House Votes 427-1 To Release Epstein Files After Months Of Infighting
The House voted overwhelmingly Tuesday to compel the Justice Department to release all files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein — a rare bipartisan move that followed a last-minute shift by Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) and President Trump. Several of Epstein’s victims watching from the gallery applauded the passage of the Epstein Files Transparency Act,.
Despite the 427–1 vote, with Rep. Clay Higgins (R-LA) casting the lone “no” vote, major obstacles still stand in the way of making the full cache of documents public.
HOW WE GOT HERE
Last week, four Republicans joined House Democrats in signing a petition to force a vote on the legislation, bypassing GOP leadership. The White House had been lobbying them not to support the petition, but realizing they were on the losing side of the fight, switched positions.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) was one of the four GOP members who initially broke rank. She said that move caused Trump to withdraw his support and endorsement of her re-election, calling her a “traitor,” “disgrace,” and “wacky” over the weekend. Greene fired back ahead of the vote Tuesday.
“He called me a traitor for standing with these women and refusing to take my name off the discharge petition,” Greene said at press conference with Epstein’s victims. “Let me tell you what a traitor is. A traitor is a is an American that serves foreign countries and themselves.”
WHAT’S NEXT
The Senate passed the bill hours later via unanimous consent. Trump said Monday he would sign the legislation.
“Let the Senate look at it. Let anybody look at it, but don’t talk about it too much, because, honestly, I don’t want to take it away from us,” Trump said, repeating that he did not want Epstein to “deflect from the great job” Republicans and his administration have done.
However, Trump called on Attorney General Pam Bondi late last week to investigate high-profile figures in the Democratic Party and ties to Epstein. Hours later, she ordered a federal prosecutor to specifically investigate Epstein’s ties to former President Bill Clinton and former Treasury Secretary and Harvard University President Larry Summers. Now, even if Trump signs the legislation—- the DOJ might say that they cannot release the files because of an ongoing investigation.
🚨 Yesterday, Summers announced he is stepping back from public commitments after emails he had with Epstein were released showing they maintained a close friendship even after Epstein’s 2008 conviction for soliciting prostitution from a minor.
In emails to Epstein, Summers asked him for his advice in how to convince a younger woman to sleep with him. Summers wrote: “I said what are you up to. She said ‘I’m busy’. I said awfully coy u are.” Epstein, replied, “you reacted well.. annoyed shows caring. , no whining showed strength.”
WAR OR PEACE
“What a beautiful song, the lyrics. For the young people, look up the lyrics. It’s an inspiration for all times,” the Venezuelan president said.
Maduro faces U.S. drug-trafficking charges and is accused of leading the Cartel de los Soles. The U.S. has a $50 million reward for information leading to his arrest. The State Department said Sunday it intends to designate the cartel a foreign terrorist organization (FTO), effective Nov. 24.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said: “Neither Maduro nor his cronies represent Venezuela’s legitimate government. Cartel de los Soles by and with other designated FTOs including Tren de Aragua and the Sinaloa Cartel are responsible for terrorist violence throughout our hemisphere as well as for trafficking drugs into the United States and Europe.”
Trump said that the designation allows his administration to strike inside Venezuela, “but we haven’t said we’re going to do that,” he added.
Since early September, the U.S. has killed at least 75 people in 21 strikes on small boats accused of transporting drugs in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific. The Trump administration has said the missions target drug-smuggling vessels and “narcoterrorist” networks, mostly connected to Venezuelan gangs. Critics note that if drugs were the main focus, far larger smuggling operations exist in Mexico and Colombia. There are also major questions and concerns about whether what the US has been doing is legal under international and U.S. law.
BIGGER PICTURE
Maduro has shown no signs of preparing to leave power, despite U.S. pressure and losing Venezuela’s election last year.
Along with the USS Gerald R. Ford, the U.S. has roughly a dozen warships, a nuclear submarine, F-35 jets, and around 15,000 troops in the broader Caribbean.
A senior administration official said Friday that negotiations are not entirely dead, and that the aircraft carrier gives the U.S. increased leverage.
The focus has been on drug trafficking; but Trump has privately discussed the issue of Venezuela’s massive oil reserves, the New York Times reports — around 300 billion barrels, the largest in the world. Maduro had floated a deal that would have given the U.S. broad access to that oil without military action, but Trump reportedly called off those talks.