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Mike Johnson Shuts Down House Early To Block Vote On Jeffrey Epstein Files
Mike Johnson Shuts Down House Early To Block Vote On Jeffrey Epstein Files

Yahoo

time34 minutes ago

  • Politics
  • Yahoo

Mike Johnson Shuts Down House Early To Block Vote On Jeffrey Epstein Files

WASHINGTON ― Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) on Tuesday abruptly canceled upcoming House votes and decided to send lawmakers home early for a five-week recess, all because he wants to block a bipartisan effort to force a vote on releasing files on Jeffrey Epstein, the disgraced financier and former close friend to President Donald Trump. The House was scheduled to be in session through Thursday, with votes set for that day. But Tuesday morning, Johnson scrapped those plans and decided to close up shop by Wednesday afternoon. Lawmakers are now heading back to their districts until Sept. 2. Johnson told reporters he's fed up with Democrats' efforts to force votes on releasing Epstein's files. 'The American people are best served by putting an end to Democrats' side shows,' he said in a Tuesday press conference. 'That's what we're doing by not allowing the Rules Committee to continue with that nonsense this week.' ADVERTISEMENT 'We're done being lectured on transparency,' he said. On Monday night, Democrats forced an early end to a House Rules Committee hearing by announcing plans to force the committee to vote on a bipartisan bill to make the Justice Department release all of its files on Epstein, who faced multiple charges relating to sex trafficking of minors. The committee, which the speaker directly controls, ended its meeting and never came back. Johnson claimed Tuesday that he supports 'maximum transparency' on Epstein's records, but is concerned about the need to 'protect innocent victims' of Epstein. The idea that the Justice Department should release all of its records on Epstein could harm them, he said. 'We also have to be judicious and careful about protecting the innocent,' he claimed. 'We cannot be careless in an open release like that.' ADVERTISEMENT But Johnson glossed over the real problem he's facing, which is that many House Republicans also want to see all of Epstein's files released. Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and 11 other Republicans signed onto the bipartisan bill with Democrats, and they're not backing down in trying to force a vote on it. 'Americans were promised justice,' Massie said Tuesday on social media. 'Our binding bipartisan legislation to release the complete Epstein files now has 20 sponsors. Soon we can begin collecting signatures required to force a public vote in the U.S. House. Is your member on this list?' The other GOPers on this bill are Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (Ga.), Tim Burchett (Tenn.), Eric Burlison (Mo.), Lauren Boebert (Colo.), Jeff Van Drew (N.J.), Eli Crane (Ariz.), Cory Mills (Fla.), Tom Barrett (Mich.), Max Miller (Ohio), Nancy Mace (S.C.) and Keith Self (Texas). Trump created this problem for himself. He and top officials in his administration spent years fueling conspiracies about an Epstein client list, and Trump vowed to release this purported list when he was running for president. They all fanned this idea that Democrats were hiding Epstein's client list to protect powerful figures in their party who they alleged were on it. Attorney General Pam Bondi defiantly claimed in February, weeks after Trump had won, that Epstein's client list was 'sitting right now on my desk for review.' But Bondi is now claiming this list doesn't exist at all, and Trump is trying to move on. President Donald Trump previously vowed to release Jeffrey Epstein's client list, but now he's trying to move on. Why? AP/Getty Images It infuriated many of his staunch supporters, who are wondering, along with everyone else, why he's hiding Epstein's files. Meanwhile, the Wall Street Journal reported last week on a racy birthday card that Trump gave to Epstein in 2003, with a strange note. Trump, furious about this story, is now suing the newspaper for $10 billion over it. ADVERTISEMENT During his Tuesday press conference, Johnson knocked Massie for working with Democrats to try to force the release of Epstein's files. 'Massie is the one trying to bite Republicans,' Johnson said in response to a question about his GOP colleague's efforts. 'Let me just say about Thomas Massie: Could you just accept my southern, 'Bless his heart?'' The speaker also seemed to be trying to mislead people about what Massie and others are trying to accomplish with their bill versus what action Trump is currently taking regarding Epstein's files. He repeatedly said Trump ordered the Justice Department to 'get everything released,' which means there's 'no purpose for Congress' to also push for this. But Trump only directed the release of grand jury testimony related to Epstein's case, which is a tiny fraction of Epstein's records and files. And even this order only came in response to a groundswell of pressure from his own base. Trump is all over the Epstein Ted Lieu (D-Calif.) ADVERTISEMENT Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.) said he talked about the Epstein files during the Biden administration, and it's clear how close Trump and Epstein were based on what's been made public so far. He said the two appear together in multiple videos and photos, there's 'weird quotes' from Trump about Epstein, court pleadings that include Trump's name, plane logs showing Trump flying with Epstein, and 'now this creepy birthday card.' 'Trump is all over the Epstein files,' Lieu told reporters Tuesday. 'Why do you think we have this entire explosion now about Epstein?' he asked. 'Because Attorney General Pam Bondi went on national TV and told the American people that Jeffrey Epstein's client list was, quote, sitting on my desk right now. Where's that client list? Why doesn't she release it?' Related...

