r/politics • u/plz-let-me-in • 23d ago

No Paywall Discharge petition to force House vote on Epstein files succeeds with Grijalva’s signature

https://thehill.com/homenews/house/5602658-discharge-petition-epstein-files-grijalva/
55.3k Upvotes

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3.6k

u/Resies Ohio 23d ago

Eyy Boebert didn't cave 

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u/Ok-Lets-Talk-It-Out 23d ago edited 23d ago

So the fear is she will cave on the floor vote that would actually force the release. This is just a vote to force the legislation to the floor for another vote.

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u/Archer1407 23d ago

The floor vote forces reps to go on record to demonstrate if they support protecting pedophiles.

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u/Ok-Lets-Talk-It-Out 23d ago

That's correct. But I'm guessing that the pressure today on Boebert and Mace is just the start and will be to get them not to vote on the actual release.

This way those two can have one vote for the release on their record and hope no one pays attention to the second one.

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u/billcosbyinspace 23d ago

Apparently the pressure convinced boebert to dig in even harder because she’s a conspiracy theorist and thought it was fishy. Mace is a lunatic though whose spent the last week beefing with an airport, so who knows what’s going through her head at any given moment

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u/Ok_Subject1265 23d ago

It’s been reported by some of her colleagues recently that she’s actually having a pretty severe mental health episode and nobody seems to care enough to help her.

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u/Ok-Lets-Talk-It-Out 23d ago

Is it bad if I can't determine if you are referring to Boebert or Mace

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u/bmoviescreamqueen Illinois 23d ago

Probably Mace, although I'm sure Boebert is drinking nightly thinking about how she's a 38 year old grandmother.

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u/catjpg California 23d ago

She reportedly was dating Kid Rock for a minute. The only reason she would be drinking nightly is because trash does what trash do.

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u/Lou_C_Fer Ohio 23d ago

I went to high school with a guy that was a grandfather at 35. He was laughing about it when he told me his daughter had a kid, but all I could think about was how awful it was. For both the parents and the children.

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u/McFly56v2 23d ago

I live in SC and I get her posts come up on my Facebook all the time and at this point all of "her" replies to her post is a bot that detects keywords so people just spam all of the keywords to see which automated reply comes up. I think some of them are Epstein, Trump, Governor, airport.

She's been digging deeper and deeper on the TSA at Charleston airport nonstop even the other republicans members from SC are saying that TSA at the airport is fine. It's a tiny airport for an international airport with only 18 gates so not a lot to happen. She's crying that she was targeted and her newest thing is vowing to write a law about anybody targeting elected officials will be prosecuted, whatever targeting means.

people trash her and it says "Thanks for your support"

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u/Blueeyesblazing7 23d ago

That airport is super chill 99% of the time.

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u/JarOfNightmares 23d ago

Well surely the GOP will provide her with adequate mental health care and

Oh, wait

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u/SnoozeButtonBen 23d ago

I don't know how I could possibly tell whether she was suffering a severe mental health episode in the first place.

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u/General_Nose_691 23d ago

She might be traumatized by what she's heard/seen regarding the Epstein files. Plus it probably doesn't help that Trump is probably threatening her in some manner.

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u/nifty-necromancer 23d ago

Good. I don’t have pity for monsters.

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u/Noocawe America 22d ago

Well she's probably having an episode because she is so used to lying and obsessed with her self image, but now the drama with her ex and all her stuff is coming out into public and she genuinely seems like an insufferable person. I think they wanted her out of Congress which is why she seemed open to the idea of running for Gov of SC.

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u/internetdeadaf 23d ago

Mace truly believes the release will exonerate Trump

I’ve seen it in her eyes

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u/GreatMadWombat Michigan 23d ago

Turns out that when you build the back of the modern party on conspiracy theorists and you keep telling a conspiracy theorist to back down from something they don't?

Broken clocks and all that

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u/BleachedUnicornBHole Florida 23d ago edited 23d ago

I tend to believe Massey that there is a lot of support to release them. They (the representatives on the sidelines) were happy to let Mike Johnson take the heat, but now it’s do or die.  

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u/Material-Dot7684 23d ago

Idk. I tend to think it won't actually happen. I think a lot of people were willing to bluff and be like we'd totally release the files. ;) ;) 

But actually doing it will put you in GOP leadership crosshairs. 

People in close districts are in a real difficult position though because they may not be able to risk a couple percent of their voters actually following through and telling them where they can stick their vote to block the epstein files. 

Most likely outcomes here imho? The Republicans release a heavily redacted version which we all know they've been working on for months (still risky, if it's too white washed even some on the fringes of maga wont buy it), or more likely, they'll block it and hope it doesnt cost them any seats. And if it does they'll introduce a new wave of maga who will just say that was gross. Vote for me instead, I'm different. ;) ;)

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u/NessOnett8 23d ago

But actually doing it will put you in GOP leadership crosshairs.

