Massie's Epstein Files Petition Reaches 218 Signatures, Forcing House Vote on Second Bill
Photo: AxiosRep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) secured the 218 signatures needed on a discharge petition Wednesday to force a House vote on the Epstein Files Transparency Act II (H.R. 9694), less than two months before he leaves Congress. Rep. John Garamendi (D-Calif.) supplied the 218th signature, a day after Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.) signed. The petition carries all 214 House Democrats and four Republicans: Massie, Nancy Mace, Ralph Norman and Brian Fitzpatrick, none of whom returns in the next Congress. Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.), who backed last year's petition, did not sign. The bill would let victims, state attorneys general or district attorneys, and members of Congress sue the attorney general over withheld or redacted Epstein records. It would also bar the Justice Department from citing deliberative process, attorney-client, work product or law enforcement privilege. Asked by CNN's Manu Raju whether he would fight it, Speaker Mike Johnson called the move a political stunt and said Massie wanted attention. He said he has always backed transparency while protecting victims. The petition came a day after Republicans blocked Massie's effort to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
RealClearPolitics, the right-leaning outlet here, does not cover the petition in the material provided. Its headline instead features Rachel Maddow, speaking on a new Hillary Clinton and Kara Swisher podcast called "High Stakes," saying the Epstein files are a good starting point for impeaching Todd Blanche and that the Justice Department needs restructuring. The New Republic, on the left, leads with the Massie-Johnson exchange, framing Johnson as rattled and quoting his claims that the files sat dormant under Biden and that Massie is causing chaos on his way out. Both treat the Epstein files as a live political fight, but one centers a Democratic-aligned commentator's call to act against the Justice Department, the other a Republican feud. Alternative outlets ZeroHedge and Axios add the signer breakdown, the bill's legal provisions and the Hegseth context.
How the sides differ Right sources frame Epstein files through a Maddow podcast call to impeach Todd Blanche; left sources stress Johnson's clash with Massie; alternative sources detail the bill and signers.
Headline, comparison and summary written by AI from the articles below. AI can make mistakes, so check the original articles before relying on a detail.
The New Republic leads with Massie forcing the vote and Johnson's irritated response to CNN's Manu Raju, quoting Johnson's claims that Massie sought attention and that the files sat dormant under Biden.
ZeroHedge and Axios focus on the 218th signature, who signed, the bill's provisions, and Massie's exit from Congress, with Axios adding the prior-day Hegseth impeachment block.
RealClearPolitics highlights Rachel Maddow on a Hillary Clinton podcast calling the Epstein files a place to start impeaching Todd Blanche and restructuring the DOJ, without covering the petition.