Bipartisan Duo Secures Signatures to Force House Vote on Releasing Epstein Files
In a significant development, Representatives Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) have secured the necessary signatures to force a House vote on releasing all of the files in the Justice Department's investigation into Jeffrey Epstein. The 218 signatures, gathered by the bipartisan duo, represent a simple majority of the entire 435-member House chamber.
The discharge petition, which was initially stalled due to the government shutdown, now faces a floor vote next week. Speaker Mike Johnson has announced that he will expedite the process and bring the measure to the floor for a vote. While it is likely to pass the House, it still needs to clear the Senate and be signed by the President to become law.
Massie and Khanna's effort comes as part of an ongoing investigation into Epstein's associates, including Ghislaine Maxwell. The pair have been building bipartisan support for their petition since early September, holding a news conference outside the Capitol with more than a dozen women who claim they were abused by Epstein when they were minors.
The discharge petition faces opposition from Republicans, who have accused Democrats of "intentionally hiding" the files. However, Massie and Khanna argue that transparency is essential in uncovering the truth about Epstein's activities. The legislation states that the attorney general may withhold or redact records that contain personally identifiable information of victims.
Trump has dismissed efforts to release the files as a "Democrat Epstein Hoax," calling it a "hostile act" against him if Republicans support it. White House officials have also met with on-the-fence Republicans to discourage them from signing the petition.
The fight over the Epstein files has driven a wedge between Trump and some in his MAGA base who want justice for Epstein's victims. Kash Patel, former FBI director, has expressed frustration with Republican leaders, saying they need to "put on their big boy pants" and release the records.
As the House prepares to vote on the discharge petition, it remains to be seen how the Senate and the President will respond. One thing is clear: transparency and accountability are at the forefront of this high-profile investigation into one of America's most infamous sex offenders.
In a significant development, Representatives Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) have secured the necessary signatures to force a House vote on releasing all of the files in the Justice Department's investigation into Jeffrey Epstein. The 218 signatures, gathered by the bipartisan duo, represent a simple majority of the entire 435-member House chamber.
The discharge petition, which was initially stalled due to the government shutdown, now faces a floor vote next week. Speaker Mike Johnson has announced that he will expedite the process and bring the measure to the floor for a vote. While it is likely to pass the House, it still needs to clear the Senate and be signed by the President to become law.
Massie and Khanna's effort comes as part of an ongoing investigation into Epstein's associates, including Ghislaine Maxwell. The pair have been building bipartisan support for their petition since early September, holding a news conference outside the Capitol with more than a dozen women who claim they were abused by Epstein when they were minors.
The discharge petition faces opposition from Republicans, who have accused Democrats of "intentionally hiding" the files. However, Massie and Khanna argue that transparency is essential in uncovering the truth about Epstein's activities. The legislation states that the attorney general may withhold or redact records that contain personally identifiable information of victims.
Trump has dismissed efforts to release the files as a "Democrat Epstein Hoax," calling it a "hostile act" against him if Republicans support it. White House officials have also met with on-the-fence Republicans to discourage them from signing the petition.
The fight over the Epstein files has driven a wedge between Trump and some in his MAGA base who want justice for Epstein's victims. Kash Patel, former FBI director, has expressed frustration with Republican leaders, saying they need to "put on their big boy pants" and release the records.
As the House prepares to vote on the discharge petition, it remains to be seen how the Senate and the President will respond. One thing is clear: transparency and accountability are at the forefront of this high-profile investigation into one of America's most infamous sex offenders.
, but on the other hand, isn't transparency kinda important? 
And shouldn't we want to know all the info about what went down in those investigations? 
At the same time, I'm like, wouldn't it be a total bummer if some sensitive info gets leaked and causes more problems? 
So yeah, I guess what I'm saying is that maybe we should just wait and see how this whole thing plays out before making any big decisions 
. But hey, at least it's good to know that there are people fighting for justice, right? 
, and it's a huge win for Reps Massie and Khanna who've been pushing for transparency 
. I mean, think about it - these guys have been gathering signatures from over 200 reps to force a House vote, that's some serious grassroots power 
! And let's be real, it's way past time we knew what was really going on behind those closed doors at the Justice Dept. 
), and some Republicans are being, well, pretty shady about it too 
.
. Like, Trump's got his own reasons for wanting to keep these files under wraps (no doubt related to Ghislaine Maxwell and all her connections 
), but he's just using it as a way to deflect from his own role in all this.
. Transparency is key here - these files belong to the American people, and they deserve answers 
.
... I'm kinda excited to see how this all plays out!
...reminds me of the O.J. Simpson case back in '94, how everything got all messy with secrets and scandals. This whole thing feels like a never-ending chapter from a true crime novel 
. I just hope the truth comes out, even if it's gonna hurt some people's feelings 
. Massie and Khanna are really fighting for transparency, I wish they could've done this sooner...makes me think of the old news about the Watergate scandal 
how things were kept under wraps until someone finally spoke up. This whole situation is just so frustrating, but at least we're talking about it now 
.