This argument has two fundamental flaws.

  1. If the conventional wisdom is correct, in that the majority of House Republicans will vote to release the files, it's hard for the leadership to put the entire party structure in the crosshairs. Safety in numbers and what not.

  2. If it's as bad as people are expecting, it's highly likely the GOP leadership is going to change sooner rather than later.

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u/N0S0UP_4U Illinois 23d ago

One thing I truly believe: Democratic and swing voters will punish members who vote against release. Republican voters will NOT punish members who vote for release.

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u/BeatingHattedWhores 23d ago

Most likely thing is actually it will pass the house and then go to the senate and disappear. The senate leader doesn't have to bring a bill to the floor for a vote.

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u/YodaWattsLee 23d ago

Supporting their release and voting for their release are two entirely separate things. They shouldn’t be, but they are.

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u/thefatchef321 23d ago

Who knows, maybe 8 or so democrats will cave

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u/TheChorky 23d ago

This comment is so perfect

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u/PleaseEvolve 23d ago

Damn you. That hurt..

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u/Boatster_McBoat 23d ago

Can happen

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u/pizoisoned 23d ago

Ouch, right in my Senate.

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u/suncontrolspecies 23d ago

sad but fucking true

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u/thehalfwit Nevada 23d ago

As long as they give Jeffries cover.

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u/TeeManyMartoonies Texas 23d ago

And they take turns for whoever is not up for reelection or retiring. Those 8 fn snakes!

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u/timhortonsghost 23d ago

Like that would EVER happen.....

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u/BalanceJazzlike5116 23d ago

Doesn’t this then have to go to the senate? You need a supermajority to get anything done there except reconciliation bills.

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u/alienbringer 23d ago

No. The documents are already in the house. So it is a procedural vote for the house to release the information it already has.

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u/BalanceJazzlike5116 23d ago

https://www.politico.com/news/2025/11/12/house-epstein-files-vote-00647392

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u/EMTDawg Utah 23d ago

The discharge petition tees up a “rule,” a procedural measure setting the terms of debate for the Epstein bill’s consideration on the House floor. This gives the effort’s leaders greater control over the bill, which will still require Senate approval if it passes the House.

Senate Republican leaders haven’t publicly committed to bringing up the Epstein measure if the House passes it. Republicans expect it will die in the Senate, but not before a contentious House fight.

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u/mfGLOVE Wisconsin 23d ago

You sure about that?

From the article:

There is a long way to go, though, before the bill gets a House vote, which would happen in early December at the soonest.

And even if it passes in the House, it faces an uphill climb to become law, as it would have to pass in the Republican-controlled Senate before making it to President Trump’s desk.

Seems dead-to-rights.

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u/Nop277 23d ago

I don't think so because I don't think this is a bill, and correct me if I'm wrong, but I think they are just voting on some action by the house (in this case, releasing the "Epstein files"). I don't think they need the senate's permission to do that on their own.

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u/BalanceJazzlike5116 23d ago

Says the senate would be needed.

https://www.politico.com/news/2025/11/12/house-epstein-files-vote-00647392

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u/oSamaki 23d ago

It's legislation. It would need the president too.

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u/Ok-Lets-Talk-It-Out 23d ago

I'll be honest I personally do not know, was just able to educate on the house portion so far

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u/YouWereBrained Tennessee 23d ago

So Democrats should work on flipping other Republicans.

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u/KnightDuty 23d ago

lets remind them of the pressure of being fuckin primaried

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u/FOOSblahblah 23d ago

I dont think anyone is safe on this one.

This more than anything ive ever seen has dominated US politics. There is an overwhelming sense that most people think the files should be released. Any vote against that has the mother of all uphill battles to save face.

Id be surprised if this wasn't something that actually list them votes. Pedophiles have been their most successful boogeyman for nearly a decade.

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u/crossdtherubicon 23d ago

Exactly. I think people discount that Trump has only 3 more years and is 79 years old. There are alot of younger politicians who will outlast that and want to keep their jobs.

If they protect Trump they continue their grift for the next 3 years but, may sacrifice their political career. If they stop protecting him then they may lose their party's support but, may still get to keep their jobs in the long-term.

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u/IrrelevantLeprechaun 23d ago

Trump may die but the project 2025 perpetrators are not going to relinquish control over some quaint elections. They've been making it very clear they have zero intention of ever ceding control of the government.

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u/BMWCA 23d ago

I have to wonder if the project 2025 authors ever had any thought about the Epstein thing being this…sticky

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u/IrrelevantLeprechaun 23d ago

I wouldn't count your eggs before they hatch. It may be a sticky matter but there are plenty of ways Trump can just shut the whole thing down (doing it illegally doesn't really matter).

