In a longshot bid, Texas House Democrats will be offering an amendment that would block a Republican redistricting effort until files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein are released, Axios reported.

While the effort is almost sure to fail in the Republican-controlled legislature, Democrats are trying to call attention to a matter that has become a headache for the Trump administration.

The legislation will be introduced by Texas Rep. Gene Wu, one of more than 50 legislators who left the state in an initial bid to delay the redistricting effort that could give Republicans an additional five seats in Congress.

"This amendment forces Republicans to choose between their loyalty to Trump and their obligation to expose sexual predators," Wu said in a statement.

The amendment comes the same day a federal judge in New York who presided over the sex trafficking case against the late New York financier rejected the government's request to unseal grand jury transcripts.

Epstein committed suicide in a New York City jail in 2019. Many say they believe Epstein was killed because of his ties to powerful figures in politics and entertainment, but no conclusive evidence supports such theories.

The Department of Justice will start sharing Epstein files with Congress on Friday, House Oversight Chair James Comer said in a statement earlier this week.

The Epstein case continues to generate attention in Washington, nearly two months after the Justice Department released a memo stating no further public disclosures of Epstein-related material would be appropriate or warranted.

Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.

• Comer: DOJ to Start Sharing Epstein Files With Congress Friday
• Rep. Comer: Fmr AG Barr Sheds Light on Epstein Suicide