Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) told reporters Wednesday that he was concerned House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) may “try to pull a fast one” and rewrite House rules to stonewall a vote on releasing files related to Jeffrey Epstein.
Massie introduced what’s known as a discharge petition last week, a procedural measure to force a vote on a particular bill, which in this case is a bill that would compel the Justice Department to release all files it holds on Epstein, the convicted sex offender alleged to have operated a blackmail operation targeting powerful figures.
“The House rules that were voted on the same week that we elected Mike Johnson say that this is a way to get true grassroots bills to the floor if they're being blocked by leadership,” Massie told reporters.
“I really hope that Mike Johnson doesn't try to pull a fast one when we get back in September and rewrite the rules to get around this preliminary procedure that he agreed to in the rules, the discharge petition.”
Johnson has accused Massie of playing “political games,” and said that the Kentucky Republican is “trying to bite Republicans.” Johnson has repeatedly spoken out against efforts to force a vote on releasing files on Epstein, even going as far as to adjourn the House early for the summer to stonewall Massie’s efforts.
The House going into its August recess early, Massie admitted, thwarted his discharge petition for now, but he pledged to bring it back the moment the House reconvened, and that the extended delay would only end up hurting Republicans in the long run.
“I don't think this issue is going to go away, I think it's going to fester over the August recess,” he said. “...We needed seven legislative days for my bill to ripen, we only got six before the August recess, so as soon as we come back, I'm going to collect signatures.”
While he hasn’t spoken directly on Massie’s discharge petition, President Donald Trump has slammed what he called “stupid” and “foolish” Republicans who “bought into” theories around Epstein. On Monday, he called Massie the “worst Republican congressman,” and said he was hopeful Massie would be unseated by a primary challenger.
Critics have latched onto Trump’s unsuccessful attempts to move past the Epstein matter, pointing to the growing pile of evidence that the two maintained a deeper friendship than previously known, as well as a new report that revealed Trump was informed by his own DOJ that he was among those listed in the Epstein files.
Massie needs 218 signatures for his discharge petition to be successful, and with nearly all House Democrats eager to weaponize the files on Epstein against Trump, and a handful of Republican House members supporting the measure, Massie said he’s confident the House will be forced to vote on the matter.
Massie also warned that if Republicans continue to stonewall efforts to release Epstein files, the GOP would pay a heavy price in the upcoming midterm elections.
“The MAGA base, they voted for a Republican majority and Donald Trump to be president to reach the untouchables, because there have always been this class of people that seem to be above and beyond the law, and so the Epstein files are about reaching those people,” he said.
"Here's the problem for us here in the House: if those voters who got energized and put Trump in the White House and us in the majority become apathetic because we don't follow up on this one simple, small promise, then they're not going to show up in the midterms. We're going to lose the majority, and the Democrats will be in charge.”
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