Johnson calls Massie, Khanna Epstein files effort ‘reckless’
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) on Sunday called an effort from Reps. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) on files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein “reckless” as controversy over the disgraced financier roils Washington.
“House Republicans insist upon the release of all credible evidence and information related to Epstein in any way,” Johnson told NBC News’s Kristen Welker on “Meet the Press.”
“But we are also insisting upon the protection of innocent victims. And our concern is that the Massie and Khanna discharge petition is reckless in the way that it is drafted and presented. It does not adequately include those protections,” he added.
Earlier this month, Massie said he would try to use a long-shot procedural gambit to force a vote on requiring the Justice Department to release files related to Epstein.
“We all deserve to know what’s in the Epstein files, who’s implicated, and how deep this corruption goes. Americans were promised justice and transparency,” Massie said in a post on the social platform X in mid-July.
“We’re introducing a discharge petition to force a vote in the US House of Representatives on releasing the COMPLETE files,” he added.
A discharge petition needs 218 signatures to go past House leadership and force a vote on a measure.
Massie and Khanna’s bill has 11 Republican co-sponsors, including Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) and Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.), all known as staunch members of the GOP’s hard-right flank.
Khanna and Massie also made a Sunday appearance on “Meet the Press” in a joint interview, with Massie saying the Epstein controversy “is going to hurt Republicans in the midterms, the voters will be apathetic if we don’t hold the rich and powerful accountable.”
“I think when we get back, we can get the signatures required to force this to the floor. Speaker Mike Johnson should do the right thing and just bring it to the floor and not require us to force it,” Massie said of his and Khanna’s effort.
The Hill has reached out to Massie and Khanna’s offices for comment.