Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., on Tuesday revealed his decision on the House’s forthcoming vote on forcing the Department of Justice (DOJ) to release its files on Jeffrey Epstein.
Johnson told reporters at his weekly press conference that he would vote in favor of the bill, despite concerns about what he saw as lackluster protections for victims and other innocent people whose names may be released against their own wishes.
‘I’m going to vote to move this forward,’ Johnson said.
‘I think it could be close to a unanimous vote, because everybody here, all the Republicans, want to go on record to show their from maximum transparency.’
The vote is expected on Tuesday afternoon at 2 p.m.
The legislation is a bipartisan product by Reps. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., and Thomas Massie, R-Ky. Massie has been known to be a frequent critic of both Johnson and President Donald Trump.
Despite that, Trump gave House Republicans his blessing to vote for the bill on Sunday night.
House GOP leaders had vehemently opposed the legislation for months, arguing it was written in a way that did not provide sufficient protections for innocents while also claiming it was unnecessary given the ongoing bipartisan investigation into Epstein’s crimes.
That probe, led by the House Oversight Committee, has produced tens of thousands of pages of documents both from the DOJ and Epstein’s estate.
Johnson made clear he still held concerns about the bill’s language and said he hoped it would be changed when the legislation was sent to the Senate.
‘We stated our opposition as long as possible, but we’re also for maximum transparency. So what am I to do as a leader in a situation like this?’ the speaker said.
‘I’m very confident that when this moves forward in the process, if and when it is processed in the Senate — which there’s no certainty that that will be — that they will take the time methodically to do what we have not been allowed to do in the House, to amend this discharge petition and to make sure these protections are there.’
He warned it could have a ‘chilling effect’ on future investigations as well.
‘Who’s going to want to come forward if they think Congress can take a political exercise and reveal their identities? Who’s going to come talk to prosecutors? It’s very dangerous. It would deter future whistleblowers and informants,’ he said. ‘The release of that could also publicly reveal the identity, by the way, of undercover law enforcement officers who are working in future operations.’
Johnson said he brought his concerns to Massie and Khanna but was told, in essence, ‘Jump in the Potomac.’
Massie and Khanna, for their part, held a press conference alongside one of the bill’s GOP supporters, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., on Tuesday morning.
‘Don’t muck it up in the Senate. Don’t get too cute. We’re all paying attention,’ Massie warned. ‘If you want to add some additional protections for these survivors, go for it. But if you do anything that prevents any disclosure, you are not for the people, and you are not part of this effort. Do not muck it up in the Senate.’
