Outgoing Trump foe Massie forces new Epstein files showdown
· Axios
Outgoing Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) secured the 218 signatures needed to force another House showdown over the Jeffrey Epstein files Wednesday, just one day after fellow Republicans blocked his attempt to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Why it matters: Congress overwhelmingly voted last year to force the release of the Epstein files, but survivors and lawmakers say the Trump administration has still withheld records. The new bill would give them the power to sue the DOJ and help state prosecutors pursue investigations.
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Driving the news: Massie announced Wednesday afternoon that his discharge petition for the Epstein Files Transparency Act II had reached the required 218 signatures.
- Rep. John Garamendi (D-Calif.) provided the final signature Wednesday, according to the House clerk's records.
- Just four Republicans signed the petition: Massie, Nancy Mace of South Carolina, Ralph Norman of South Carolina and Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania. The other 214 signatures came from Democrats.
What he's saying: "I'm working closely with @RepJayapal, @RepTeresaLF and @RepRoKhanna to get this to the floor for a vote soon," Massie wrote on X.
- The White House and Speaker Mike Johnson's offices have not yet provided comment.
The intrigue: President Trump helped drive Massie out of Congress by backing a primary challenger, but the Kentucky Republican is using his final weeks in office to challenge the administration on some of its most politically sensitive topics.
- This latest effort could force Republicans to revisit a scandal that dogged the Trump administration for more than a year, even after Congress overwhelmingly voted to require the release of Epstein's files.
- This time, Massie wants to give Epstein survivors, state prosecutors and lawmakers the power to sue the Justice Department over records they believe it has unlawfully withheld.
Catch up quick: Massie and Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) led the original push to force the release of the Epstein files.
- Their first bill passed the House 427-1 in November 2025 after they secured enough signatures to bypass Speaker Mike Johnson. Trump ultimately signed it into law.
- The law required DOJ to release its Epstein-related investigative records by Dec. 19, 2025, with limited exceptions to protect victims, ongoing investigations and other sensitive information.
- The department missed that deadline but announced in January that it had released nearly 3.5 million pages.
The controversy: Epstein survivors and lawmakers have accused DOJ of withholding too much information while simultaneously exposing victims through inadequate redactions.
- A report released Tuesday by the Republican-led House Oversight Committee faulted the Trump administration's handling of the disclosures, including failures to protect victims and excessive redactions concealing alleged co-conspirators.
- The committee also said its investigation found no evidence implicating Trump in Epstein's crimes.
What's next: Massie's petition is expected to become eligible for a floor vote by early December, with more than enough legislative days remaining under the House's current schedule.
- But passage is not guaranteed, and Senate Republican leaders could still decline to consider the measure before the new Congress takes office in January.