WASHINGTON — Rank-and-file Republicans fear party leaders are making a mistake by starting their August recess early instead of voting to release files on Jeffrey Epstein, the late financier and sex offender whose connections to President Donald Trump are at the heart of a growing scandal.
“The way it appears — it doesn't look good how it's going,” Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R-CA) told Raw Story.
“It looks like accusations are flying about, everybody's just covering it up and putting it under the rug. It's pretty hard to defend that it doesn't look that way.”
Besides the bad optics, many in the GOP don’t trust that their leaders — including President Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi — have a plan to deal with the Epstein issue.
Rank-and-file members are questioning what will be different when lawmakers return to Washington in September.
“It’s an unforced error,” one Republican who asked for anonymity to discuss internal GOP affairs told Raw Story. “Everybody wants this stuff released.”
“It’s a tough position for us to be in, and it’s totally unforced. So hopefully the administration will release everything and we’ll go through all of that and get through it out there soon.
“The sooner the better. Because if not, we’re just gonna walk right into this when we come back.”
‘Perception ain't great’
Legislative work ground to a halt on Capitol Hill this week after House Democrats kept inserting the Epstein debate into seemingly unrelated measures. Instead of duking it out, GOP leaders pulled the plug and chose to kick-off their summer break a day early.
“Why’s your party taking a week off early to avoid a vote on a pedophile?” Raw Story asked.
“I support a vote,” Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) told Raw Story.
“But … are you guys telling leadership that this is not going away, this is going to be here in September?” Raw Story pressed.
The congresswoman shrugged.
Mace is one of at least 11 Republicans who’ve signed onto a discharge petition to force the release of Epstein files, sponsored by Reps. Thomas Massie (R-KY) and Ro Khanna (D-CA).
With every Democrat supporting the measure, the GOP support allows them to bypass Speaker Mike Johnson.
GOP leaders have promised to give the White House space to release documents on its own in the coming weeks.
“I think what my leadership colleagues are saying is … let a process work through and see what actually is there, because we don't really have the right to try things in Congress,” LaMalfa said.
While only 11 Republicans have formally signed onto the discharge petition, lawmakers coast to coast are hearing from constituents on Epstein, which means rank-and-file Republicans are getting nervous.
“At some point on the other side of this, there better be a satisfactory vetting and outcome on this. It may not be today, but when we get back in September, whatever it is, there better be something real on this, because it don't look good,” LaMalfa said.
“Whether it's right or wrong or accurate or whatever, there is a politics of perception too, right? The perception ain't great right now on either side.”
GOP critics agree that the issue isn’t going anywhere in August.
‘Promise is gonna be kept’
“Does leadership really think this issue isn’t going to be front and center when y’all come back in September?” Raw Story asked.
“No. Nothing’s gonna change,” Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC) told Raw Story.
Norman says he promised voters he’d investigate Epstein, and he’s not backing down.
“The promise is gonna be kept, should it be in 30 days or 45,” Norman said.
Others from the MAGA wing of the GOP are also vowing to keep the pressure up until the Epstein files are made public, and they’re increasingly frustrated with party leaders for bungling the issue.
“I don’t know what they think,” Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN) told Raw Story. “I just want to get to the bottom of it.”
Instead of starting their summer break early — only to kick the Epstein can down the road a few weeks — Burchett and other restive Republicans say they would rather stay in session.
“I’m sick of it. I came here to work,” Burchett said. “Let’s stay here and do some work.”
