An update on the Epstein files:

Republican leadership just keeps digging themselves into a deeper hole when it comes to releasing the Epstein files. 

This week, I was the second person to sign Rep. Thomas Massie’s discharge petition, intended to bring a vote to the House floor on releasing all of the documents available. It’s rare these days to find an opportunity for bipartisan cooperation, but I’m happy to work with anyone who is committed to full transparency with the American people. 

But neither Trump nor Speaker Johnson seem to share our goal of being honest with the public. Even before Rep. Massie introduced his petition, he faced internal pressure from the Speaker not to go forward with it. Once he introduced it, Trump and Johnson started making phone calls warning members of their conference not to sign on. 

They even introduced their own sham resolution, which did not release any new documents, to try and create the appearance that they did.

I really don’t understand why they’re going through all this effort. We’re not asking for a lot; only for the truth. But that seems to be an alien concept to GOP leaders like Johnson, who seemed to invent a story about Trump being an FBI informant to catch Epstein when asked about the files by reporters. 

All that lying must be exhausting, Mr. Speaker. You really don’t have to do this. 

We only need 1 more member of Congress to sign on to our petition in order to bring it to a full House vote. I’m calling on my Republican colleagues (including Mike Johnson) to join with Democrats to stand up for the truth and put this matter in front of the American people. 

More soon, 

Jim McGovern