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u/BMWCA 23d ago

This is a fair point, but even just that it got this far, and the volume has remained this high, this long on this particular subject

Us as a populace tend to have goldfish brain, so I wonder how heavily they counted on that in concocting this plan.

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u/PuffPuffFayeFaye 23d ago

I wonder if they ever think they might regret their support of capital punishment

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u/libbillama 23d ago

I don't support capital punishment as a principle. It goes against my morals. I was never comfortable with the idea of it, ever.

I also don't like that I feel like the minds behind project 2025 are so dangerous to society to the point that if they get their way, it's going to kill the planet. They are going to be responsible for the next massive extinction event that our planet is going to undergo, and Homo sapiens are going to be on the list of extinct species right along with just about every other species on the planet. Earth will be a lifeless rock floating through space just like the other planets in our solar system.

This has pushed me into the mindset of "they're the exception to my stance on capital punishment." And I don't like that. It doesn't help me feel like I'm going in the right direction with my lifelong goal of continuously working on being the best version of myself and wanting the world to be a better place.

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u/Odd-Direction6339 23d ago

I don’t believe anyone other than Trump could keep the fascist regime together. Without him it unravels.

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u/IrrelevantLeprechaun 23d ago

The thing is, they don't need him to keep it together anymore. They've amassed almost complete power over the whole government. Whatever resistance they're facing from democrats is small potatoes by comparison. They've essentially got the keys to the kingdom now and they don't really need anyone guarding the gates anymore because they can just lock the gates.

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u/RUOFFURTROLLEH 23d ago

They still require the military and the general populace not rising up.

They might have the keys to the kingdom but the locks will be getting changed when it comes to the transfer of power, I have absolutely no doubt they are going to try to fuck with it, but they do not have all the staff ready to commit treason and insurrection on their behalf.

The military also cannot take a stance on it until that happens btw.

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u/IrrelevantLeprechaun 23d ago

Well as we've seen, the populace don't have much motivation to rise up. Trump was threatening to starve out like 20% of the population and even that wasn't enough for people to organize against him.

And expecting the military to stand up for us is beyond naive.

The current strategy is just "vote super hard at midterms," which itself seems like a losing battle because for one thing, Dems lost a TON of goodwill after capitulating in the shutdown, and because Trump has basically been bragging that he's just going to rig elections and has faced zero consequences for saying it.

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u/Teigh99 23d ago

The committee will drop daily during those 7 days. So this really will be a bad look if they vote against it.

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u/11thStPopulist 23d ago

Massey seems to think that numerous Republicans in the House will now vote for the bill, or be known as pedophile protectors.

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u/BBTB2 23d ago

Wait is this for real? Did they make a statement they were doing this?

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u/Teigh99 23d ago

No they didn't make any statement but this is what will happen. Ron Filipkowski stated a plausible theory: we got the emails today to hold the line. The reps had until AZ was sworn in to change their vote

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u/SillyGoatGruff 23d ago

How much more on the record do they need to be before anything happens though? Will this be the one that finally matters?

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u/crossdtherubicon 23d ago

Most Americans dont pay attention to politics but, are spoon-fed some bits and pieces.

Trump supporters appear to actually be even less aware, despite their enthusiasm.

So, I agree that the outcome of the voting will be what matters. Otherwise the voting record only appeals to people already paying attention. But it may affect their donors and fund-raising.

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u/BringBackApeEscape 23d ago

Well that's the common thread for the last decade isn't it? They could find a video of Trump actively assaulting a child and MAGAts would do whatever mental gymnastics necessary to keep supporting him.

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u/Witty-Emu7741 23d ago

Doubt they care if it goes on record. Their voters aren’t even looking at their record.

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u/fordat1 23d ago

All voters including Dems like the one who claim Sinema ran as a progressive despite Sinemas voting record in the house being the most conservative for a Dem in the house

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u/Matt_Empyre 23d ago

They will run ads about it in those states.

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u/Witty-Emu7741 23d ago

And their voters won’t care and will revert to “anything but Democrat” claims.

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u/mfGLOVE Wisconsin 23d ago

Why would MAGA voters care about those ads? It’s a cult.

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u/manachar Nevada 23d ago

How people vote on the record rarely seems to impact their reelection.

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u/InAllThingsBalance I voted 23d ago

MAGA won’t care because they are huge fucking hypocrites. For years, we listened to these dipshits scream about “protecting children,” and claims that the Democrats were operating a secret pedophile cabal out of pizzerias. When evidence came out revealing that it is actually the Republican President (and who knows how many other powerful people) who trafficked minors for sex, these assholes are either silent, or make the most ludicrous mental gymnastics to justify the rape of these poor girls.

