Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) announced Thursday that four Republicans, including him, have signed the Epstein Files II discharge petition and expressed confidence it will pass the House.
The news comes after House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) sent lawmakers home for a seven-week recess ahead of the midterm elections.
Massie and Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) are leading the second Epstein files discharge petition, as they did last year.
“When we return from recess that [Johnson] imposed until the election, [Khanna] & I will have 218 names required to force a vote!” Massie posted on X. He thanked Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Ralph Norman (R-SC), and Nancy Mace (R-SC) for signing the discharge petition.
The effort marks a disgruntled response from Massie and others over the Department of Justice’s handling of the documents related to late sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein. The second discharge petition intends to call for the release of more Epstein files.
After the first discharge petition successfully gained traction late last year, President Donald Trump signed the Epstein Files Transparency Act to compel the DOJ to release all documents and records related to Epstein.
Certain lawmakers, especially Massie and Khanna, have criticized the administration for not releasing all the files. Attorney General Todd Blanche maintains the DOJ complied with the law, but he has noted there are privacy rules, legal exemptions, and other logistical hurdles that prevent the department from releasing all of the documents. Over 3.5 million pages have been released so far.
Earlier this week, Massie led another legislative measure that shows his disdain for the administration: eight articles of impeachment against War Secretary Pete Hegseth. Blanche rolled his eyes when he was asked about the impeachment effort at a White House press briefing on Tuesday, and Johnson sent the House home early on Wednesday after Massie introduced the impeachment articles.
JOHNSON SLAMS PETE HEGSETH IMPEACHMENT ARTICLES: ‘IT’S A PUBLICITY STUNT’
No votes can be held on the impeachment effort or discharge petition until the House returns from recess on Nov. 9, six days after the general election.
After losing his primary, Massie is leaving the lower chamber of Congress in January 2027, along with Norman and Mace. Fitzpatrick is up for reelection in November.