Washington — House Speaker Mike Johnson said there will not be a vote before Congress’ August recess on a resolution that calls on the Trump administration to release more files related to child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
“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,” the Louisiana Republican told reporters Monday. “But I don’t think we’re at that point right now because we agree with the president.”
The White House spent the last week dealing with the fallout from a Justice Department review that concluded Epstein had no “client list” and died by suicide while in federal custody in 2019 as he was facing sex trafficking charges.
In an effort to alleviate the pressure from some of Mr. Trump’s most fervent supporters, which Democrats have sought to capitalize on, House Republicans last week offered a resolution that carries no legal weight to make the Epstein files public.
“This resolution they’re offering is a cover vote and I’ll be surprised if they even bring it to the floor,” Democratic Rep. Jim McGovern of Massachusetts said during a House Rules Committee meeting last week.
As the committee debated the release of the files, Mr. Trump ordered the Justice Department to produce “any and all pertinent grand jury testimony, subject to court approval.” The request also came after the Wall Street Journal published a letter Mr. Trump allegedly wrote to Epstein for his birthday in 2003, which the president called “fake.” Mr. Trump sued the Journal and its parent company for defamation over the story.
The Justice Department on Friday formally asked a federal judge to unseal transcripts from grand jury proceedings.
There’s a separate effort led by Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky to force a vote on a bipartisan measure that would compel the Justice Department to release Epstein-related files within 30 days.
On Monday, Massie pressed Johnson on holding a vote on his legislation before Congress’ month-long break.
“We should not punt this until after the 5 week recess, nor should we wait for my discharge petition to ripen and collect the required signatures to force the vote,” Massie wrote.
Massie needs 218 signatures on his petition to force a vote once Congress returns after Labor Day.
He later told reporters that he expects “momentum will build for transparency” over recess.
“I don’t think this is going to go away,” he said. “This transcends all other issues. This is about whether there’s an elite and powerful group of people who are above the law, or whether they answer to the law. That’s what this is about. Right now, anybody who wants to subvert or keep the Epstein files secret, they are on the wrong side.”
Johnson called the endeavor “a political game that Democrats are playing, and I hope Republicans don’t join it.” He also reiterated that there’s “no daylight” between the White House and House Republicans on wanting more transparency.
“We want maximum disclosure,” he said.
and
contributed to this report.
