningless," the speaker told reporters.
Massie argued that he believes people will become frustrated with the Oversight investigation, speculating that it won't produce new information.
"@SpeakerJohnson just scheduled this meaningless vote to provide political cover for those members who don't support our bipartisan legislation to force the release of the Epstein files," Massie posted on X.
The Kentucky Republican went on to liken it to the backlash seen over the White House providing influencers with binders that contained publicly available information on the matter.
"You run into the same situation that Pam Bondi did when she gave everybody (influencers at the White House) a binder," he said.
"They go home, they read the binder, and they're like, we already have all this. This is all still already on the internet. And then they get more upset because somebody insulted their intelligence by giving them things they already knew. I think that's the danger that the speaker and the Oversight Committee are running here right now."
Members of the Oversight Committee are slated to meet with Epstein victims on Tuesday as they continue their probe.
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