Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) is refusing to allow a vote on the legislation that would mandate the release of files in the investigation of wealthy financier Jeffrey Epstein. His position is something that MSNBC host Nicolle Wallace said should be an "easy" decision for the GOP leadership.
Last week, Johnson was advocating for the release of the files. As recently as this weekend, Johnson was still in support of the release.
By Monday, however, that all changed.
"My belief is we need the administration to have the space to do what it is doing, and if further congressional action is necessary or appropriate, then we'll look at that," Johnson told reporters on Monday. "But I don't think we're at that point right now because we agree with the president."
"So, no vote, no vote on this resolution," CNN reporter Manu Raju can be heard saying in the recording.
Wallace said it was " the White House director of legislative affairs," before adding, "I'm just kidding. That was the Speaker."
She noted to fellow ex-Republican Tim Miller, "This is an issue that should be easy for them. Like, even easier than tariffs, which their voters don't want. Even easier than, I mean, it should all be pretty easy because the voters, their voters, do not want cuts to Medicaid, but their voters are ravenous for the Epstein files, and they can't even vote to release them. What is this?"
Miller called it a "pickle" for Johnson and the House GOP.
"I know you think it's an easy one, but here's the problem: Yeah, sure, it's an easy one with the base voters," said Miller. "It's easy to know what they want and the grand scheme of things. But he can't get on the wrong side of Donald Trump. I mean, there's a graveyard of past Republican speakers who got on the wrong side of Donald Trump on various issues."
Miller said the top priority of Johnson's office is not ending up under the Trump bus like those former speakers.
"But there's good reason that he would not be read-in on whatever it was that was behind the decision for Donald Trump or Pam Bondi to not release these additional files," Miller noted. "And, so, if you're Mike Johnson, it's like, I guess I let's try to kick the can down the road."
See the clip below or at the link here.
- YouTube www.youtube.com
