WASHINGTON (AP) 鈥 House Speaker Mike Johnson is rebuffing pressure to act on the investigation into Jeffrey Epstein, instead sending members home early for a month-long break from Washington after the week's legislative agenda was upended by Republican members who are clamoring for a vote.
Johnson, a Republican from Louisiana, said Tuesday morning that he wants to give the White House 鈥渟pace鈥 to on its own, despite the bipartisan push for legislation that aims to force the release of more documents.
鈥淭here鈥檚 no purpose for the Congress to push an administration to do something they鈥檙e already doing,鈥 Johnson said at his weekly press conference, his last before lawmakers depart Washington on Wednesday for their traditional August recess.
The speaker's stance did little to alleviate the intra-party turmoil unfolding on Capitol Hill as many of supporters demand that the administration meet its promises to publicly release a full accounting of the sex trafficking investigation into Epstein, who in 2019 while awaiting trial. Under pressure from right-wing online influencers, as well as voters back home, rank-and-file Republicans are demanding that the House intervene in the matter.
鈥淭he public鈥檚 not going to let this die, and rightfully so,鈥 said Rep. Ralph Norman, a South Carolina Republican.
Johnson's control of the House is under threat
The dynamic left Johnson with slipping control of his Republican conference and several crucial committees. Even before Johnson spoke Tuesday morning, a Republican-controlled subcommittee of the House Committee on Oversight was advancing a resolution to subpoena Epstein's former girlfriend, , for a deposition.
Johnson decided to end the House's legislative business early this week after he essentially lost control of the powerful House Rules Committee, which sends bills to the floor for debates and votes. Late Monday evening, business on that panel ground to a halt when the Republicans on the committee abruptly recessed proceedings rather than risk more proposals from Democrats pushing them to release Epstein files.
Republicans had teed up votes on legislation to increase penalties for migrants who enter the country illegally, to ease permitting for water infrastructure and to rollback several Biden-era regulations. But all of those bills were put on hold at least until after the August recess.
Frustration in the House has been running high since last week, when Republican leaders signaled possible support for a as they a $9 billion package of spending cuts. GOP leader unveiled a resolution that has no legal weight but would urge the Justice Department to produce more documentation. Trump, meanwhile, has asked Attorney General Pam Bondi to seek the release of testimony from secret grand jury proceedings in the case, though that effort is new revelations.
Echoing position, Johnson insisted he, too, wants the files released, but only those that are 鈥渃redible.鈥 Johnson, who has relied heavily on Trump to hold onto leadership in the House, cast the president's reticence to release information as out of concern for the victims of Epstein.
鈥淲e have a moral responsibility to expose the evil of Epstein and everybody who was involved in that 鈥 absolutely 鈥 and we're resolved to do it,鈥 Johnson said. 鈥淏ut we also have an equal moral responsibility to protect the innocent, and that is a fine needle to thread.鈥
A political wedge
Even with the month-long break, the pressure on Johnson is unlikely to end. Rep. Thomas Massie, a Republican whose contrarian stances are often a thorn in the side to leadership, is gathering support for a legislative maneuver to force the bipartisan bill to a House vote, even without leadership's consent.
鈥淣ow, there are a lot of people here in the swamp who think that, 鈥極h, well, if we spend five weeks on vacation, the pressure for this will dissipate. I don鈥檛 think it鈥檚 going to dissipate.鈥欌 Massie told reporters Monday evening.
Democrats have watched it all unfold with glee and worked to inflame the conflict among Republicans by making their own calls for transparency on the Epstein investigation. They have repeatedly tried to force votes on the matter, casting it as an issue of trust in the government.
鈥淚t鈥檚 about transparency in government. It鈥檚 about whose side are you on? Are you on the side of the rich and powerful, protecting men? Or are you on the side of young girls and America鈥檚 children?鈥 said Rep. Ro Khanna, the California Democrat who put forward the legislation alongside Massie.
Epstein sexually abused children hundreds of times over more than a decade, exploiting vulnerable girls as young as 14, authorities say. He couldn鈥檛 have done so without the help of Maxwell, his longtime companion, prosecutors contend.
Massie said the case is palpable enough to carry significant political consequences.
鈥淭his will be an issue that does follow Republicans through the midterms, and it will follow each individual Republican through the midterms. It will follow people into their primaries. Did you support transparency and justice, or did you come up here, get elected and fall into the swamp?鈥 he told reporters.
He added, 鈥淚 think it is a watershed moment for the speaker of the House and the president."
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Follow the AP鈥檚 coverage of the Jeffrey Epstein case at .
