logo
Calif. Dem rep's bid to force release of Epstein files falls flat in House

Calif. Dem rep's bid to force release of Epstein files falls flat in House

New York Post15-07-2025
California Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna's bid to force the release of the Justice Department's files on notorious sex predator Jeffrey Epstein fell flat in the House on Monday.
Khanna sought to capitalize on the raging MAGA revolt over Epstein by tacking on an amendment to pending legislation on cryptocurrency and national defense that would have required the files to be disclosed to the public.
The rep vowed to keep fighting after his defeat.
3 Dem California Rep. Ro Khanna vows to keep fighting for the release of the Epstein files.
AP
'We won't stop until the files are released. This may have been our first attempt, but the public will not be gas-lit. We will keep fighting for transparency,' Khanna said.
On Monday evening, the House Rules Committee, which is a critical gatekeeper for how most legislation makes its way to the floor for a vote, rejected Khanna's amendment in a 7–5 vote.
Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC) was the sole Republican on the rules panel who voted in favor of Khanna's bid to force the release of the Epstein files. Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas), whose district was slammed with flooding, was not present.
3 Jeffrey Epstein's death in 2019 has long been subject to controversy and public concerns that there was more to the story.
DOJ
All Democrats joined in with Khanna.
Democrats have seemingly been eager to exploit the growing MAGA rift over Epstein.
Key stars within the MAGA movement such as Steve Bannon, Megyn Kelly and Tucker Carlson have fumed that the administration hasn't been more transparent on Epstein — who allegedly helped arrange sex trysts for the rich and powerful before being busted for sex trafficking and killing himself in his Manhattan jail cell while awaiting trial.
Last week, the DOJ released a memo concluding that the evidence indicates Epstein killed himself and that he didn't have a client list. President Trump has since bristled at the uproar and urged his followers to 'not waste Time and Energy on Jeffrey Epstein, somebody that nobody cares about.'
But Khanna declared after the rules panel vote, 'People are fed up. They are fed up.
'Need to put the American people before party!'
The California Democrat meanwhile said he would expect the DOJ to protect the identities of Epstein's victims if it releases the files.
3 Attorney General Pam Bondi has faced a firestorm from MAGA world over the government's report on the Epstein files.
AFP via Getty Images
Other key Democrats, such as House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York and Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland, have also pressed the Trump administration to release the files.
'If there are literally other people on this list who are somehow implicated in these actions, it is dangerous to public health and safety not to release the names publicly,' Raskin told MSNBC's 'Deadline: White House.'
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Donald Trump Repeats False Claim Beyoncé Was Paid $11 Million To Endorse Kamala Harris; Calls To Prosecute Singer, Oprah & Al Sharpton
Donald Trump Repeats False Claim Beyoncé Was Paid $11 Million To Endorse Kamala Harris; Calls To Prosecute Singer, Oprah & Al Sharpton

Yahoo

time23 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Donald Trump Repeats False Claim Beyoncé Was Paid $11 Million To Endorse Kamala Harris; Calls To Prosecute Singer, Oprah & Al Sharpton

On Saturday, Donald Trump repeated false claims that Beyoncé was paid $11 million to endorse Kamala Harris on the campaign trail in October of last year. The Truth Social post comes as the president faces scrutiny from his own base over the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files. Taking to his social media platform yesterday, the GOP leader wrote, 'I'm looking at the large amount of money owed by the Democrats, after the Presidential Election, and the fact that they admit to paying, probably illegally, Eleven Million Dollars to singer Beyoncé for an ENDORSEMENT (she never sang, not one note, and left the stage to a booing and angry audience!), Three Million Dollars for 'expenses,' to Oprah, Six Hundred Thousand Dollars to very low rated TV 'anchor,' Al Sharpton (a total lightweight!), and others to be named for doing, absolutely NOTHING! These ridiculous fees were incorrectly stated in the books and records. YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO PAY FOR AN ENDORSEMENT. IT IS TOTALLY ILLEGAL TO DO SO. Can you imagine what would happen if politicians started paying for people to endorse them. All hell would break out! Kamala, and all of those that received Endorsement money, BROKE THE LAW. They should all be prosecuted! Thank you for your attention to this matter.' More from Deadline Beyoncé Reunites Destiny's Child For Final 'Cowboy Carter' Tour Stop In Vegas Stephen Colbert Praises 'South Park's Naked AI Trump PSA: "An Important Message Of Hope" Donald Trump Denies Being Briefed That His Name Appeared In Jeffrey Epstein Files, Despite Wall Street Journal Report That He Was Informed Trump is referring to the 35-time Grammy-winning artist's appearance at a rally in Houston, where the singer took to the stage to endorse the vice president and call for unity. 'It's time to sing a new song, a song that began 248 years ago. The old notes of downfall, discord, despair no longer resonate. Our generations of loved ones before us are whispering a prophecy, a quest, a calling, an anthem. Our moment right now — it's time for America to sing a new song. Our voices sing a chorus of unity. They sing a song of dignity and opportunity,' she said to the crowd. Federal campaign spending records show a $165,000 payment made from the Democratic presidential candidate's organization to Beyoncé's production company, per CNN, with 'campaign event production' listed as the reasoning for the expenditure. Last year, senior spokesperson for the Harris campaign Adrienne Elrod told Deadline that the campaign did not pay any celebrity endorsers but was required by campaign finance law to cover costs associated with holding such events, per Federal Election Commission rules. This accounts for the $1 million the Harris campaign spent on Oprah's Harpo Productions, as the famed TV personality endorsed her at a Michigan-held 'Unite for America' event in September 2024. The baseless allegation was fact-checked by websites and PolitiFact last year, though Trump repeated his sentiments about Beyoncé, Oprah and Al Sharpton back in February. Trump has also previously harped on the matter in a post made back in May, where he named other influential Harris endorsers like Bruce Springsteen and Bono, calling for a 'major investigation.' There's also no evidence to suggest such expenses were incorrectly categorized, and though Trump maintained payment for endorsement is illegal, there's actually no FEC law that prohibits such campaigns for paying for endorsements, though they must disclose such expenditures. Best of Deadline Celebs Supporting Zohran Mamdani In New York's Mayoral Race: From Ramy Youssef To Cynthia Nixon The Fox News To White House Pipeline: TV Personalities Who Joined The Trump Administration Celebrities Voting And Encouraging Voting In The 2024 Election

