Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) said Sunday on ABC's "This Week" that he will force a vote on releasing the Jeffrey Epstein files after the House's August recess by partnering with Democrat Rep. Ro Khanna (CA) on a discharge petition that would commandeer the Speaker's power over the schedule.
Massie expressed a lack of satisfaction with the information released so far and gave host Jonathan Karl details about what he wanted to see happen.
He said, “Well, I think we should get a lot more than just the book. Let’s get the financial records of the estate, follow the money, as they say up here. We should look at the plea-bargain, open that up, see what was the deal, what was the deal that was cut."
Massie told Karl he thinks the powers that be are holding out on the public in regards to Epstein.
"I think there’s a lot more than just that letter," he argued. "That letter is also sort of representative of something that’s embarrassing but not illegal, another reason why these files may be sealed and stay sealed, but we’re going to force a vote on this when we get back from the August recess. Ro Khanna and I are using a procedure called a discharge petition whereby if we get 218 votes, and we’re well on our way to that, 218 signatures, then we can force the vote.”
Karl pointed out that Massie could not force a vote without some Republican support.
Massie said, “If every Democrat signs this, I have 12 Republican co-sponsors and I only need six to sign it.”
But Karl was somewhat doubtful that he could get that much support because it would take control of the House schedule away from Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) and would set up a power struggle within the party.
It's one thing to co-sponsor legislation, but it's another to take the kind of forceful action that would be required.
Massie appeared to be counting on the public pressure that has been manifesting itself since Attorney General Pam Bondi signaled that the administration was trying to move beyond Epstein without releasing any more information.
He said, “I think the pressure will build over August recess. I don’t think it will dissipate like the speaker hopes that it will. If merely just half the people who have co-sponsored this legislation follow through and sign it, then it’s going to come to the floor for a vote.”
The refusal to release the entirety of the Epstein files has led to speculation among people on both sides of the political aisle about whether President Donald Trump is named in the files as an associate of Epstein's.
The two were photographed together several times a few decades ago, but had an apparent falling out at some point before Epstein's first arrest for sexual misconduct in 2006.
Trump said on Monday that he ended his relationship with Epstein because he repeatedly "stole" people who had worked for Trump. “I threw him out and that was it. I’m glad I did, if you want to know the truth,” Trump added.
