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WASHINGTON — Reps. Thomas Massie (R-Kentucky) and Ro Khanna (D-California) are optimistic about their ability to force a vote in Congress on the full release of these files. “We have the votes,” Khanna told ABC News’ “This Week with George Stephanopoulos” on September 7.
“We’re going to get a resounding vote on this,” Massie added during the same program.
The Republican and Democratic organizers behind a petition that would force a House vote on the file’s release said they were undeterred by potential attempts from Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-South Dakota) to block legislation in the Senate. They also noted concerns that government officials might scrub information related to Republicans and other allies before releasing documents.
Khanna said government career officials and at least one lawyer for Epstein accusers have seen the files, making it harder for the Justice Department to remove incriminating information about friends or allies of President Donald Trump, who has resisted calls for full file release. Trump was a friend of Epstein’s for more than a decade in the 1990s and early 2000s.
The potential release of these files became a political lightning rod after the Justice Department announced in July that it had failed to uncover any list of clients who participated with Epstein in a sex-trafficking ring, and did not plan further disclosures. This announcement followed years of suggestions by Trump allies that Democrats engaged in a cover-up of Epstein associates.
Attorney General Pam Bondi reportedly told President Donald Trump in the spring that he is named in the files. Being named in the files or having associated with Epstein doesn’t necessarily mean a person engaged in wrongdoing.