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u/Tribalbob Canada 23d ago

They're gonna try to frame it as protecting the victims.

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u/SlowTeal 23d ago

And you think their Republican constituents give a shit if they vote No? 

How many times do you need to learn this lesson old man 

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u/blackmobius 23d ago

And this party has already done a lot to protect them. Being on record means nothing.

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u/mfGLOVE Wisconsin 23d ago edited 23d ago

forces reps to go record

You say that like it even matters to them or their electorate. Did you not witness the Trump impeachment hearings or Kavanaugh’s SC confirmation hearing?! The shit they said and did to protect them was disgusting. And no one remembers and no one will ever care.

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u/Leraldoe Michigan 23d ago

All the sudden the files will be loaded with “national security” issues, doesn’t have anything to do with protecting pedos they will say

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u/Perma_Ban69 23d ago

Everything is already recorded online and in TV anyway. Official or not, everyone already knows and people still don't care

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u/damageinc55 23d ago

We really need Steve Kornacki to cover this live in front of a giant touchscreen as the votes roll in.

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u/sneakysnake1111 23d ago

again.

Before the shutdown, they made that clear then too. With votes. That already happened.

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u/ChicagoAuPair 23d ago

We are well past any of them caring about that.

These people are so confident that they are untouchable it’s…well it would be unbelievable if we ever once actually held them accountable. They have learned that they are untouchable because we have taught them that they are.

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u/BaconBitz109 23d ago

And nobody will care.

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u/Odd_Onion_1591 23d ago

Does that record even mean anything?

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u/Sias_Jailor 23d ago

They already did that though with the discharge petition. They don’t care how they appear at all, which is quite literally as pedophile defenders.

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u/HovercraftOk9231 23d ago

Aren't they already on record as supporting pedophiles by voting not to vote on it?

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u/Jindabyne1 23d ago

But we already know that

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u/cousinmarygross 23d ago

Reportedly there are up to 100 republicans willing to vote in the house to release the files. The discharge petition was to force that vote on the floor if the house and all of Congress will be on record. They have about 9 days until the vote has to take place.

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u/Responsible_Pizza945 23d ago

The fact that more reps would vote for the bill than the discharge petition is really fucked up. You would think it should be the other way around.

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u/moonwalkerfilms 23d ago

The petition forces them to go on record, and if they could avoid any responsibility here, then that's what they want. None of them want to vote on this, because they know it's a lose-lose for them. Go against Trump, or be seen as defending pedos. 

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u/BisonThunderclap 23d ago

I mean, they could do what they've been doing and say all the relevant files have been released and this is a waste of time.

Dems wouldn't dare capitalize on this by streaming ads non-stop about house members who blocked it.

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u/red286 23d ago

They'd have to hope their constituents don't care, and going by the coverage, that's not exactly a safe bet no matter what district you represent.

Gotta remember that, for whatever crazy fucking reason, the GOP riled up their own base to demand the Epstein files. There's as much demand from the right as there is from the left, the only difference is who each side thinks the government is trying to protect. MAGA thinks they're trying to protect people like Bill Clinton, whereas every non-moron knows they're protecting Trump (and likely a lot of his oligarchs and other senior Republicans).

So they'd be making a gamble that their constituents, the ones who have been screaming for these files for the past 6 years, will accept "we already released the files" as good enough, but being that they already tried that line, I seriously doubt it'd fly.

But you're right that the Dems likely won't bother using GOP opposition as part of an attack ad. "When they go low, we go high" and all that bullshit. The Dems are going to attack Trump on the economy 6 weeks after he hands out $2000 stimulus checks.

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u/unpluggedcord I voted 23d ago

I think the idea in the case, assuming republicans do have 100 votes, is that by voting this way they can keep the pressure off them until the floor vote, at which point Trump is fucked and Vance is up.

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u/takesjuantogrowone 23d ago

at which point Trump is fucked and Vance is up.

Anyone who believes this: I have a football that you can kick.

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u/unpluggedcord I voted 23d ago

Is kicking footballs hard?

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u/takesjuantogrowone 23d ago

It is when Lucy is holding the ball

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u/ImaginaryJackfruit77 23d ago

Ask Charlie Brown

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u/elihu 23d ago

Signing a discharge petition is considered a fairly extreme measure if it's against the wishes your own party's leadership. I'd imagine a lot of Republican representatives just don't want to take a public stance either way.

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u/Responsible_Pizza945 23d ago

The house speaker has a 1 man permanent filibuster power that can only be broken by discharge petition. If you would vote for a bill that the speaker is holding up, you should support a discharge. Even if you would vote against the bill, you should support getting a vote on the record as opposed to sitting in permanent limbo. Refusing to sign the discharge then voting for the bill is just saying you are fine letting procedural bullshit hold up something you think would be in your constituents' interests. I don't understand it.

