GOP adjourns Congress early to avoid votes on Jeffrey Epstein files

Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News on Jul 22, 2025

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Republican Speaker Mike Johnson Tuesday ordered the House of Representatives to shut down early for a summer recess to avoid a vote on releasing the Jeffrey Epstein files.

With legislative business grinding to a near standstill over the Epstein drama, Johnson said he wouldn’t allow votes on proposals calling on the White House to release all the files until after Labor Day at the earliest to give President Donald Trump “space” to release some of the information.

“We’re done being lectured on transparency (and) endless efforts to politicize the Epstein investigation,” said Johnson. “We’re not going to play political games with this.”

Johnson insisted he and Trump both want to release as much information as possible about the notorious sex-trafficking ring, but called the push in Congress a political distraction.

“There’s no purpose for the Congress to push an administration to do something they’re already doing,” Johnson said.

Johnson dismissed the effort from right-wing Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Kentucky, and a few allies to force a floor vote on the Epstein files: “Bless his heart.”

Several conservative Republicans back the measure although it remains to be seen if they will stand up to certain pressure from Johnson and the White House to back down. Democrats are likely to overwhelmingly support the measure.

The GOP-led Oversight Committee, meanwhile, voted to subpoena Ghislaine Maxwell to testify about the Epstein sex ring although it was unclear if or when that might happen.

The move came the same day the Trump Justice Department said it wants to talk to Maxwell, who is serving a 20-year sentence for helping Epstein commit sex crimes.

It’s not clear if Trump’s effort to turn the page on the Epstein scandal will succeed in quieting anger from his own MAGA base.

Rep. Ralph Norman, Republican of South Carolina and a member of the Rules panel, criticized his leaders for “stalling” on the matter.

“The American people deserve action, not excuses,” he tweeted.