Minnesota Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar has denounced the Republican Party after House Speaker Mike Johnson declined to hold a vote on the release of files relating to Jeffrey Epstein before Congress breaks for its summer recess.
“The pedophile protection party is shutting down Congress just to avoid voting on the release of the Epstein files,” Omar wrote on X on Tuesday.
Despite risking President Donald Trump’s ire by calling for the release of the files himself last week on a podcast, Johnson has since changed course and said on Monday the administration needed “space” to vet the documents in question due to their likely sensitivity.
Speaking to reporters on Capitol Hill, Johnson was asked whether the House of Representatives would get to vote on whether or not to release the files and answered: “If further congressional action is necessary or appropriate, then we’ll look at that… I don’t think we’re at that point yet, because we agree with the president.”
A day later, he called an early start to representatives’ five-week recess, leaving no time for a vote on the matter until their return in September, by which point other matters may be considered more pressing.
“The American people are best served by putting an end to Democrats’ side shows,” Johnson said at a press conference defending his manoeuvre.
“That’s what we’re doing by not allowing the Rules Committee to continue with that nonsense this week. We’re done being lectured on transparency.”
Omar, who is regularly targeted by conservatives, was by no means the only member of Congress to attack Johnson over the decision.
Her ally, New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, wrote on X: “Ummm so let me get this straight: Republicans have ground Congress to a halt and are considering adjourning the entire House for six weeks to avoid releasing the info they have on Epstein? What is going on here?”
Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie, an anti-Trump Republican rebel who has drafted legislation of his own calling for the release of the files, addressed the House GOP leader in a post on X that read: “Speaker Johnson, why are you running cover for an underage sex trafficking ring and pretending this is a partisan issue? MAGA voted for this.”
There could be some movement in the interim on the Epstein case, which has bitterly divided his base and left him scrambling to change the national conversation amid awkward questions about his past friendship with the financier.
A panel of federal court judges is currently weighing up whether relevant grand jury transcripts can be released at Attorney General Pam Bondi’s request.
Meanwhile, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche has announced that he is attempting to arrange a meeting with the pedophile’s jailed accomplice, Ghislaine Maxwell.
Trump signaled his apparent approval of that step in the Oval Office on Tuesday, saying it “sounded appropriate.”
The House Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee has also voted to subpoena Maxwell.
“This is progress. We will not stop fighting until the Epstein files are released. Trump and Bondi must stop blocking the American people from the truth,” Oversight Committee Democrats wrote on X.