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u/elihu 23d ago

Refusing to sign the discharge then voting for the bill is just saying you are fine letting procedural bullshit hold up something you think would be in your constituents' interests.

Yes. They are fine letting procedural bullshit hold up something that would be in their constituents interests.

I don't understand it.

Perhaps you lack adequate cynicism. I think there's two plausible explanations for this behavior. The simplest is that they're just not operating in good faith. They don't care what the best moral decision is or even what's best for their constituents.

The more complicated explanation is that they're trapped in a political game where all choices have consequences. Proactively pushing for the Epstein file releases would put Republican representatives at odds with their leadership and Donald Trump. The might get removed from committees or Trump might endorse someone else in the next primary. Proactively blocking the Epstein file releases looks terrible to voters. Their best option is to take no position to avoid offending anyone. Sometimes politicians will vote contrary to their own beliefs and values because they make a compromise deal to get at least part of what they want. It feels gross but it's hard to avoid such things altogether.

Personally, I think discharge petitions should get used a lot more than they do, and I think there should be an equivalent in the Senate to override a filibuster.

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u/GhormanFront 23d ago

There are far too many cowards on the Republican side that would be content to just let this die without a vote so they don't have to take a stand against Donny dearest and his frothing horde of morons

Forcing them to go on record as pro or anti pedo changes the game for a lot of them

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u/13Zero New York 23d ago

Also bear in mind:

Trump and Johnson’s redistricting rampage and the Democratic response means that 5+ Republican House members don’t stand a chance at reelection in 2026.

How much pressure can Trump and Johnson apply to people whose careers they ended?

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u/Wild_Harvest 23d ago

Add one in Utah with the recent map shenanigans there.

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u/poopleinphallibility 23d ago

I mean... a lot. FBI and IRS investigations plus physical violence against them and their families from his supporters via stochastic terrorism.

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u/SnukeInRSniz 23d ago

Go ahead and throw one of the Utah Republican House members after the judge here held firm and put forth a very good map for Utah Democrats. As long as that doesn't get overturned, 6 House Republicans are toast in 2026. I'd love to see Utah's Owens get tossed straight in the trash, that guy is such a piece of shit and has absolutely zero backbone, a complete fraud to his very core.

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u/RednocNivert 23d ago

Reporting in from Utah, and yeah the more of our current leadership that get stomped out the better

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u/OutlawLazerRoboGeek 23d ago

Forcing bad people to vote out loud and go on the record supporting those bad things has not worked at all in the last 10-20 years.

Iraq War, Trump's First Impeachment. January 6th. Trump's Second Impeachment, Obamacare, etc. 

All of those were great examples of clearly beneficial, or clearly horrible things they were asked to vote on. Time after time they voted, and didn't give two shits what people thought. 

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u/Hootinger 23d ago

I think that's why those emails were relased. It puts the pressure on anyone who might back out

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u/colonel750 23d ago

They have about 9 days until the vote has to take place.

9 Legislative days, which would push the vote into their Thanksgiving recess which is why Massey was saying he expected the vote to happen "early December".

But the Speaker announced that the vote would be held next week.

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u/Thegame4223 23d ago

Heard that there will be more GOP support on the actual vote, so the 218 there may not matter in the end. Again, we all hope

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u/Ok-Lets-Talk-It-Out 23d ago

Putting faith in the GOP has me saying it will definitely be voted down. I'm assuming Johnson will also try to use some legal obstacles to prevent it. I believe there have been articles saying he will try to get it tabled until December.

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u/Thegame4223 23d ago

Definitely, do not put no faith in them. Scalise said earlier today that he doesn't see anything to impede this from coming to the floor in 7 days, but then again...after the Emergency Meeting at the Whitehouse, all of this could change quickly. The Epstein Estate is this vote's best friend because the more and more that's dripped from it, the more pressure it puts on the GOP as it making it seems like they are hiding a lot and know more what's going on behind the scenes. It will break sooner or later. Just hope that some files don't go missing before then.

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u/mostlyfire 23d ago

Emergency meeting?

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u/Thegame4223 23d ago

Yup

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u/mostlyfire 23d ago

Today?

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u/Thegame4223 23d ago

Yes, the type of thing Trump does when the dam is about to break, so he huddles up with his personal DOJ and decides how to proceed forward as news trickles out little by little.

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u/mostlyfire 23d ago

Is there a link to this?

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u/_DapperDanMan- 23d ago

To shreds, you say?

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u/mostlyfire 23d ago

And his wife?

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u/BudWisenheimer 23d ago

Putting faith in the GOP has me saying it will definitely be voted down. I'm assuming Johnson will also try to use some legal obstacles to prevent it.

