Speaker Johnson’s Conditional Transparency on Epstein Files
Oh, good grief.
House Speaker Mike Johnson has publicly declared that he will not obstruct a floor vote on a resolution aimed at releasing records connected to Jeffrey Epstein [1], [2]. While he wants to paint this as a move towards transparency, it doesn’t pass the smell test. This “pledge” is contingent on specific conditions, ones he knows will reduce the likelihood of the vote actually occurring. This isn’t transparency; it’s a poison pill.
The Prerequisites for a Vote
Johnson’s green light for the Epstein files vote has a whole lot of baggage attached to it. He said that the discharge petition, which is necessary to force such a vote, must first gather 218 signatures [2], [3]. In other words, the 218 that will vote yes on the discharge petition have to put their names to paper first, essentially a paper vote before the real vote. Without this specific number of signatures, the resolution cannot proceed to a floor vote, regardless of what Mikey says. Then, Johnson directly linked the potential vote to the ongoing government shutdown. He said that Democrats must end the shutdown before he’ll allow any vote to happen [3]. So instead of going after pedophiles, he’s going to hold the Epstein files hostage until he gets his way with Democrats. You want the files? Guess you’ll have to accept cuts to Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security, among others. Apparently, unless the billionaires get their tax cuts, Epstein’s victims get nothing. The House has been in recess since the shutdown began, a situation that has effectively delayed any progress on the petition to make these crucial documents public [4]. Johnson keeps sending the House home. But then again, they get paid, shutdown or not.
The Unsworn Lawmaker: A Decisive Factor?
Adding to this clusterf*ck is the fact that Johnson has refused to seat newly elected congresswoman Adelita Grijalva [5], [6]. Grijalva is likely the deciding vote needed to push the discharge petition past the 218-signature mark [5]. It sure looks like Johnson is intentionally delaying her swearing-in, a move that keeps the petition from hitting 218 [6]. Johnson knows that without her vote, the discharge petition falls short, so he just keeps the House closed for business. Did I mention they’re still getting paid? Meanwhile, Grijalva can’t properly represent her constituents, and the Epstein files stay under lock and key.
Broader Political Context and Implications
The Department of Justice has kept quiet on the Epstein files since the shutdown started [7]. They must think that by laying low, this might just go away. Of course, this raises questions about what information in the files might be withheld or simply “redacted” while the shutdown drags on. But the shutdown can’t last forever. A top Senate Republican has privately warned the White House about how bad the shutdown is for American farmers, who represent a key Republican voting bloc [7]. This Republican leader indicated that the White House might be open to rolling back some shutdown measures if Democrats agree to reopen the government [7].
Right.
We’ve seen this bait and switch before. Like Lucy and Charlie Brown, the Republicans say, “Sure, open it back up, then we’ll let you vote on it”, and then yank the football. The Epstein files issue should be an isolated matter. Instead, Republicans want to use it as a bargaining chip.
Speaker Johnson’s stance is clear: He says he’ll commitment to allowing a vote, at the same time imposing conditions to obstruct it. The dual requirements for 218 signatures and an end to the government shutdown, coupled with the refusal to swear in a duly elected lawmaker, make it clear he isn’t serious about making the files public. Americans want to see genuine progress on the release of the Epstein Files, but ol’ Mike isn’t gonna make it easy.
Sources & Footnotes
- https://www.aol.com/articles/johnson-pledges-not-stall-floor-172044949.html ↩
- https://x.com/meredithllee/status/1980659518242730486 ↩
- https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2025/10/21/congress/johnson-wont-block-epstein-vote-00616410 ↩
- https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/oct/21/mike-johnson-epstein-files-house-vote ↩
- https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2025/10/21/mike-johnson-wont-block-house-from-releasing-epstein-files-he-says-but-also-wont-swear-in-lawmaker-to-be-decisive-vote/ ↩
- https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/mike-johnson-cornered-fox-over-155947175.html ↩
- https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2025/10/16/congress/doj-silent-on-epstein-files-00611626 ↩
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