House Republicans are feeling beaten down by the firestorm of controversy surrounding the Jeffrey Epstein files, Politico reported, and they just want to get back home.
Reps. Thomas Massie (R-KY) and Ro Khanna (D-CA) have sponsored a bipartisan "discharge petition" that could force the House to take a vote on forcing the Justice Department to release the Epstein files — a vote many Republicans are terrified of, because they would be caught between the demands of their constituents and the opposition of President Donald Trump.
As the report noted, Democrats "already forced Republicans to take tough Epstein-related procedural votes that have stoked a barrage of constituent calls into GOP offices, but they have not yet been able to force a clear up-or-down vote on releasing the so-called Epstein files" — which this measure would, if it gets enough signatories before Republicans can get out of town.
Conspiracy theories surrounding Jeffrey Epstein, a notorious wealth manager, have proliferated for years. Epstein was found dead in his New York jail cell from an apparent suicide while awaiting trial for a long-running child sex trafficking scheme. Some people believe he was murdered as part of a cover-up, while others, including QAnon believers, think his case could expose a vast pedophile ring involving prominent celebrities and Democratic politicians.
Trump and his law enforcement appointees initially teased they would release new findings on the report, including a so-called "client list" of Epstein conspirators — only to announce earlier this month that there is no list and no findings beyond those of the original investigation.
The sudden heel turn triggered outrage among right-wing voters, which only intensified after Trump repeatedly begged his supporters to let the issue go. The White House has been put into damage control mode, trying to calm its base down.