NYC's ‘We're With Colbert' rally for late-night host is a bust with just 20 protesters
NYC's ‘We're With Colbert' rally for late-night host is a bust with just 20 protesters

New York Post

time25 minutes ago

  • New York Post

NYC's ‘We're With Colbert' rally for late-night host is a bust with just 20 protesters

What a joke. A Big Apple rally in support of on-his-way-out 'Late Show' host Stephen Colbert drew fewer than two dozen people Sunday — with even the NYPD cops on scene quickly calling it a day since most of the demonstrators left after just a few minutes. Organizers said the 'We're With Colbert' gathering outside the CBS Broadcast Center on Manhattan's West Side said it was meant to be part of a nationwide call for 'integrity.' Advertisement 4 Demonstrators gather outside CBS' offices in Manhattan on Sunday to protest the end of the 'Late Show' with Stephen Colbert. REUTERS 4 Colbert was told this was his last season on CBS, sparking controversy on both sides. CBS 'Our country is not perfect, never has been,' said the event's organizer, who would only identify himself as Matt and said his nickname is 'Slim.' Advertisement 'But we've always had the First Amendment, and now Mango Mussolini is trying to take that from us,' he said, referring to a derogatory nickname for President Trump. CBS said declining viewership and diminishing profits led to its decision to end the show in May 2026, effectively firing the 61-year-old talk-show host Colbert — but critics claim the network bowed to pressure from Trump. 4 CBS officials said the decision to fire Colbert was the result of growing costs and diminishing viewership. Luiz C. Ribeiro for New York Post 4 The number of protesters at Sunday's 'We're With Colbert' rally topped off at about 20 at its peak. REUTERS Advertisement CBS's parent company finalized an $8.4 billion merger with Skydance Media shortly after Colbert was told he was on his last season. The merger required federal approval. Colbert has also been among the top talk-show hosts who routinely roast Trump. 'This is a First Amendment attack,' a protester who refused to give her name said of the closing-down of the show. 'We can't stand for that.' Advertisement Still, Colbert has also come under fire for featuring predominantly lefty-leaning guests. According to the right-leaning group MRC NewsBusters, Colbert has had 176 liberal guests and only one Republican on his show since 2022.

Rep. Sen. Markwayne Mullin, WH Budget Director Russel Vought and Dem. Sen. Mark Kelly - State of the Union with Jake Tapper and Dana Bash - Podcast on CNN Podcasts
Rep. Sen. Markwayne Mullin, WH Budget Director Russel Vought and Dem. Sen. Mark Kelly - State of the Union with Jake Tapper and Dana Bash - Podcast on CNN Podcasts

CNN

time25 minutes ago

  • CNN

Rep. Sen. Markwayne Mullin, WH Budget Director Russel Vought and Dem. Sen. Mark Kelly - State of the Union with Jake Tapper and Dana Bash - Podcast on CNN Podcasts

Rep. Sen. Markwayne Mullin, WH Budget Director Russel Vought and Dem. Sen. Mark Kelly State of the Union 46 mins Republican Senator Markwayne Mullin discusses the Epstein controversy with Jake Tapper and what it will take for the Trump administration to move on from the crisis. White House Budget Director Russ Vought tells Jake Tapper about plans for another recissions package and the tools the administration might use to achieve spending cuts. Democratic Senator Mark Kelly discusses what he has been hearing from voters at townhalls about Democratic favorability problems and whether the US bears any blame for the starvation crisis in Gaza. And the panel weighs in.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store