WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump mentioned Home Republicans ought to vote to launch the recordsdata within the Jeffrey Epstein case, a startling reversal after beforehand combating the proposal as a rising variety of these in his personal get together supported it.
“We have nothing to hide, and it’s time to move on from this Democrat Hoax perpetrated by Radical Left Lunatics in order to deflect from the Great Success of the Republican Party,” Trump wrote on social media late Sunday after touchdown at Joint Base Andrews following a weekend in Florida.
Trump’s assertion adopted a fierce combat throughout the GOP over the recordsdata, together with an more and more nasty break up with Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who had lengthy been one among his fiercest supporters.
The president’s shift is an implicit acknowledgement that supporters of the measure have sufficient votes to move it the Home, though it has an unclear future within the Senate.
It’s a uncommon instance of Trump backtracking due to opposition throughout the GOP. In his return to workplace and in his second time period as president, Trump has largely consolidated energy within the Republican Occasion.
“I DON’T CARE!” Trump wrote in his social media publish. “All I do care about is that Republicans get BACK ON POINT.”
Lawmakers who help the invoice have been predicting an enormous win within the Home this week with a “deluge of Republicans” voting for it, bucking the GOP management and the president.
In his opposition to the proposal, Trump even reached out to 2 of the Republican lawmakers who signed it. One, Colorado Rep. Lauren Boebert, met final week with administration officers within the White Home Scenario Room to debate it.
The invoice would power the Justice Division to launch all recordsdata and communications associated to Epstein, in addition to any details about the investigation into his loss of life in federal jail. Details about Epstein’s victims or ongoing federal investigations can be allowed to be redacted.
“There could be 100 or more” votes from Republicans, mentioned Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., among the many lawmakers discussing the laws on Sunday information present appearances. “I’m hoping to get a veto-proof majority on this legislation when it comes up for a vote.”
Massie and Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., launched a discharge petition in July to power a vote on their invoice. That could be a not often profitable device that permits a majority of members to bypass Home management and power a flooring vote.
Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., had panned the discharge petition effort and despatched members house early for his or her August recess when the GOP’s legislative agenda was upended within the clamoring for an Epstein vote. Democrats additionally contend the seating of Rep. Adelita Grijalva, D-Ariz., was stalled to delay her changing into the 218th member to signal the petition and achieve the brink wanted to power a vote. She turned the 218th signature moments after taking the oath of workplace final week.
Massie mentioned Johnson, Trump and others who’ve been important of his efforts can be “taking a big loss this week.”
“I’m not tired of winning yet, but we are winning,” Massie mentioned.
The View From GOP Management
Johnson appears to count on the Home will decisively again the Epstein invoice.
“We’ll just get this done and move it on. There’s nothing to hide,” including that the Home Oversight and Authorities Reform Committee has been releasing “far more information than the discharge petition, their little gambit.”
The vote comes at a time when new paperwork are elevating recent questions on Epstein and his associates, together with a 2019 e-mail that Epstein wrote to a journalist that mentioned Trump “knew about the girls.” The White Home has accused Democrats of selectively leaking the emails to smear the Republican president.
Johnson mentioned Trump “has nothing to hide from this.”
“They’re doing this to go after President Trump on this theory that he has something to do with it. He does not,” Johnson mentioned.
Trump’s affiliation with Epstein is well-established and the president’s identify was included in information that his personal Justice Division launched in February as a part of an effort to fulfill public curiosity in data from the sex-trafficking investigation.
Davidoff Studios Pictures by way of Getty Photographs
Trump has by no means been accused of wrongdoing in reference to Epstein and the mere inclusion of somebody’s identify in recordsdata from the investigation doesn’t suggest in any other case. Epstein, who killed himself in jail in 2019 whereas awaiting trial, additionally had many outstanding acquaintances in political and celeb circles in addition to Trump.
Khanna voiced extra modest expectations on the vote rely than Massie. Nonetheless, Khanna mentioned he hoped for 40 or extra Republicans to hitch the hassle.
“I don’t even know how involved Trump was,” Khanna mentioned. “There are a lot of other people involved who have to be held accountable.”
Khanna additionally requested Trump to satisfy with those that have been abused. Some will probably be on the Capitol on Tuesday for a information convention, he mentioned.
Massie mentioned Republican lawmakers who concern dropping Trump’s endorsement due to how they vote may have a mark on their file, in the event that they vote “no,” that would harm their political prospects in the long run.
“The record of this vote will last longer than Donald Trump’s presidency,” Massie mentioned.
A MAGA Break up
On the Republican facet, three Republicans joined with Massie in signing the discharge petition: Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, Nancy Mace of South Carolina and Boebert.
Trump publicly known as it quits with Greene final week and mentioned he would endorse a challenger towards her in 2026 “if the right person runs.”
Greene attributed the fallout with Trump as “unfortunately, it has all come down to the Epstein files.” She mentioned the nation deserves transparency on the problem and that Trump’s criticism of her is complicated as a result of the ladies she has talked to say he did nothing flawed.
“I have no idea what’s in the files. I can’t even guess. But that is the questions everyone is asking, is, why fight this so hard?” Greene mentioned.
Trump’s feud with Greene escalated over the weekend, with Trump sending out one final social media publish about her whereas nonetheless sitting in his helicopter on the White Home garden when he arrived house late Sunday, writing “The fact is, nobody cares about this Traitor to our Country!”
Even when the invoice passes the Home, there is no such thing as a assure that Senate Republicans will go alongside. Massie mentioned he simply hopes Senate Majority Chief John Thune, R-S.D., “will do the right thing.”
“The pressure is going to be there if we get a big vote in the House,” Massie mentioned, who thinks “we could have a deluge of Republicans.”
Massie appeared on ABC’s “This Week,” Johnson was on “Fox News Sunday,” Khanna spoke on NBC’s “Meet the Press” and Greene was interviewed on CNN’s “State of the Union.”
Related Press author Michelle L. Worth contributed to this report.
