U.S. Representative Ralph Norman (R-SC) attends a House Rules Committee meeting after the Senate passes U.S. President Donald Trump’s sweeping spending and tax bill, on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., U.S., July 1, 2025. REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz
Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC) took to X on Tuesday to proclaim he was fighting for the American people to get answers on the Jeffrey Epstein files — but one of his Democratic colleagues swiftly exposed his hollow words.
"I led Republicans in a serious resolution — that protects victims — to expose the truth about the Epstein files, just like President Trump promised," wrote Norman. "But leadership is stalling. The American people deserve action, not excuses. Let’s vote on it before August recess and get it DONE!!"
However, Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA) pointed out that Norman's resolution doesn't actually do anything at all.
"FACT CHECK: It isn’t a serious resolution. It’s a sloppy, non-binding resolution that is meant to trick people into thinking it’s real, but does nothing," wrote McGovern, posting an image of the resolution with notes outlining the most egregious parts, including a "giant loophole" that allows Attorney General Pam Bondi to pick and choose which files from the case are "credible," and noting that unlike this resolution, "the bipartisan Khanna-Massie bill has the force of law!"
House Republicans have been largely paralyzed by the demands for a vote on compelling the Justice Department to release all files pertaining to the Epstein case, which has been drawing fury from Trump's own base ever since the department announced there is no "client list" of rich and powerful co-conspirators in Epstein's sex crimes — something Attorney General Pam Bondi had previously said was on her desk for review.
The Trump administration, caving to pressure, has asked for a judge to approve the release of Epstein grand jury material, but this could take a considerable amount of time to approve and would not be the entirety of the files in question.