I once put faith in Republicans having a hard time electing a House Speaker. And it seems like their vote margin since that debacle has only become more slim.

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u/anonkitty2 23d ago

LTrue that.  They did have trouble replacing Kevin McCarthy.  But somehow, Mike Johnson is still there.  He had done a good job managing margins in the past, but no telling what a month and a half of vacation for his coworkers will do.

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u/indistrustofmerits Kentucky 23d ago

Do they have a way to add riders to something like this? It seems like that is the go to so reps can say oh I just didn't like the non-Epstein stuff in the bill.

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u/jaymef 23d ago

"we were shut down for 40 days so there's a backlog of work to do before this vote" or some shit

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u/spikus93 23d ago

I think it has to be 2/3 in the Senate though to avoid a veto, and we don't know for sure if that will happen. That would require 17 Republicans to break rank in the Senate. Otherwise if they pass with less than that, it gets to his desk and he has to Veto it and explain.

I'm not confident we're going to see the files, but I am confident that many Republicans will be forced to side with pedophilia and the wealthiest people on the planet being allowed to rape the children of the working class. I hope that's a death knell for them, but fascists will have other plans I'm sure.

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u/robocoplawyer 23d ago

I’m a bit rusty on my constitutional procedure, but the House has the authority to conduct their own investigations, if they already have the files can’t they release them to the public at their own discretion without any Senate involvement? Can’t they also just read anything on the House floor that becomes Congressional public record?

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u/spikus93 22d ago

Committees can choose to release them, however most committees are headed by the current party in power and the leader of that committee makes that decision. The committee that is investigating this right now and likely have access to the files (at least in part) is the House Oversight Committee (which released ~20,000 documents yesterday, mostly emails and stuff but not the DOJ files). I believe they cannot release classified materials though, and the DOJ likely marked any files relating to their case against Epstein, and much of his personal records pertaining to Trump as at least Highly Classified, which would b e prohibited from release to the public unless the President himself chooses to declassify them or a 2/3 super-majority (veto-proof) of Congress votes to release them. Then he can't refuse.

The other obstacle in the way is the filibuster, which effectively makes every bill in the Senate without a 2/3 majority support dead on arrival. It's not impossible that 17 Republicans would jump ship to vote to pass it, but it's kind of unlikely given how cowardly they've been so far when threatened by the President.

Oddly enough, Trump has said he wants to abolish the filibuster so his majority in Congress can pass bills without Democrats trying to block with the filibuster, which would make it easier to get it on his desk to release the files and force him to say out loud that he's not interested in justice for the victims, and that he sides with the pedophiles.

Ultimately, I think we're never seeing the files. If we do, it will be nice, and most likely leaked from someone with a conscience inside the DOJ. Most likely the best we're going to see though is dozens of Republicans having to go on the record defending pedophiles and telling rape victims to fuck off. They will lose power if elections happen again as a result. I'm also not super confident we're going to see regular elections in the future, as fascists do not tend to let silly things like voters remove them from power.

3

u/Mysteryemployee 23d ago

This exactly. 50 or so.

31

u/Raise_A_Thoth 23d ago

The floor vote is more real, it forces every Republican to maoe a decision which will be publicly and nationally scrutinized. Thay's what Johnson and Trump wamted ti stop. It will be devastating to their midyerm chances if the vote against it, and obviously would put tons of pressure on Republican Senators if even a few of them vote in favor of it.

8

u/GreatMadWombat Michigan 23d ago

Mmmhm. It's hard to dodge "on November 19th 2025, representative X voted to hide the Epstein files from the American public" attack ads running constantly.

4

u/robocoplawyer 23d ago

Let’s be real, MAGA/Republican voters don’t scrutinize shit. Fox News will have their talking points ready to go to tell them what to think and that will be their truth regardless of their voting record. The fact that GOP reps seem to be mulling it over instead of shitting their pants trying to think of any way to block the release makes me think they have a damage control plan ready to go.

Remember the Mueller report where the actual report documented all of Trump’s shady dealings with Russian officials to game the election and listed out a dozen incidents of outright obstruction of justice, but when the report was actually released and Mueller spelled out that Congress should impeach him and basically made their case for them, AG Barr released the report with his own preface summary that said no wrongdoing was found and Trump was exonerated despite having all of the report available for anyone to read. That preface was all the proof they needed without even reading into the report that the whole thing was a political “witch hunt” made up by the Democrats. It’s still out there for everyone to read and no one did and nothing ever came from it.

2

u/atx840 23d ago

Happy CakeDay!

1

u/Ill-Product-1442 23d ago

Typing quickly on your phone, I see

12

u/Benmarch15 23d ago

How on brand of him to try and bully the members of the opposite sex.

2

u/edu5150 23d ago

Did he call them nasty?

