GOP Rep. Thomas Massie Slams Speaker Mike Johnson For Blocking Effort To Release Epstein Files

Like Love Haha Wow Sad Angry

by Kevin MaguireJuly 29, 2025, 6:03 pm >

Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Kentucky) and Rep. Ro Khanna (D-California) are leading a bipartisan push to force a House vote on the release of files tied to the federal investigation into Jeffrey Epstein, a move that has drawn criticism from House Speaker Mike Johnson.

Earlier this month, Massie said he would push for a vote to require the Justice Department to release documents related to the federal investigation into Jeffrey Epstein, as public scrutiny of the Trump administration’s handling of the case continued.

“We all deserve to know what’s in the Epstein files, who’s implicated, and how deep this corruption goes. Americans were promised justice and transparency,” wrote Massie in a post to social media earlier this month. “We’re introducing a discharge petition to force a vote in the U.S. House of Representatives on releasing the COMPLETE files.”

A discharge petition is a procedural tool that requires 218 signatures to bypass House leadership and force a vote on a specific measure.

Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter!

A week of political news in your in-box.
We find the news you need to know, so you don't have to.

Massie, joined by Khanna, said in an interview on NBC’s Meet the Press that the controversy surrounding the Epstein investigation “is going to hurt Republicans in the midterms, the voters will be apathetic if we don’t hold the rich and powerful accountable.”

Massie added that he and Khanna expect considerable bipartisan support for their effort to force a House vote, but urged Johnson to allow the vote without requiring a discharge petition.

“I think when we get back, we can get the signatures required to force this to the floor. Speaker Mike Johnson should do the right thing and just bring it to the floor and not require us to force it,” said Massie.

Johnson has repeatedly condemned the effort, saying it was “reckless.”

“House Republicans insist upon the release of all credible evidence and information related to Epstein in any way,” said Johnson in his own appearance on Meet the Press. “But we are also insisting upon the protection of innocent victims. And our concern is that the Massie and Khanna discharge petition is reckless in the way that it is drafted and presented. It does not adequately include those protections.”

Johnson motioned to begin the House’s August recess a few days early, which Massie labeled a petty move to avoid facing a vote on the Epstein files.

“The question is, why isn’t Mike Johnson having this vote? Why did he send us home early?” said Massie in an interview with ABC News.

The bill from Massie and Khanna has gained support from both sides of the aisle, with backers including Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Georgia), Tim Burchett (R-Tennessee) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-New York).