'Cover-up': Mike Johnson draws scathing rebuke after 'awfully convenient' recess announcement

22 July

U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) speaks to reporters at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., U.S., July 17, 2025. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

At a press conference on Tuesday morning, July 22, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) announced that he was cutting short the week's legislative activities and sending lawmakers home early for the summer. Johnson, according to New York Times reporters Annie Karni and Michael Gold, is doing so "to avoid having to hold votes on releasing files related to the accused sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein."

Johnson told reporters about "endless efforts to politicize the Epstein investigation," adding, "We're not going to play political games with this."

Karni and Gold report, "He made the move to deny Democrats the chance to try to force procedural votes on measures that would call on the Justice Department to make the information public. It reflected how deep divisions among Republicans on the matter have now paralyzed the House, as Republicans seek to avoid a politically perilous vote on a matter that is confounding President Trump and roiling their MAGA base."

Johnson's announcement is drawing a lot of discussion on X, formerly Twitter — some of it downright scathing.

The 74's Jim Roberts tweeted, "Cover up."

The Never Trump conservative group The Lincoln Project posted, "Mike Johnson just canceled votes for Thursday and is sending the House home early for summer recess to avoid having to release the Epstein files. Afraid to take a vote over a 'witch hunt.' Got it."

The group Really American posted, "BREAKING: In an insane moment, Speaker Mike Johnson declares that he's "not going to play political games" with the Epstein files while doing exactly that by refusing to vote on releasing them before the August recess. Johnson has no spine."

X user Brian Varela wrote, "Speaker Johnson abruptly shut down the House for the August recess. One of the votes on the docket? A bipartisan bill to force the release of the Epstein files. The timing seems awfully convenient."

Another X user, Bill Winter, tweeted, "So ridiculous. Johnson closes a session early to avoid voting on the file being released, and then they want Maxwell to testify."

Watch video of Speaker Mike Johnson's announcement below or at this link.

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