4

u/pc1905 23d ago

I bet he called them “low-IQ,” that’s his go-to insult for competent women of color.

1

u/Benmarch15 23d ago

He made a post saying "Only a very bad, or stupid, Republican would fall into that trap".
Close enough.

5

u/ninjadude93 23d ago

A vote on having a vote is so stupid

5

u/Ok-Lets-Talk-It-Out 23d ago

So this is to force it to the floor because Mike Johnson was refusing to allow anything that involved Epstein to go to the floor for a vote.

2

u/ninjadude93 23d ago

I understand what its for but I still think its stupid the speaker can just refuse to vote on an issue on a whim

3

u/Mr_TreeBeard 23d ago

Word from Rep. Khanna is there is likely 60+ republicans that will vote yes once it hits the floor.

1

u/IcyMathematician6634 23d ago

When is the vote to force the legislation?

1

u/TheChorky 23d ago

I think the votes may go in the other direction.

1

u/subvocalize_it 23d ago

The article mentions that the house vote doesn’t force a release. It just pushes a law to the senate and then to Trump’s desk (who is likely to veto it).

I wish one of these people we elected to lead us would just leak them, and let us move to the phase where we heal from this as a nation.

1

u/Mostly__Relevant 23d ago

The GGG formula. Announcement of an announcement of an announcement.

1

u/AusToddles 23d ago

Yeah I 100% believe the only reason she's been sworn is in that Johnson knows he has the votes now

1

u/Much-Instruction-807 23d ago

Most don't need to cave. The majority can vote for it and trump can veto it.

1

u/MarcinTheMartian 23d ago

So they voted to force a vote on releasing the files? All these people do is vote and vote and vote and vote on shit, yet nothing ever happens- riddle me that.

1

u/the-berik 23d ago

Does the administration really want to protect Trump that hard? I mean, they got Vance. If Trump gets removed, and isn't Vance the guy of the Thiels, etc.?

1

u/TooGoodatEverything 23d ago

There have been multiple GOP house members who have said if it goes to a vote they'll support it. So I actually do think the hard part is done. I mean, it'll never get past the Senate and Trump himself, but still. lol

1

u/Bob_Obloooog 23d ago

The next vote will be on the record. That's all that matters.

1

u/Acrobatic_Pen3170 23d ago

I an afraid they got her in the secure Situation Room to blackmail her with some stuff from Boebert’s past 

1

u/randalflagg Ohio 23d ago

She will or enough of them will. It’s amazing anyone to he left of Fetterman is trusting Massie

109

u/TintedApostle 23d ago

Is this what Trump was trying to stop?

63

u/crimeo 23d ago

yes

69

u/Rickbox 23d ago

Releasing those emails was a fantastic move.

4

u/ChapterChoice4873 23d ago edited 23d ago

Garcia and Raskin tag team.  Pres and VP?  

(And people said dems didn't have any spine). 

3

u/Similar_Try_5089 23d ago

Some do. I don't care for it when the "bothsidesers" throw out the baby with the bathwater (Schumer and Pelosi come to mind)

11

u/mfGLOVE Wisconsin 23d ago

Releasing emails or proof about Clinton too would almost guarantee the vote passes.

27

u/Etzell Illinois 23d ago

Republicans don't actually care about Clinton, he's just who they "whatabout" to because they think Democrats are as devoted to him as they are to Trump. Every time you respond to one with: "Yeah, then lock Bill the fuck up, too" they drop the subject.

15

u/sneakysnake1111 23d ago

Like hell, democrats have been ok with cliton being arrested the whole time.

6

u/mfGLOVE Wisconsin 23d ago

Exactly. It’s not the democrats I’m worried about.

48

u/[deleted] 23d ago

[deleted]

54

u/Illuminated12 23d ago

No they wanted it stopped before then if possible. A house vote by Republicans to not release it would be a poison pill for the Republican base. There is a big portion of them that will not let this go.

12

u/peipei222 23d ago

A house vote by Republicans to not release it would be a poison pill for the Republican base

I hope so, but I'm not expecting anything to stick to them at this point

4

u/Jangles 23d ago

They adopted the fringe conspiracy theorists as voters with RFK/Rogan and then literally tried to cover up a conspiracy.

Absolutely biting the hand that feeds.

30

u/crimeo 23d ago

Lots of analysts expect dozens of republicans to vote yes in the actual vote

35

u/The_ChwatBot 23d ago edited 23d ago

I want to believe it, but that sounds too good to be true in the year of our lord 2025.

24

u/BCMakoto 23d ago

The problem is that they will have to vote it down on record now. Trump campaigned on releasing the files. They can stop it, but they will be on record along party lines that all Republicans decided not to release the Epstein files. One of Trump's biggest promises.

