House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said Tuesday he would allow a floor vote on a bipartisan bill compelling the full release of the Jeffrey Epstein files after the Democrats' federal shutdown ends.
In an interview with Politico, Johnson confirmed he would not block a vote on the measure once the House reconvenes.
"If it hits 218, it comes to the floor," Johnson said, referring to the discharge petition led by Reps. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., and Ro Khanna, D-Calif.
The petition would force a vote if it secures signatures from a majority of lawmakers — a threshold that could be met once Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva, D-Ariz., is sworn in.
Johnson has delayed seating Grijalva, who won a special election to replace her late father, Rep. Raúl Grijalva, until Democrats in the Senate pass House-approved funding legislation.
Democrats have accused Johnson of deliberately stalling to prevent the Epstein bill from advancing.
The bill seeks to compel the release of all remaining files tied to Jeffrey Epstein, the financier and convicted sex offender whose 2019 death in federal custody was ruled a suicide.
Johnson said he supports transparency but defended his decision to wait until the government reopens.
"That’s how it works," he said. "If you get the signatures, it goes to a vote."
At a press conference earlier Tuesday, Johnson praised the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee's investigation into Epstein's network, saying it had already released more than 43,000 pages of documents, including the disgraced financier's phone logs, financial ledgers, and calendars.
He said the committee would continue to disclose "credible information" while safeguarding victims' privacy.
"I've met with some of the Epstein victims," Johnson said. "We’re working around the clock to ensure justice is served — and to understand why it’s been delayed for so long."
Oversight Chair James Comer, R-Ky., joined Johnson in declaring that testimony and evidence show former President Donald Trump was not implicated in Epstein’s activities.
Comer said the panel is working to bring former President Bill Clinton in for questioning, noting that Clinton’s legal team has been cooperating.
The House Oversight Committee last week released testimony from former U.S. Attorney Alex Acosta — who handled Epstein's 2008 plea deal — that further distanced Trump from the case.
Acosta told House investigators he "never talked to Trump about Epstein," either before or during his service as the Department of Labor secretary.
The Oversight Committee also released Epstein's personal schedules, showing meetings with public figures including Larry Summers, Woody Allen, and former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak.
None has been accused of wrongdoing.
Johnson said the ongoing investigation will "get to the truth — all of it," but emphasized that Congress must "finish our work on funding the government first."
According to the Washington Examiner, Democrats are furious that Johnson has yet to swear in Grijalva, arguing that the move disenfranchises more than 800,000 Arizonans.
"Every day that Speaker Johnson delays is another day Southern Arizonans are left without a voice in Congress," Grijalva said, adding that she intends to be the 218th signature on the discharge petition.
Democrat Whip Katherine Clark, D-Mass., and the Democratic Women's Caucus have also demanded that Johnson seat Grijalva immediately, warning that his delay "calls into question if the motive ... is to avoid the release of the Epstein files."
Johnson's office maintained that the delay is purely procedural and that Grijalva will be sworn in "when the House returns to session."
Charlie McCarthy ✉
Charlie McCarthy, a writer/editor at Newsmax, has nearly 40 years of experience covering news, sports, and politics.
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