Mike Johnson’s Gamble on Releasing Epstein Files Blows Up in His Face

https://newrepublic.com/post/203365/mike-johnson-epstein-files-senate-blows-up

49 comments

  4. So much political distraction to hide that trump is a rapist.

  5. When you had a bunch of cultists come out and say that it’s ok to rape children if Trump does it they realized he’s bulletproof and there is no danger from the files. As soon as they had confirmation that there is no line their supporters won’t cross to suck off Trump they had nothing to fear.

    They don’t care about poll numbers or elections; they have no plan to hold elections ever again. The only fear is if their cult turns on them because they need the Red Hats to act as foot soldiers for the fascist takeover.

  6. If there’s one thing this period in American history has taught me, it’s to be incredibly disappointed to find that headlines are oftentimes actually metaphorical.

  7. Wouldn’t it be something if the whole idea of them being fully on board with releasing this was because they were sure it’d stall in the senate or have back and forth until it ended up stuck in bill limbo, and they know it has compromising info but they were so so very sure they were never going to make it and here they are, speed run through now headed to the desk of one unqualified idiot to sign because they are now veto proof. Now Johnson is sweating bullets because their argument that Trump is innocent is going to collapse

  8. Here’s the problem:

    The Epstein Files bill grants Attorney General Pam Bondi the authority to “withhold or redact” any material that could endanger “national security” or “jeopardize an active federal investigation.”

  9. I have a conspiracy theory. They were originally going to vote around Dec 1, but Mike Johnson moved it up. Why? Well, Thanksgiving is next week.

    “Pocket vetoes occur when the President receives a bill but is unable to reject and return the bill to an adjourned Congress within the 10-day period. The bill, though lacking a signature and formal objections, does not become law. **Pocket vetoes are not subject to the congressional veto override process.**” – [https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/RS22188](https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/RS22188)

    If congress adjourns before the 10 days is up (they will, because of Thanksgiving), it will be vetoed and they will have to start the process over again.

    It appears Reagan used the pocket veto 39 times… the Heritage Foundation is quite familiar with the process.

    (reposting because no one is talking about it)

  10. Thank you people of congress and senate who voted to support justice ! 🎉✨️🎇🎊🎆🎈🎈🎈🎈🎈🎈🎈🎈🎈🎈🎈🎈🎈🎈🎈🎈🎈🎂🍻🍾🥂🎁

  11. How is the major headline right now not, why did Republicans suddenly reverse course. There is going to be some massive manipulation of the files and that’s why they were given the green light to vote. This is going to be another disaster and trumps just gunna skate right on by.

  13. I still feel there’s some fuckery going on. Everything went so smoothly through the House and, especially, the Senate.

  14. How much editing is taking place on the files before they are released? Why aren’t ppl more pissed that the Administration lied about there being an Epstein list? None of this shit makes sense

  15. How has it blown up in his face? If they all voted for it, it’s because they know it’s a sham.

  16. The only thing I know for sure is Mike Johnson is a gay man and somebody somewhere had blackmail.

  17. The files will be covered in redactions so we’ll not see who the abusers are, but will have to depend on investigative journalists to try and figure it out… or Trump’s personal law firm (DOJ) will say there’s too many to release at once, dragging it out?!

  18. why hasn’t trump just had the files burned or something

  19. Stop allowing these links. These are virulently partisan bullshit rags. You’re giving people hope where none exists and it’s all based on conjecture.

  21. This is a trap. Everyone voted for it? MGT leading the charge? This is going to be missing all Republicans and the arrests will start. This is basically what QAnon predicted

  23. The GOP hasn’t played all their cards. I hate all these bastards but they are going to be laughing in a few days at democrats.

  24. My thinking is even if they released 100% of the files ain’t no one going to get shit for time. The chain of custody for all the evidence is going to be so absolutely fucked it’ll be the biggest defense of just trying to prove that its legit and not tampered with. “There are files.”, “There are no files.” “They are on my desk.”, “1000 FBI agents are looking at them (and maybe or maybe not redacting someone’s name)”, “What files are you talking about?”, etc. Its going to be an absolute shit show.

