House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) is reportedly considering backing a GOP-led measure to quell the fury from Republican voters over the Justice Department’s handling of the investigation into Jeffrey Epstein.
Long alleged to have engaged in child trafficking and maintained a client list of powerful people for blackmail purposes, Epstein died of suicide in 2019 while awaiting trial on human trafficking charges. A DOJ memo last week concluded no evidence existed that he maintained a client list for blackmail purposes, sparking outrage among President Donald Trump’s strongest supporters.
That outrage has only grown louder as Trump has tried to dismiss further inquiries into the Epstein matter, calling it a Democratic-manufactured “hoax.” Now, Johnson appears to be trying to quell MAGA outrage, while at the same time, avoiding a direct confrontation with Trump.
“The House Republicans are for transparency and they’re looking for a way to say that,” Johnson said, as reported by The Hill.
Johnson also pointed to a Monday hearing in the House Rules Committee where Republicans blocked a maneuver to force the release of additional files on Epstein, defending the Republicans’ actions as prioritizing a rescissions package that would claw back $9 billion in spending already approved by Congress, and decried Democrats’ efforts as ‘politicizing’ the issue.
“I’ve been very clear, the members have been very clear,” Johnson said. “The House Rules Committee Republicans have been taking incoming criticism because they voted to stop the Democrats’ politicization of this, and they’re trying to stick to their job and move the procedural rules to the floor so we can do our work and get the rescissions done for the American people.”
Republicans would go on to block a second effort to force the release of additional files on Epstein the next day, on Tuesday, with Democrats pledging to continue pressing the matter.
It’s unknown what form Johnson’s proposal will take, but the effort is a first from the top House Republican in attempting to address what has grown to unprecedented levels of disapproval from Trump’s base over the issue.