House Republicans Block Democrat Attempt to Force Epstein File Release

On Monday night, House Republicans stood firm against a Democrat-led attempt to force the release of Jeffrey Epstein's files, rejecting what many saw as a thinly veiled political stunt attached to unrelated cryptocurrency legislation.

The amendment, introduced by Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA), would have required Attorney General Pam Bondi to publish Epstein’s files on a publicly accessible website within 30 days. It failed in a 5-7 vote in the House Rules Committee, with nearly every Republican voting against it except Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC), who supported the measure, and Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX), who abstained.

Democrats predictably framed the vote as a moral litmus test. “Are you on the side of the rich and powerful, or are you on the side of the people?” Khanna told Axios ahead of the vote, casting suspicion while ignoring the broader context: the amendment had no clear legal or procedural pathway, and was tacked onto a completely unrelated crypto bill.

Let’s be clear Republicans aren’t shielding Epstein’s secrets. They’re stopping another Democrat grandstanding maneuver, one designed to gin up headlines and score points rather than deliver justice. Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC), Chair of the Rules Committee, cut through the noise:

“I think most of us believe what’s appropriate will be released when it is time for the president to release it.”

And that moment may not be far off. In February, Attorney General Bondi confirmed that the Epstein files were “sitting on [her] desk” and that she was preparing to review them per President Trump’s direct order. The Trump administration is approaching this issue seriously, not as fodder for political theater.

Let’s not forget:

• Epstein was a convicted child rapist and sex trafficker, whose connections include high-ranking politicians, celebrities, and global elites.

• He mysteriously died in his jail cell in 2019, officially ruled a suicide, though large portions of the public and even some officials remain skeptical.

• The American people deserve answers, but they also deserve a serious, lawful process not a partisan publicity stunt shoved into unrelated legislation.

What Khanna and his Democrat allies are really doing is weaponizing Epstein’s horrors for political gain, hoping to smear opponents and distract from their own failures. If they truly cared about transparency, they wouldn’t try to sneak amendments into crypto bills they’d support clear, focused legislative efforts.

The truth about Epstein needs to come out. And under Trump’s leadership, there’s still a path forward. But it will come on lawful terms, not through chaos and political games.

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