WASHINGTON — Despite overwhelming U.S. House approval of a bill that would require the Justice Department to release all of the information it has, the “Epstein files” may never see the light of day.
The legislation concerning sexual abuser Jeffery Epstein, supported by all of Minnesota’s House members, both Republicans and Democrats, now heads to the U.S. Senate where Senate Majority Leader John Thune said he expects to move “fairly quickly” on the bill. That vote — which could also be unanimous — could be held as early as late Tuesday.
However, Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., who led a month’s long campaign against GOP efforts to block a vote on the legislation, also said a new Justice Department investigation into the relationship former President Bill Clinton and other Democrats had with Epstein, being “partisan in nature,” may also “have the effect of shielding some of the releases.”
Sen. Tina Smith, D-Minn., also raised the question of whether the Trump administration would raise legal issues that would block the release of information.
“If I were a betting woman, I’d put money down that Trump’s going to use his ‘investigation’ into Epstein to justify not releasing everything,” Smith posted on X. “He’s just trying to save his ass.”
On Tuesday, Minnesota’s GOP lawmakers joined their House Republican brethren in voting to direct the Justice Department to release all files related to its Epstein investigation. From the galleries over the House chamber, survivors of Epstein cheered the stunning vote.
That near unanimous vote – Rep. Clay Higgins, R-La., was the only “no” vote – followed months of GOP resistance against proposed bills that would force the Justice Department to disclose what it knew about the men who victimized young girls procured by Epstein and his girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell.
Republican resistance was based largely on Trump’s insistence that efforts to find out more about the operations of the disgraced financier were a Democratic-led “hoax” and there was nothing more to the case.
But that resistance was proving to be a political liability. After Trump demanded the Justice Department investigate Clinton, former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers and venture capitalist Reid Hoffman, the president reversed course, saying he would support the bill.
That changed the political dynamics. Rep. Tom Emmer, R-6th District, who largely dismissed the Epstein issue as a “non-issue” for Congress and like the president called demands for information “a Democratic hoax,” said after the vote that “House Republicans have been consistent with our calls for transparency and accountability regarding Epstein.”
“That is why I voted in favor of the Epstein Files Transparency Act this afternoon. Unlike the Democrats — who only care about cherry-picking evidence to smear President Trump — Republicans are letting the facts speak for themselves and pursuing justice for the victims of these heinous crimes,” Emmer said in a statement.
Rep. Pete Stauber, R-8th District, said he always wanted “transparency and accountability” and has supported the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform investigation into Epstein, which has resulted in the release of more than 20,000 emails from the financier’s estate. While awaiting trial, Epstein was found dead in his jail cell in what was determined to be a suicide.
Meanwhile, Rep. Michelle Fischbach, R-7th District, who as a member of the House Rules Committee voted several time to block Epstein related legislation, was defensive when asked why she voted for similar legislation on Tuesday, simply saying, “I voted yes.”
Rep. Betty McCollum, D-4th District, said the Justice Department’s failure to comply with a congressional subpoena seeking Epstein-related information prompted her to vote for the bill.
McCollum, however, also expressed skepticism that the public will ever know everything about Epstein and his sexual predator friends. “I’m concerned that with this vote it won’t be released,” McCollum said. “Who knows what excuse (Trump) will come up with next.”
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