Speaker Johnson refuses to allow Epstein vote as House set to recess early
Speaker Johnson refuses to allow Epstein vote as House set to recess early

Associated Press

time2 hours ago

  • Politics
  • Associated Press

Speaker Johnson refuses to allow Epstein vote as House set to recess early

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Speaker Mike Johnson is rebuffing pressure to act on the investigation into Jeffrey Epstein, instead sending members home early for a month-long break from Washington after the week's legislative agenda was upended by Republican members who are clamoring for a vote. Johnson, a Republican from Louisiana, said Tuesday morning that he wants to give the White House 'space' to release the Epstein information on its own, despite the bipartisan push for legislation that would require more records to be released. 'There's no purpose for the Congress to push an administration to do something they're already doing,' Johnson said at his weekly press conference, his last before lawmakers depart Washington on Wednesday for their traditional August recess. Echoing President Donald Trump's position, Johnson insisted he, too, wants the files released, but only those that are 'credible.' The speaker's stance seemed unlikely to satisfy many GOP members who are threatening to support a bipartisan bill meant to pry information from the Justice Department. Even before Johnson spoke, a Republican-controlled subcommittee of the powerful House Committee on Oversight was advancing a resolution to subpoena Epstein's former girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell, for a deposition. The intra-party turmoil on Capitol Hill unfolded as many of Trump's supporters have been outraged at how his administration has reneged on promises to publicly release a full accounting of the sex trafficking investigation into Epstein, who killed himself in his New York jail cell in 2019 while awaiting trial. Under pressure from right-wing online influencers, as well as voters back home, rank-and-file Republicans are demanding that the House intervene in the matter. 'The public's not going to let this die, and rightfully so,' said Rep. Ralph Norman, a South Carolina Republican. Johnson decided to end the House's legislative business early this week after he essentially lost control of the powerful House Rules Committee, which sends bills to the floor for debates and votes. Late Monday evening business on that panel ground to a halt when the Republicans on the House Rules Committee abruptly recessed proceedings rather than risk more proposals from Democrats pushing them to release Epstein files. Republican leaders last week had signaled possible support for a vote on the Epstein files, putting forward a resolution that has no legal weight but urged the Justice Department to produce more documentation. Trump too has asked Attorney General Pam Bondi to seek the release of testimony from secret grand jury proceedings in the case, though that effort is unlikely to produce new revelations. Johnson, who has relied heavily on Trump to hold onto leadership in the House, cast the president's reticence to release information as out of concern for the victims of Epstein. 'We have a moral responsibility to expose the evil of Epstein and everybody who was involved in that — absolutely — and we're resolved to do it,' Johnson said. 'But we also have an equal moral responsibility to protect the innocent, and that is a fine needle to thread.' Epstein, sexually abused children hundreds of times over more than a decade, exploiting vulnerable girls as young as 14, authorities say. He couldn't have done so without the help of Maxwell, his longtime companion, prosecutors say. ___ Follow the AP's coverage of the Jeffrey Epstein case at

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