Date: 2025-08-20 Page is: DBtxt003.php txt00028940
THE EPSTEIN SAGA
The Epstein Files Transparency Act.
The Surprising Bill Uniting MTG, Nancy Pelosi, Lauren Boebert, and AOC
The Epstein Files Transparency Act.
The Surprising Bill Uniting MTG, Nancy Pelosi, Lauren Boebert, and AOC
Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc/Getty Images
Original article: https://newrepublic.com/post/198237/donald-trump-epstein-files-thomas-massie-mtg-aoc
Representative Thomas Massie’s Epstein measure is producing a real show of bipartisanship.
Written by Ellie Quinlan Houghtaling
July 22, 2025/5:00 p.m. ET
Bipartisan interest in publicizing the Epstein files has brought together the most unlikely of allies.
Representatives Nancy Pelosi, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Jamie Raskin, Lauren Boebert, and Alexandria Ocasio Cortez are just some of the names who have co-sponsored H.Res.581, dubbed the Epstein Files Transparency Act.
Introduced by Representative Thomas Massie, who has a habit of actually standing up to Donald Trump, the bill aims to “make publicly available in a searchable and downloadable format all unclassified records, documents, communications, and investigative materials in the possession of the Department of Justice, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation and United States Attorneys’ Offices” relating to child sex traffickers Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.
The text of the bill specifies the release of flight logs, travel records, the names of individuals and government officials connected to Epstein’s “criminal activities, civil settlements, immunity or plea agreements, or investigatory proceedings,” the names of corporations or organizations tied to Epstein’s trafficking networks, potential immunity deals or sealed settlements, as well as “internal DOJ communications.”
A dozen Republicans have signed on to the effort in total, including Representatives Tim Burchett, Eric Burlison, Jeff Van Drew, Eli Crane, Cory Mills, Tom Barrett, Max Miller, Nancy Mace, and Keith Self.
But the effort isn’t likely to get off the ground anytime soon. House GOP leadership announced Tuesday afternoon that “votes are no longer expected in the House on Thursday,” with last votes taking place on Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. ET, ending the schedule a day early and starting the beginning of a five-week summer recess.
“I think everyone wants to see the information that was sealed away,” Greene told reporters inside the Capitol Tuesday morning, highlighting that at minimum, the prospective legislation would have to wait for the courts to reply to Attorney General Pam Bondi’s request to unseal the documents. “I’m all for voting on it, I’m all for transparency. We just have to be a little patient.”
House Republicans did already have a chance to stand up for transparency last week, but 211 of the caucus’s 212 members voted to block a Democratic-led effort to force a vote on releasing the Epstein files.
Peter Burgess COMMENTARY
There is a huge amount of 'chatter', most of which has a very short 'half-life'.
I 'like' the idea of the Epstein saga upending the Trump saga, though my saner self tells me that that is not going to happen. I remember at one point Donald Trump being referred to a 'Teflon Don' because little or none of his obnoxious behavior seemed to 'stick'. I think that went back to the 1990s, but mayb that is wishful thinking!
What is clear to me is that Trump has been an obnoxious character all his life ... getting more and more powerful and dangerous all the time.
I am from the UK. In the British Parliament, a government loses its mandate when the House of Commons ... the lower house ... passes a 'Vote of No Confidence'. After that a new General Election takes place, and the winner then forms a New Government. In the US, when a government is elected, its term is for four years cpme what may. I believe there is a procedure to replace a government mid-term but don't know if it has ever been used! If there is such a procedure I would like to see it used on the current Trump government which I believe will do immense damage to the USA unless the opposition figures out hopw to constrain all of Trump's bad instincts!
I have been a 'landed immigrant' in the United States for almost 50 years, and have never been so concerned about the 'State' of the country as I have been for the past few months. Some things in the USA are brilliant ... but they have been organized for more than four decades to benefit the top of society with everyone else having to struggle. Trump has accelerated this trend while also declaring an economic war on every country on the planet. This will not end well. Hopefully Trump will forced out of office soon before massive damage to the US economy becomes permenent ... which likely will happen sometime before Christmans 2025!
Several countries have already positioned themselves to end up in a better economic circumstance than pre-Trump ... something that may well do substantial economic damage to the USA.
Canada is one such country which is rapidly moving to optimise its trading relations with the world without being constrained by long standing arrangements that had favored the USA at the expense of Canada.
The USA has some international leverage, but much less than in the past ... and rapidly diminishing. The world has 'tolerated' the USA since the end of WWII because they had to ... but that era is coming to an end ... significantly hastened by Donald Trump and his bourish behavior.
Peter Burgess