House Republicans on Monday blocked a Democratic amendment that would have forced the release of all government files related to Jeffrey Epstein, the disgraced financier who died in federal custody in 2019.
The House Rules Committee voted 7-5 to reject the amendment by Representative Ro Khanna, D-Calif. His proposal would have mandated that the Justice Department release all Epstein-related documents online within 30 days.
Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., bucked his party and cast the lone Republican vote supporting the Democratic proposal. Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, another conservative who occasionally votes against his party, did not vote.
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“The question with Epstein is: Whose side are you on?” Khanna told reporters ahead of the vote. “Are you on the side of the rich and powerful, or are you on the side of the people?”
The amendment was attached to the GENIUS Act, cryptocurrency legislation being prepared for a House floor vote. Republicans argued the Epstein measure was not relevant to the bill’s purpose of creating regulatory frameworks for digital assets.
“I want to know what the hell is in these files,” said Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., the top Democrat on the Rules Committee. “This is about trust. Republicans said, ‘Trust us. Vote for us and we will release these files.’ Well here we are — they’re backtracking.”
Related: Would JD Vance in 2021 Believe That Epstein’s ‘Client List’ Does Not Exist?
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The effort comes amid growing controversy over the Trump administration’s handling of Epstein-related documents. Last week, the Justice Department released a memo concluding that Epstein had no “client list” and died by suicide, contradicting long-standing speculation about blackmail materials and foul play.
The memo sparked backlash from Trump supporters who had expected the new administration to release damaging information about powerful figures connected to Epstein. Much of the criticism has focused on Attorney General Pam Bondi, who previously suggested such files existed.
Read: Trump’s Defense of Bondi Over Epstein Files Sparks Unprecedented Backlash on Truth Social
Khanna vowed to continue pressing the issue. “We won’t stop until the files are released,” he wrote on social media after the vote. “This may have been our first attempt, but the public will not be gaslit.”
Epstein, a wealthy financier, was found dead in his Manhattan jail cell in August 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges. His death was officially ruled a suicide, though it has fueled numerous conspiracy theories.
The committee’s decision means the amendment will not advance to a full House vote, though Democrats may attempt to attach similar measures to future legislation.
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