The House of Representatives will head out on recess early as the pressure over the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files paralyzes Congress.
The last day before the summer break was set to be Thursday, but the House cancelled votes for the day, and lawmakers will head out on Wednesday instead.
It comes as a bipartisan group of lawmakers is pushing for the House to vote on a resolution to force the release of the Epstein files amid MAGA outrage over the Trump administration’s handling of the case.
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Speaker Mike Johnson insisted that there was no daylight between House Republicans and the president. He blasted Democrats on Tuesday for fueling the Epstein outrage, but some of his own caucus members have been calling for the Epstein files to be released and signed on to the House resolution.
Johnson praised the Trump administration’s effort to have grand jury testimony released, but he argued they cannot be “careless” with an open release of documents.
“What we refuse to do is participate in another one of the Democrats’ political games. This is a serious matter,’ Johnson said. “We are not going to let them use this as a political battering ram.”
Calling off Thursday votes and head out early came after the House Rules Committee cancelled meeting the rest of the week as frustration over the Epstein files exploded. It halted the House’s ability to move on other legislation.
Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna teamed up with GOP Rep. Thomas Massie to introduce the resolution to release the files, and they have been looking to force a vote in the House.
“Americans were promised justice. Our binding bipartisan legislation to release the complete Epstein files now has 20 sponsors,” Massie wrote Tuesday.
He noted that they will soon begin to collect the signatures required to force a public vote in the House.
While Massie has emerged as a Donald Trump foe, among the bipartisan group of co-sponsors for his resolution are eleven fellow Republicans, including Trump allies like Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene, Jeff Van Drew, Lauren Boebert, Nancy Mace, and Tim Burchett. Most recently, Rep. Keith Self signed on as a co-sponsor on Monday.
“Americans have been promised so much by so many for so long. I believe the DOJ should do everything it can to provide transparency for Americans, justice for the victims, and accountability for the evil individuals who participated in these unspeakable crimes,” Self posted on X.
Despite the House is making a quick getaway, even Republican lawmakers believe the resolution would have the votes to pass if it eventually comes to a vote.
Taylor Greene indicated her office is receiving a high number of calls from people expressing interest in the Epstein case.
Johnson blasted Democrats for not moving on the Epstein files before now, but he could have just kicked the Epstein crisis down the road to September when lawmakers are set to return.
