GOP Rep. Thomas Massie filed a discharge petition Tuesday afternoon to force the disclosure of Justice Department investigative files related to the late sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.
Massie filed the petition, which could allow the House to sidestep GOP leaders’ efforts to quash his bipartisan effort, shortly after Speaker Mike Johnson gaveled the chamber into session. Working with Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), the Kentucky Republican now needs to persuade 216 additional House members to sign it.
Massie said Tuesday he’s confident he has enough support to reach that threshold and force a floor vote, but he insisted he is not whipping votes. He said other Republicans have told him the White House is pressuring the dozen GOP cosponsors of his measure to stand down.
“There is a pressure campaign from the White House right now on those folks, on those 12,” Massie said. “They’ve self-identified by being a cosponsor. But I think there are also ones that the White House is not whipping that may be inclined to sign it.”
Democrats are expected to support the measure en masse. Rep. Jim McGovern of Massachusetts, the top Rules Committee Democrat, said he signed the petition almost immediately after it was filed.
Rules Committee Democrats, he said, will propose during a Tuesday afternoon panel meeting bringing up legislation that mirrors the Massie-Khanna measure.
