Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., moved to force a Senate vote on the Epstein files with an amendment he introduced to the National Defense Authorization Act.
Schumer's amendment would force the Department of Justice to release all the files related to Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted sex offender who died in 2019, within 30 days.
"Republicans will have to vote on it. We're going to keep fighting until these files are released," Schumer said in a video post to X.
It's unlikely Schumer's amendment will get a vote, however. It would first need to get 60 votes — including more than a dozen Republicans — to clear a procedural hurdle, Politico reported.
Schumer's move could derail bipartisan negotiations on other amendments to the annual defense bill.
"This will be viewed as a hostile act by our folks," The Hill quoted a source familiar with Republicans' reactions. "We were engaged in bipartisan talks on amendments, and this could jeopardize that."
Schumer's move mirrored that of a bipartisan effort in the House. Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., and Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., are spearheading a discharge petition to force a vote on the floor of the House.
Khanna said Sunday he and Massie have secured enough support in the House to force a vote on a discharge petition they are sponsoring that would require the Justice Department to make the Epstein files public.
"We have the 218 votes, 216 already support it," Khanna said. "There are two vacancies that haven't been reported as much, but two Democrats are going to be joining, and they are both committed to signing it. That's going to happen by the end of September."
Epstein, who pleaded guilty to sex crimes in 2008, died in federal custody in 2019 while awaiting trial on new charges. His network of political, business, and social connections has fueled speculation about who might appear in federal records. Survivors of Epstein's abuse pressed lawmakers last week to ensure the full release of the records.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said Tuesday that "transparency is always best."
"I'm all for transparency, disclosure and whatever makes that possible, but I think the Department of Justice has already released tons of files related to this matter," he added. "I trust them in terms of having the confidence that they'll get as much information out there as possible in a way that protects the rights of the victims."
Mark Swanson ✉
Mark Swanson, a Newsmax writer and editor, has nearly three decades of experience covering news, culture and politics.
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