Lone GOP 'no' vote on Epstein files has ties to cop accused in sex trafficking ring

The only lawmaker who voted against releasing the Epstein files — who is a former Louisiana police officer — reportedly has close ties to police officers accused of severe misconduct, including alleged ties to a child sex trafficking ring investigation. He was also once accused of holding a gun to his ex-wife's head.

Rep. Clay Higgins (R-LA) has faced criticism for his vote after the House of Representatives voted 427-1 to push the discharge petition forward to the Senate on Tuesday. It was quickly passed unanimously in the Senate and sent to President Donald Trump's desk for him to sign. It's unclear when Trump plans to sign the bill into law.

Higgins apparently has ambitions of running for Senate in 2028, according to a Mother Jones report published in October 2024.

"But a Mother Jones investigation has revealed a major problem with his pitch: Some of the former Louisiana cops Higgins has associated with have been accused by law enforcement officials of severe wrongdoing—including allegedly participating in a sex trafficking ring in one case and of committing incest in another," the outlet reported.

Higgins's old cop friend and associate, who he has been photographed with their hands clasped, was convicted by a New Mexico jury of incest in 2021 after a teenage family member accused him of sexually assaulting her between the ages of 14 and 18. The photo was apparently taken after the conviction.

"One of the most troubling of these connections, which has not been previously reported, is with an old friend from the St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s Office: Leon Boudreaux. Higgins has been a member of the motorcycle group dubbed the Kindred Vets that Boudreaux founded, and the two are seemingly close," according to Mother Jones. "They appear together in numerous photos posted to one of Higgins’ Facebook pages, and they are also pictured together in photos posted by the Kindred Vets in 2022 and 2023."

Another cop Higgins knew was reportedly part of a sex trafficking ring investigation.

"Jerod Prunty is another former cop in Higgins’ orbit who caught the attention of law enforcement. In 2019, Louisiana police arrested Prunty and nine others following a 17-month investigation while he was working in Higgins’ district office as a field representative," according to Mother Jones. "Police alleged that Prunty was part of a sex-trafficking ring involving Chinese women who were reportedly forced to live and perform sex acts at local massage parlors."

A spokesperson for Higgins said in a statement before Prunty resigned, "We are shocked and saddened to learn of allegations against Jerod."

Higgins has also faced questions over his actions with an ex-wife, who accused him of holding a gun to her head in 1991, Mother Jones reported. She was the first of his four wives and later died.

His second wife has accused him of not paying $100,000 in child support.

"It is unclear whether Higgins has settled that debt and, unusually for a representative, his congressional financial disclosure form lists no assets," Mother Jones reported.