House Cancels Its Last Day Of Votes Before Summer Break As Epstein Consumes Capitol Hill

WASHINGTON — The GOP-controlled House is cutting short its past workweek earlier nan summertime recess because of a conflict connected Capitol Hill complete nan merchandise of nan government’s files connected nan precocious financier and convicted activity offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The House was scheduled to clasp votes connected Thursday earlier lawmakers departed for their lengthy, five-week recess.

But Republican leaders informed rank-and-file lawmakers connected Tuesday that nan last ballot of nan week would now beryllium a time earlier, connected Wednesday afternoon. The displacement successful schedule occurred because of a standoff connected nan Rules Committee, which decides really authorities comes to nan floor, but has been crushed to a halt by nan Epstein issue.

The panel, which is intimately aligned pinch Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., typically passes a norm for authorities connected Monday that sets up statement and allows bills to travel to nan level for nan week. But Democrats had promised Monday to unit nan committee to return much votes connected whether to require nan Trump management to merchandise each remaining files from nan Epstein case.

To debar embarrassing votes connected Epstein, Republicans decided to recess nan committee and not effort to walk a norm for bills this week. Without a rule, Republicans would beryllium near pinch thing to ballot connected aft Wednesday.

The Epstein saga has dominated chatter connected Capitol Hill for much than a week arsenic galore Trump supporters person clamored for nan merchandise of each documents related to nan convicted activity offender and nan president and his management sought to downplay nan issue. It appeared to beryllium dying down successful caller days, but nan Trump management breathed caller life into nan communicative Tuesday morning, erstwhile nan Justice Department announced that Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche will meet pinch Epstein subordinate Ghislaine Maxwell successful nan coming days.

A short while later, blimpish Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., passed a mobility successful a subcommittee gathering to person nan House Oversight Committee rumor a lawsuit for Maxwell to look for a deposition. Oversight Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., said done a spokesperson that he had encouraged Burchett to make nan mobility and that nan lawsuit will beryllium issued “as expeditiously arsenic possible."

The House GOP leadership's last news convention earlier nan August recess was dominated by nan Epstein matter arsenic well, pinch Speaker Johnson addressing nan rumor astatine nan outset and fielding respective questions from reporters astir Epstein.

Johnson said earlier that nan remaining Epstein files should beryllium released, but he besides cautioned that location needed to beryllium a process to protect nan identities of Epstein's victims.

"The president has said clearly, and he has now ordered his DOJ to do what it is we've each needed DOJ to do for years now, and that is to get everything released. So they're successful nan process of that. There's nary intent for Congress to push an management to do thing that they're already doing. And truthful this is for governmental games," Johnson told reporters.

"We tin some telephone for afloat transparency and besides protect victims. And if you tally roughshod aliases you do it excessively quickly, that's not what happens," nan speaker said.

Johnson attempted to blasted Democrats for stalling level action and playing "gotcha politics" pinch nan Epstein matter. He said Democrats had a chance to merchandise accusation astir nan lawsuit erstwhile they controlled nan full authorities nether President Joe Biden.

But nan speaker besides directed overmuch of his ire astatine a chap conservative, Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., who is moving pinch Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., and different Democrats to unit a ballot successful September that would compel DOJ to merchandise nan remaining Epstein files. Johnson said Massie, who has many times fought pinch Trump and GOP leadership, is trying to "bite" his chap Republicans.

“Some group look to bask trying to inflict governmental symptom connected their ain teammates. … There’s a small, small, mini fistful people, but 1 successful peculiar who’s fixed maine tons of consternation. I don’t understand Thomas Massie’s motivation. I really don’t. I don’t cognize really his mind works. I don’t cognize what he’s thinking,” Johnson said successful a lengthy and different tirade against Massie.

“Thomas Massie could person brought his discharge petition anytime complete nan past 4 years of nan Biden administration. He could person done that astatine immoderate time, and now he’s clamoring arsenic if there’s immoderate benignant of timeline connected it,” Johnson continued.

“It’s absorbing to maine that he chose nan predetermination of President Trump, to bring this, to squad up pinch nan Democrats and bring this discharge petition. … I effort to travel Ronald Reagan’s 11th commandment, ne'er speak evil of different Republican," nan speaker said. "My gosh, it’s difficult to do sometimes astir here.”

For his part, Massie appears to beryllium relishing each of nan scrutiny and attention. He was spotted stepping astir nan Capitol connected Monday holding a ample achromatic binder that read: "The Epstein Files: Phase 2 ... DECLASSIFIED."

Massie and Khanna request nan signatures of astatine slightest 218 members of nan House to get a ballot connected their Epstein measure successful nan autumn and nan Kentucky Republican predicted they'll get there.

"Over nan August recess, I deliberation momentum will build for transparency. I don't deliberation this is going to spell away," Massie said. "And I think, erstwhile we return successful September, we'll get Phase 2 of nan Epstein files because we'll get ... each Democrat and astatine slightest a twelve Republicans who want transparency and justice."