House Republicans try to bypass their own Speaker to force an Epstein vote, but there’s one major problem

Republican lawmakers are divided over how to handle the release of Jeffrey Epstein-related files, showing growing tension within the party. The split comes as the GOP-led House Oversight subcommittee moves forward with efforts to obtain documents from the Department of Justice.

According to CNN, House Oversight Chair James Comer has taken steps by subpoenaing both the DOJ and Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s former girlfriend, who is now serving a 20-year sentence for sex trafficking of minors. Maxwell recently met with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche for questioning over two days.

GOP Rep. Thomas Massie and Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna are working together to bypass House Speaker Mike Johnson, as Republicans increasingly unite to back Trump in burying the files and force a vote on a bill that would release the Epstein files. However, they need a majority of House members to sign their discharge petition to make this happen.

Most documents are already protected by federal privacy laws

The main obstacle facing lawmakers is that many of the documents they want to release are protected by federal laws. These laws exist to protect both Epstein’s victims and people who weren’t charged with any crimes.

Oklahoma Senator Markwayne Mullin highlighted another significant challenge, explaining that Congress cannot force the release of the files. He pointed out that judges must decide whether to release grand jury evidence, noting that a Florida federal judge recently refused to release additional grand jury documents.

House Speaker Mike Johnson has defended his position on the matter, saying he supports transparency but believes the Massie-Khanna petition is “reckless in the way that it is drafted and presented.” Johnson argues that their proposal doesn’t include enough protections for victims.

The issue has sparked numerous constituent calls to congressional offices, part of a broader open rebellion even among Trump’s biggest cheerleaders, with representatives like Eric Burlison reporting that a large portion of incoming calls are about the Epstein case. With House lawmakers now in their August recess, they are likely to face more questions from constituents about this ongoing situation.