House Republicans on Wednesday approved a measure to show support for the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee’s investigation into matters surrounding the deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The measure was unveiled on Tuesday as a clear alternative to a bill from Reps. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) to require the Justice Department to release Epstein-related material, which GOP leaders and the White House are hoping to quash.
Language to approve the resolution was tucked into a procedural rule vote teeing up consideration of other measures, rather than as a stand-alone vote. Rule votes typically pass along party lines, and the House approved Wednesday’s rule vote along party lines 212-208, with one present vote from Rep. Kevin Kiley (R-Calif.).
The resolution calls for the Oversight panel, which has already started a probe into Epstein-related matters, to “continue its ongoing investigation into the possible mismanagement of the Federal Government’s investigation of Mr. Jeffrey Epstein and Ms. Ghislaine Maxwell, the circumstances and subsequent investigations of Mr. Epstein’s death, the operation of sex-trafficking rings and ways for the Federal government to effectively combat them.”
Republican leaders added the measure to this week’s schedule on Tuesday, providing rank-and-file Republicans with a formal outlet to register their support for congressional investigations into Epstein and his former girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell, who is in prison for crimes related to the sexual abuse of minors.
Massie, meanwhile, filed a discharge petition Tuesday to circumvent leadership and force a vote on his competing measure, and he criticized GOP leadership for scheduling what he called a “meaningless” resolution — and for tucking it into the procedural vote.
“He urged people not to sign my discharge petition, yes. And he ensured that he would give them political cover — that they would have it by voting for the rule. And they’re also going to be too clever by a half by putting his version of the Epstein resolution inside of the rule so they can get Democrats to vote against it. The Republicans now want to use it as a political football against the Democrats and say, ‘Oh, well you voted against the resolution,'” Massie said on Wednesday.
The Oversight panel’s investigation into Epstein was prompted in part by a successful Democratic-led motion to subpoena the Justice Department for the “Epstein files.” The department handed over thousands of pages of documents in response to that request in August, but Democrats on the panel said the material was mostly already public.
Due to a Republican-led motion, the panel has also subpoenaed a number of former federal officials, including former President Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, for testimony in relation to the Epstein matter.
Oversight Chair James Comer (R-Ky.) also subpoenaed the Epstein estate for material, with lawmakers claiming the estate will hand over the infamous “birthday book” that The Wall Street Journal reported and that included a message from President Trump.
Over the weekend, Comer requested that the Treasury Department hand over any suspicious activity reports generated by banking transactions related to Epstein and Maxwell.
Along with approving the measure to support the Oversight investigation, the rule tabled a previous nonbinding resolution approved by the House Rules Committee surrounding release of the Epstein files.
Mike Lillis contributed.
