A U.S. House of Representatives effort to release files on convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein cleared a major hurdle on November 12 when Democrats and a handful of Republicans reached 218 signatures to force a floor vote on a bill to release the files within 30 days.
We still have a long way to go.
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Republican leaders have echoed President Donald Trump’s wishes by delaying the release of files bill backed by Democrats. Trump, a former friend of Epstein, faces persistent questions about what the files show about the pair’s history.
The bill’s sponsors, Reps. Thomas Massie and Ro Khanna, used an arcane procedural tactic called an expulsion petition to secure floor consideration. The move came over the objections of Speaker Mike Johnson and other Republican leaders. Prime Minister Johnson insisted that the continued work of the House of Commons Oversight and Government Reform Committee was sufficient. The committee has released some emails and other documents related to Mr. Epstein, most recently releasing a release on Nov. 12 that included emails from Mr. Epstein discussing Mr. Trump.
For weeks, the expulsion effort stalled at 217 votes, one vote short of the required 218, but on November 12, newly elected Congresswoman Adelita Grijalva was sworn in 50 days after her election, with supporters reaching 217 votes, the longest delay in recent history.
Immediately after being sworn in, Grijalva signed a petition and was officially discharged from the military. Massey and three other Republicans, Georgia’s Marjorie Taylor Greene, Colorado’s Lauren Boebert and South Carolina’s Nancy Mace, joined all Democrats in signing the bill.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he intended to bring the bill to a vote the week of November 17, although it could have been delayed further.
President Trump opposed the release of more Epstein-related materials, writing on Truth Social on Nov. 12 that Republicans should focus on opening up the cash-strapped government, which remains closed. “There should be no bias against Mr. Epstein or anyone else,” his post said.
Here’s a guide to what’s next with this bill and what’s at stake.
Who was Epstein?
Epstein had interactions with powerful people and received leniency from the criminal justice system until the Miami Herald published an extensive investigation into his case in 2018.
In 2005, Palm Beach police began investigating Epstein after a 14-year-old girl reported being sexually abused at his residence. A grand jury indicted Epstein on a single charge of prostitution in 2006, and he was arrested. The FBI opened an investigation and prepared to file charges, but in 2008 Epstein was charged in one state with solicitation of prostitution and in one state with solicitation of prostitution from a person under 18. He served about a year in prison, mostly for release.
A Miami Herald investigation found that federal prosecutors and Epstein’s lawyers concealed the extent of Epstein’s crimes.
In July 2019, Epstein was arrested on federal charges that he allegedly recruited dozens of underage girls to his New York City mansion and Palm Beach mansion between 2002 and 2005 to perform sex acts for money. He was found dead in his Manhattan jail cell on August 10, 2019, and investigators concluded he died by suicide.
What is the Epstein File?
The Trump administration provided conflicting information about the contents of the Epstein files.
In February, Attorney General Pam Bondi released what she called the “first phase” of the declassified Epstein files, including flight records, evidence lists and redacted contact lists. Bondi said the Justice Department would release more case files with the victims’ names redacted.
When Fox News host John Roberts asked Bondi in February whether the network would release Epstein’s client list, she replied, “It’s on my desk right now for review.”
But the Justice Department said in a July memo that “no incriminating ‘client list’ existed.”
“We also found no credible evidence that Mr. Epstein threatened public figures as part of his actions,” the memo said. “We found no evidence that could form the basis for an investigation against a third party who has not been charged.”
What does the bill do?
Massey-Khanna’s bill, entitled the Epstein File Transparency Act, would require the attorney general, within 30 days of enactment, to release “all unclassified records, documents, communications, and investigative materials” held by the Justice Department, FBI, and federal prosecutors regarding Epstein and his partner Ghislaine Maxwell, who was sentenced to 20 years in prison for the sexual exploitation and abuse of underage girls. 10 years have passed.
These materials include flight and travel records related to Epstein, documents related to people and companies associated with Epstein, prosecution documents and internal Department of Justice communications related to Epstein-related cases, and materials related to his death in custody.
Under the law, documents containing information that could identify a victim could be withheld or redacted. The same goes for material depicting child sexual abuse, death or injury, jeopardizing an ongoing federal investigation or prosecution, or endangering national security. However, according to the law, materials cannot be withheld on the grounds of “embarrassment, reputational damage, or political considerations.”
What are the prospects for this bill to pass the House?
The highest hurdle in the House was securing the 218th signature.
With that accomplished, Khanna said he expects dozens more Republicans to vote in favor of the bill than the four who signed the discharge petition, The Hill reported.
What happens if this bill passes the House?
If the bill passes the House, it will be sent to the Senate. It would require 60 votes in the Senate to advance to final consideration, meaning at least 13 Republicans would need to join Democrats and all 47 Democratic-backed independents to move forward. It’s a challenging obstacle.
“It will be treated like any other bill, subject only to the discretion of the majority leadership,” said Donald Wolfensberger, former staff director of the House Rules Committee.
In July, reporters asked Senate Majority Leader John Thune whether any Senate Republicans supported forcing further disclosure of the Epstein files. He said he had “not heard much” of a desire to advance the issue within the press conference.
Thune said that while the House petition is still collecting signatures, a successful vote in the House, especially with strong Republican support, could change the Senate’s calculations. But even if the Senate passes the bill, it will face its toughest test yet with President Trump, who can veto it.
Overriding a presidential veto requires a two-thirds majority in both chambers, which would require significant support from Republicans opposed to their own party leaders.
How much new material will result from this legislation?
Even if this measure becomes law, President Trump could still find ways to soften its impact.
“Implementation of that provision will still depend on the Department of Justice’s compliance,” said Stanley Brand, a longtime Washington, D.C., lawyer and distinguished fellow at the Dickinson Law Firm in Pennsylvania.
Brand said the Justice Department could seek to suppress certain documents, and resolving legal challenges to those decisions could stall their release.
“The complex issues regarding the jurisdiction of the Permanent Court and the jurisdiction of the Federal Court to conduct such proceedings will undoubtedly delay resolution,” he said.
Dave Aronberg, a former Democratic state attorney in Palm Beach County, Florida, said he expects the Justice Department will have “room for flexibility” regarding the exceptions included in the bill.
Still, he said, “it would take a great deal of creativity to withhold documents related to President Trump.”
