Reversing his demand last week that the Justice Department reveal the data pertaining to the suspected sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, Speaker Mike Johnson announced Monday that he would not hold a House vote this summer on the matter.
In response to significant pressure from the irate MAGA base, Mr. Johnson had a rare moment of clarity with Mr. Trump on Tuesday, as he pleaded with his fans to put the issue behind him.
When asked about the Justice Department’s investigation against Mr. Epstein on The Benny Show, Mr. Johnson had stated, “We should put everything out there and let the people decide.” I concur that it is imperative that we make it public.
Republicans provided no timeframe for voting on the resolution, but the speaker’s influential Rules Committee had even approved a bill that would send the resolution to the floor.
The speaker returned to his more comfortable position of deferring to the president less than a week later.
When questioned about conducting a House vote on disclosing the investigative files, Mr. Johnson told reporters at the Capitol on Monday that we need the administration to have the room to do what it is doing.
“We will examine whether additional congressional action is required or appropriate,” Mr. Johnson stated. “I don’t think we’re at that point yet, because we agree with the president,” he said, adding that there would not be a vote on the Epstein papers before the House leaves on Thursday for a six-week summer vacation.
Thanks to his unwavering devotion to Mr. Trump, Mr. Johnson was able to secure and maintain his gavel. His first demand that the Epstein files be made public while Mr. Trump was requesting the contrary highlighted the unique and profound rift that the case had caused between the president and his followers.
However, the speaker’s reversal raises the possibility that Mr. Trump is successful in containing the agitation in his political base over the issue.
Mr. Johnson hinted that Mr. Trump’s decision to give Attorney General Pam Bondi permission to request the public release of grand jury testimony from Mr. Epstein’s case had allayed his worries about transparency, at least for the time being. That seemed to be sufficient to convince the speaker, but it is a far cry from the depth of detail that the president’s supporters have wanted.
Mr. Johnson stated on Monday that there is no gap between the president, the House Republicans, and the House on maximal transparency. All of that is underway. He has asked the attorney general to acquire the court’s grand jury files.
It’s unclear if the president will be able to release content selectively in order to please his followers. Nevertheless, Mr. Johnson’s swift response suggested that he plans to stall a floor vote that may harm Mr. Trump.
However, not all of his supporters are under Mr. Johnson’s control; some are still expressing their anger and have joined a long-shot bipartisan effort to compel a vote on the issue in a matter of weeks.
You must eliminate all of the people’s enemies if you inform your base of supporters about deep state treasonous crimes, election meddling, blackmail, and wealthy, powerful elite wicked cabals. Georgia Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene posted on social media on Monday. Otherwise. There will be no turning back once the base turns. Red meat chunks that dangle no longer satisfy. They won’t settle for anything less than the entire steak supper.