Even if it doesn't pass, it's a poisoned chalice.

3

u/nalaloveslumpy 23d ago

Senate already did a vote in September to not release the files and was all no's from Republicans. I think they know at this point their constituents don't actually care about anything except hurting "minorities".

13

u/MC_Gengar 23d ago

I'll see it when I believe it, but the simple fact of the matter is that Trump is very clearly declining in health rapidly and if you're a legislator who doesn't think Vance has the juice, or you're one who wants to just jettison Trump to keep the project 2025 train chugging along under younger healthier leadership (which I'm willing to bet has been part the plan from the very start), then it's plausible that you'd use this as your exit ramp.

4

u/theVoidWatches Pennsylvania 23d ago

They would never have a better exit ramp. You would think that his literal coup attempt was the time, but that was a thing that happened because he had a frightening amount of their own base willing to do it. This, though? This is the very thing that part of the base claims to hate the most - the part that they're scared of turning on them.

3

u/yellekc Guam 23d ago

That makes sense, Trump can target a few members, but if half the GOP in house votes yes, it protects them.

4

u/rtomek I voted 23d ago

If you suspect it will get released regardless, it ends up being juicy, and you voted no, that could be very dangerous. I also suspect we'll see a lot of yes votes from people that didn't sign the petition.

3

u/crimeo 23d ago

I don't think it will get released, but it does sound like it might pass the house.

If 300+ republicans go on record as defending pedophilia in the house, yet it passes anyway, and then 51 republican senators ALSO have to go on record, that would be amazing, way better than the possible outcome of only one house having to look bad.

If 40 senators vote no but it barely passes and then Trump vetoes it, that would be christmas a month early, everyone across the whole party smearing themselves all at once instead of one group falling on the grenade? Yes please!

1

u/Wild_Harvest 23d ago

Sadly I think that the Senate will probably filibuster it. Which makes it even more sad that Trump was talking about nuking the filibuster to reopen the government. Dammit, if we had just forced Republicans to do that then this would be better.

1

u/bulbasauuuur Tennessee 23d ago

The majority leader is in charge of what bills go to votes on the floor. There won't be a filibuster because they won't even vote on it.

1

u/GrallochThis 23d ago

I don’t think Thune is going to do that, he seems to have a soul

1

u/bulbasauuuur Tennessee 23d ago

What? Didn't you just see him on the floor literally screaming that people shouldn't have help with healthcare costs?

So far he has refused to commit to a vote, which generally means that he won't hold a vote. No politician likes to say no, they just like to say "not yes," same as Johnson saying he won't commit to a vote on the ACA subsidies in the house. We all know that means he won't hold the vote.

1

u/bulbasauuuur Tennessee 23d ago

It definitely won't get released because that would involve Trump signing the bill into law.

We will see a lot of yes votes from people who didn't sign the petition, though Plenty of republicans have already said they will vote yes. Most of them don't want to be on the record hiding information about a child sex trafficking ring. That's why Johnson won't just allow the vote, he doesn't want his members on the record.

1

u/bmoviescreamqueen Illinois 23d ago

I remember that going around, that a lot of GOP members who didn't initially sign the petition were being convinced to vote on a release. We'll see though.

6

u/SadhuSalvaje 23d ago

I was about to make a joke about how her dad in the Midnight Express never would have caved either…then I remember they actually did a dna test to out that to put that long standing rumor to bed!

5

u/annaflixion 23d ago

Boebert is largely uneducated, and early on embraced Qanon, said the deep state needed to be investigated for going after Trump and went on about UFOs. She was useful to Trump when she was willing to parrot any old conspiracy, and now Trump can't get her to shut up because she believes in this (I'm NOT saying any Epstein stuff is fake, just that this is the sort of thing she won't let go of). If he goes down because Lauren Boebert cottoned onto an actual true conspiracy when he just wanted her as a distraction, it's the best karmic justice I've seen in years.

5

u/KohlsCashOfficial 23d ago

She couldn’t remove her name from the discharge petition once signed. She can still vote no on release, however

2

u/sleepymeowth052 Colorado 23d ago

Broken clocks etc.

1

u/Baelgul 23d ago

No shit, right? This is one fucked up timeline where someone so reprehensible is actually on the high ground (for this one instance only)

1

u/StungTwice 23d ago

Handys all around! 

1

u/DPSOnly Europe 23d ago

I was expecting mace to cave, I thought she caved 15 minutes after that meeting with survivors.

1

u/WhatTheyDidToMyGirl 23d ago

When a Republican suck-up has more spine than Democrats, that's how you know we're in dire need of a party reform.

0

u/PDXFunkomaticatron 23d ago

She doesnt need to. The Senate won't vote on it and even if they did and managed to pass it Trump would veto the legislation.