Johnson promises vote on Epstein files “next week”

House Speaker Mike Johnson revealed that representatives in Congress’s lower chamber would vote on whether to release the Department of Justice‘s Jeffrey Epstein case files next week.

Johnson had kept the House of Representatives from convening during the government shutdown, in a ploy that many observers believed was a way to avoid the question of the Epstein files. When the House gathered to consider an agreement to reopen the government put forth by the Senate, representatives also forced the issue of a vote on releasing the files.

“We’re going to put that on the floor for a full vote when we get back next week,” Johnson told reporters on Capitol Hill.

The House session also saw the swearing in of Arizona Democrat Adelita Grijalva. The daughter of late Congressman Raul Grijalva waited 50 days to be sworn in, thanks to Johnson’s stalling. Her signature in favor would force a floor vote on releasing the files, and she immediately threw in with the House effort.

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“Just this morning, House Democrats released more emails showing that Trump knew more about Epstein’s abuses than he previously acknowledged. It’s past time for Congress to restore its role as a check-and-balance on this administration and fight for we, the American people,” she said. “That is why I will discharge petition right now to release the Epstein files. Justice cannot wait another day.