UPDATE: The White House has issued a stark warning to Republican members of Congress pushing for the full release of Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse files, labeling their actions as “a very hostile act” against President Donald Trump. This urgent development follows the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee‘s release of over 33,000 documents related to Epstein on July 25, 2023.
In a closed-door meeting with multiple victims, GOP members unveiled the files, but 97 percent of the documents were already public, prompting fierce complaints from Democrats. Representative Thomas Massie has intensified efforts for a House vote to release all documents, asserting that transparency is crucial for addressing systemic corruption. “People want these files released,” Massie stated. “It’s not the biggest issue in the country, but you can’t solve other issues if this place is corrupt.”
Massie and California Democrat Rep. Ro Khanna initiated a bipartisan discharge petition to push for the complete release of Epstein’s files, needing just two more GOP signatures for a vote. As of last night, Republican signatories include Massie, Nancy Mace, Lauren Boebert, and Marjorie Taylor Greene. They aim for a total of 218 votes, assuming all 212 Democrats support the initiative.
During the meeting with Epstein’s victims, Mace was visibly emotional, declaring herself a “recent survivor.” Massie revealed that there is pressure from the Trump administration to prevent the vote from happening: “There’s a major pressure campaign from the White House right now,” he affirmed. Despite this, Massie remains optimistic about garnering enough support from fellow Republicans.
Normally a staunch Trump supporter, Greene has publicly backed Massie’s initiative, emphasizing her commitment to justice for Epstein’s victims. “I’m proud to be signing @RepThomasMassie’s discharge petition,” she posted on X.
A White House official commented to CNN, stating that aiding Massie’s bipartisan efforts would be “a very hostile act” towards the administration. Meanwhile, Trump chose to avoid the topic on his Truth Social platform, focusing instead on other issues.
Massie believes that Trump’s supporter base desires transparency regarding Epstein, despite the president’s attempts to sidestep the issue. “I think he thinks he can just make this go away by telling people there’s nothing here,” Massie told ABC News. He is confident that Republican colleagues will support the petition, as they recognize the importance of addressing constituents’ concerns.
Democrat Robert Garcia, the ranking member of the Oversight Committee, scrutinized the recently released documents, emphasizing that they offered no new insights. “To the American people – don’t let this fool you,” Garcia warned. “House Republicans are trying to make a spectacle of releasing already-public documents.”
Khanna insists on the necessity of releasing all information related to Epstein, stressing that trust in the government is paramount. “The President ran on releasing the files, and we should release everything and trust the American people,” Khanna told MSNBC.
As this situation unfolds, the pressure mounts on Congress to act decisively. All eyes are now on the House as they navigate the complexities of accountability and transparency in the wake of the Epstein scandal. Stay tuned for live updates on this critical issue.