  26. Prince Andrew got disinherited. America fucks off and does nothing. Sad state of affairs…

  28. That’s a raiders of the lost ark scene I would love to see hahaha

  30. Nothing matters until we see what kind of damage they did in the scrub.

  31. Seems to me like the Repubs might have found their way out from being chained to the trump train. They are all cowards with no morals or principles , but they’ve been locked in the asylum for too long, maybe the last elections led them to look for their escape pod?

  32. Trump is going to veto the bill, then when it gets sent back to the House/Senate, they won’t get enough votes to override it.

  33. How is this going to blow up in his face?

    They obviously have a plan.

  36. Trump fought this so long because whatever is in the files is going to be deeply embarrassing for him, and he’s going to look really bad. He reversed course because it’s not going to end his presidency or get charges brought against him.

    He put the word out for the Senate to move this thing through as quickly as possible because he wants to rush it through the news cycle as quickly as he can. He’ll call anything that looks bad for him lies and fake, his base will swallow it, and everyone will move on.

    This doesn’t require any mental gymnastics like everyone is doing, any conspiracy theories or arcane procedural gambits. It’s just the same strategy he’s been using all this time.

  37. The bill allows exceptions for classified information and anything related to an ongoing investigation.

    Last week Trump, despite claiming the material released by Epstein’s estate was a hoax, ordered Pam Bondi to ope investigations into everyone named (but him). After today’s vote, Mike Johnson added the dubious claim that the files are full of sensitive national security information.

    I think we can see where this is headed. Republicans voted to release to give themselves political cover but will utilize faux national security concerns and ersatz investigations to continue to shield themselves and Trump.

  38. Not to sound too optimistic but Nixons defenders sounded just like trumps until they didn’t. Obviously we’re in uncharted waters here but in the closest comparison support collapsed overnight. Been my prediction from the escalator, even the worst useful idiot has one last role to play: disenfranchisement. They kick him out and look good doing it, slaps a big ass bandaid on their image while keeping the effects.

  39. Lies. They bought all the time they needed. What a fucking farce.

  40. They will obviously lie about whatever they need to. Standard operating procedure in the GOP.

  41. Like they haven’t been selectively redacting the entire thing up until this point. All of a sudden they all changed their tune? It’s all performative.

  42. Trump had control over the files for too long. His name has been redacted. Nothing will happen, except for democrats.

  43. frustrating how seemingly nobody is keeping up with what’s happening before our eyes. all the celebration on here about the vote. headlines like this about egg on johnson’s face.

    y’all. they about-faced because trump told them to.

    trump told them to because the scrubbing, redaction, manipulation, and shredding of the files is now complete after the 5 months of stalling.

    the bill itself literally says bondi can withold anything inciminating and anything part of active investigation, and trump just had them restart an active investigation (into dems only) last week.

    the fight goes on.

  44. Pathetic. Imagine working this hard to protect a pedo that’s probably got a couple years left before diet takes its toll. Fucking, pathetic.

  45. Whatever whitewashed version we get will be devoid of the truth

  46. How can you be a journalist who has presumably followed this shit show and then write that headline.

    It didn’t blow up in his face. He fucking bought 6 weeks of stalling, strong armed democrats into caving, and now we are left with 2 outcomes. No report because it’s going to be blocked on account of the investigation, or a cooked up pile of shit that omits so much of the report that it’s practically worthless.

    He wasn’t gambling. He was playing his role and he played it almost flawlessly. Guts healthcare, gets to vote to release a report to diminish the pedo protector label, and the report will be worthless.

    Once again, they have won. I hope I’m wrong but nobody will be happy with the report except Trump and all other pedos because they’ll be shielded through obscurity or through a release that never comes.

  47. Little Mike Little Johnson loves when things blow on his face.

  48. He will go down as the dumbest motherfucker in american history.

  49. “Minnesota Republicans and almost every other Republican were all lined up to vote no, but all changed their mind after President Trump said he now supports the release of the files.”

    There is something very wrong with each and every sitting House republican’s behaviour here. Every single one who did what Trump said to do needs to be held accountable, and hopefully voted out of office at the next possible opportunity. They clearly aren’t on the American people’s side, or the side of justice. 

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