Washington — The House will leave town early for its monthlong summer break as members clash over the release of files related to child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The lower chamber was originally scheduled to be in session through Thursday, but votes were scrapped as Democrats and some Republicans push for a floor vote to force the release of the Epstein files. Lawmakers will now head home until Sept. 2, after votes on Wednesday afternoon.
On Monday night, the Epstein controversy disrupted another House Rules Committee meeting — the last hurdle for most legislation before it gets a floor vote — when Democrats threatened to make Republicans take more uncomfortable votes on Epstein-related amendments.
The committee instead recessed for the remainder of the week, blocking the House from passing legislation with a simple majority. The House can still bypass the committee and approve noncontroversial legislation with a two-thirds majority.
House Speaker Mike Johnson accused Democrats of playing “political games.”
“We all understand that the America first agenda and the American people are best served by putting an end to the Democrat side shows, and that’s what we’re doing by not allowing the Rules Committee to continue with that nonsense this week,” the Louisiana Republican said.
“We are not going to let them use this as a political battering ram. The Rules Committee became the ground for them to do that,” he said.
House Republicans last week offered a resolution that carries no legal weight to make the Epstein files public as they faced increasing pressure on an issue that has split President Trump’s base. But Johnson said Monday there would not be a vote on the issue before Congress’ August recess.
“There’s no purpose for Congress to push an administration to do something that they’re already doing,” Johnson reiterated Tuesday.
Last week, the Justice Department formally asked a federal judge to unseal transcripts from grand jury proceedings at the direction of Mr. Trump.
Numerous lawmakers have said that their offices are fielding calls from constituents wanting more information released.
“I don’t think this issue is going away over August,” Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky said.
Massie and Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna of California introduced a measure that would force the Justice Department to release Epstein-related files within 30 days. Massie plans to force a floor vote on the legislation once lawmakers return in September.
“I’m not quite certain what his strategy is,” Johnson said. “I don’t understand Thomas Massie’s motivation. I really don’t. I don’t know how his mind works. I don’t know what he’s thinking. Thomas Massie could have brought his discharge petition anytime over the last four and a half years.”
“When the speaker stands in the way of justice and transparency, this is how we get justice,” Massie said Monday. Grand jury testimony is “like one of 12 things that we need,” he said, adding, “I do believe that there are some things that need to be brought to the American public’s knowledge that have happened that will be embarrassing.”
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