House Republicans are expected to join their Democratic colleagues in a near-unanimous vote this week to support the release of all the Epstein files, according to sources. The vote is seen as a move towards transparency and accountability in the investigation of late pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
President Trump’s encouragement for the release of the files has paved the way for bipartisan support in the House. Once passed in the House, Senate Republicans are also expected to support the measure before Trump signs it into law.
The Epstein Files Transparency Act, introduced by Reps. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), aims to make all unclassified records and documents related to Epstein available to Congress within a specified timeline. This includes information on Epstein’s associates, flight logs, and internal details about his criminal activities and eventual death.
Despite some disagreements within the Republican Party, the push for the release of the files has gained momentum. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) emphasized the importance of transparency and ensuring there is nothing to hide in the Epstein investigation.
Overall, there has been overwhelming support for the release of the files, with the goal of providing clarity and closure to the public regarding Epstein’s criminal activities.
In his Truth Social post on Sunday, Trump mentioned that the disclosures, some of which have already been produced by the House Oversight Committee, could potentially reveal more about the relationship between Epstein and “Democrat operatives” like former President Bill Clinton and ex-Treasury Secretary Larry Summers.
In July, the president expressed his confusion to reporters about the interest in Epstein, who was found dead in a Manhattan jail in August 2019, in what was ruled a suicide.
The 66-year-old disgraced financier had been federally charged with a sex-trafficking conspiracy involving underage women the month before his death. Maxwell, his alleged accomplice, is currently serving a 20-year sentence after being convicted in June 2022 in connection with the conspiracy.
Trump had distanced himself from Epstein in the mid-2000s after confronting Maxwell about her involvement in grooming and abusing young girls at Mar-a-Lago.
He had also urged an “end” to federal inquiries about Epstein in September, stating that the Department of Justice had fulfilled all requests to make investigative information public.
Referring to the Democrats’ focus on Epstein as a “hoax,” Trump pointed out that several members of their party had interacted with Epstein during his lifetime, befriending him, socializing with him, visiting his island, and accepting his financial support.
Senator John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, expressed support for releasing all the files related to Epstein, stating that the issue would not go away until the questions surrounding it are answered satisfactorily for the American people.
“I just don’t think this issue is going to go away until that issue is addressed and answered to the American people’s satisfaction,” Kennedy told CNN’s Kasie Hunt on her podcast. “And I may end up with a sombrero on my head for saying that, but that’s the way I see it.”
