Rep. Thomas Massie escalated his fight over the Epstein files Monday night, reading the names of several people he said should be investigated from the House floor before launching a discharge petition to force a vote on the Epstein Files Transparency Act II.
Massie said he had begun collecting the 218 signatures required to bypass House leadership and bring the legislation to the floor. The bill, introduced by Massie alongside Democratic Reps. Ro Khanna, Teresa Leger Fernández, and Ansari Yassamin, would give victims, state attorneys general and members of Congress new avenues to challenge the Justice Department’s withholding or redaction of Epstein-related records.
On Tuesday morning, Massie escalated the pressure on Speaker Mike Johnson, saying there were rumors that Johnson could soon recess the House until after the midterm elections and asking whether the move would be intended to “avoid the vote.”
Attorney General Todd Blanche and Speaker Mike JohnsonX
The warning echoes last year’s fight over the original Epstein files legislation, when Massie and Khanna used a discharge petition to circumvent leadership and force action.
Thomas Massie suggests Mike Johnson might try to avoid another vote on the Epstein filesX
This time, Massie is attempting to build another bipartisan coalition around legislation he says is necessary because the Justice Department has still failed to provide the full transparency required under the original law. So far, zero Epstein clients have been arrested by the Trump administration.
This story was originally published by MeidasTouch on Sep 1, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add MeidasTouch as a Preferred Source by clicking here.