house Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) is weighing support for legislation that would make additional details about convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein public, The Hill reported Thursday.
According to the report, the Johnson-led effort would explicitly protect the identities of whistleblowers and victims when disclosing Epstein-related documents — a marked departure from the Democrat-led amendment, which would unseal all materials in their entirety.
Earlier this week, Republicans faced heavy criticism in the House Rules Committee after they blocked a Democrat-led amendment aimed at releasing more information. Only one Republican — Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.) — voted in favor.
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“The House Republicans are for transparency and they’re looking for a way to say that," Johnson said, per The Hill.
House Democrats have repeatedly introduced amendments in the Rules Committee demanding the release of files related to Epstein. According to Punchbowl News, these moves have put GOP members under pressure — led by a vocal outcry from their own ranks — forcing them to seek political cover before opposing the measures.
Meanwhile, a bipartisan effort is emerging to compel the release of Epstein-related documents. Leading the charge are Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), joined by several House Republicans as co-sponsors. They intend to file a discharge petition that, if backed by at least 218 members, would bring the measure to the House floor for a vote, per The Hill.
Last week, the Justice Department and FBI issued a memo stating that Epstein’s death was ruled a suicide and that no "client list" exists. They declined to disclose further information, explaining that documents under seal "served only to protect victims and did not expose any additional third-parties to allegations of illegal wrongdoing."
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Earlier this week, Johnson appeared to part from President Donald Trump on the Epstein controversy, calling on Attorney General Pam Bondi to “explain” why more documents weren’t released — and advocating for full disclosure.
“It’s a very delicate subject, but we should put everything out there and let the people decide it,” Johnson told conservative commentator Benny Johnson on Tuesday.
However, he walked back those remarks the next day, suggesting critics had misinterpreted his position and emphasizing that he saw no significant divergence from Trump.
"The GOP-led effort comes as Democrats keep forcing votes on releasing the Epstein files, which have forced Republicans into the difficult decision of risking Trump’s wrath or shooting it down despite anger among their constituents," The Hill report said.
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