Massie Wants Vote to Rule Out Veto of Epstein Files Release

As many as 100 House Republicans may support a measure to force the release of files related to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, Rep. Thomas Massie said Sunday. Speaking on ABC News' This Week, Massie said the House is expected to vote on the matter this week and suggested there could be a "deluge" of GOP support for making the documents files public. President Trump opposes the release, and Massie is aiming for a veto-proof majority, the Hill reports. That would require the support of two-thirds of the House and Senate. All House Democrats and four Republicans, including Massie, signed the discharge petition to compel a vote.

The Kentucky lawmaker said the Justice Department investigation into the late Jeffrey Epstein's ties to prominent Democrats, which was ordered by Trump, is merely "a last-ditch effort to prevent the release of the Epstein files," per Politico. "If they have ongoing investigations in certain areas, those documents can't be released," Massie said. "So, this might be a big smokescreen." Massie predicted that House Speaker Mike Johnson, Trump, and others opposed to his efforts would be "taking a big loss this week." And he warned his colleagues that while Trump may be able to protect them politically now, that won't be the case in the future. "The record of this vote will last longer than Donald Trump's presidency," he said.