Speaker Mike Johnson said Monday that the House of Representatives will not vote this week on any measures related to the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files, despite growing pressure from lawmakers and the public.
Johnson told reporters he believes the Trump administration and the Department of Justice (DOJ) should continue their work without congressional interference.
Highlights
- Speaker Mike Johnson delayed the House vote on the Jeffrey Epstein files despite a bipartisan push for transparency.
- A discharge petition backed by 212 Democrats and 11 Republicans aims to force a vote on releasing Epstein documents.
- Johnson previously endorsed releasing the files but has now postponed action until after the five-week August recess.
Mike Johnson blocked a vote related to the release of the Epstein files
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“My belief is we need the administration to have the space to do what it is doing, and if further congressional action is necessary or appropriate, then we’ll look at that, but I don’t think we’re at that point right now, because we agree with the president,” he said.
Earlier this month, a group of conservative lawmakers blocked a separate vote on foreign aid, demanding that attention be given to Epstein-related documents.
Johnson eventually agreed to move forward with a nonbinding resolution calling for transparency in the case.
But now, he says the House won’t vote on it before lawmakers leave for their five-week August recess.
The earliest the House could take up the resolution is after Labor Day in September.
As part of a deal to pass the White House’s rescissions package last week, Johnson agreed with GOP holdouts to let the House Rules Committee move forward with a non-binding resolution calling for the release of the Epstein files.
However, it remains uncertain whether the full House will vote on it, as Johnson continues to back Trump on the issue.
Last week, House Republicans blocked an amendment in the House Rules Committee that would have allowed a full vote on whether to release all the Epstein files. The amendment was proposed by Democratic Congressman Ro Khanna and failed 7-5 after GOP members, except for one, voted against it.
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Khanna pledged to introduce the amendment “again and again and again.”
The latest development comes less than a week after Johnson himself was calling for the release of the Epstein files.
“It’s a very delicate subject, but we should put everything out there and let the people decide it,” Johnson told conservative pundit Benny Johnson last week. “I agree with the sentiment that we need to put it out there.”
Some lawmakers, including Khanna and Republican Congressman Thomas Massie, are using a legislative tool called a “discharge petition” to try to force a vote on a bill that would require the DOJ to release all unclassified documents related to Epstein.
A discharge petition requires 218 signatures from House members to force a bill out of committee and onto the House floor—regardless of committee approval.
“Why do we think President Joe Biden or President Barack Obama’s names are being invoked because Donald Trump is running scared, and the Trump administration is running scared,” House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries told reporters during a press conference Monday.
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“What are they hiding from the American people, release the files so that the American people can make a decision on their own,” he added.
Eleven Republicans are already on board, making it more than enough to meet the 218 threshold.
These Republicans include Massie, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Tim Burchett, Eric Burlison, Lauren Boebert, Jeff Van Drew, Eli Crane, Cory Mills, Tom Barrett, Max Miller, and Nancy Mace.
“I think momentum will build for transparency. I don’t think this is going to go away,” Massie told CNN on Monday. “And I think when we return in September, we’ll get phase two of the Epstein files.”
Greene told CNN: “People want the information. They don’t want things covered up, especially when it comes to the most well-known convicted pedophile in modern day history.”
The bill already has the support of 11 Republicans and all 212 Democrats
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Greene noted that the “highest volume” of recent constituent calls to her office were about Epstein.
Even moderate Republicans, like Rep. Don Bacon, support releasing more Epstein documents.
Bacon said the public deserves to know the facts to stop conspiracy theories.
“Sunlight is a good medicine,” he said. “I think there’s too much conspiracy theory and it’s just better to put light on it.”
Earlier this month, the Justice Department said there is no “client list” connected to Jeffrey Epstein, despite earlier comments from Attorney General Pam Bondi suggesting she had such a list on her desk.
Commenting on this, Johnson said last week, “She needs to come forward and explain that to everybody. We need the DOJ focusing on the major priorities. So let’s get this thing resolved.”
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Speaking to reporters about Bondi on the White House lawn last Tuesday, Trump said, “She’s handled it very well, and it’s going to be up to her. Whatever she thinks is credible, she should release.”
The DOJ and FBI also confirmed that Epstein was not murdered while in jail.
Democratic Rep. Veronica Escobar said on social media, “Speaker Johnson and Republicans wrote a toothless resolution on the Epstein files and now won’t even bring *that* up for a vote so that they can give Donald Trump more time to distract the American people from his broken promises and secrets.”
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