by Mish Shedlock, Mish Talk:
I did not see this one coming. Did you?
Facing potentially dozens of Republican House defects Trump Backs Vote to Release Epstein Files
President Trump threw in the towel on dissuading House Republicans from backing a measure to release files related to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, saying Sunday night that GOP lawmakers should instead embrace the vote.
TRUTH LIVES on at https://sgtreport.tv/
The vote set for this week had been shaping up as a major test of GOP loyalty to the president, who has kept an iron grip over the party since starting his second term in January. Dozens of Republicans were expected to potentially break with the president when the measure hit the House floor, and Trump’s announcement Sunday night avoids a potential embarrassment for the White House.
“House Republicans should vote to release the Epstein files, because we have nothing to hide, and it’s time to move on from this Democrat Hoax,” Trump wrote on social media, calling it a distraction from GOP successes.
What Happened?
Politico reports “Senior Republicans privately believe dozens of Republicans will vote for it, possibly 100 or more, according to five people granted anonymity to speak candidly. Democrats pushing the petition publicly predicted that Republicans would rush to support the measure once it hit the floor.”
Several Senate Republicans also said they would defect. Trump did not want to have to veto a bill on the release.
Trump’s tried to squelch an investigation. Instead, efforts to squash the vote piqued interest in the emails.
Epstein Files Transparency Act
The Epstein Files Transparency Act is a proposed piece of legislation that would require the Department of Justice to publicly release all unclassified documents related to the Jeffrey Epstein investigation, with limited exceptions. The act specifically prohibits withholding information based on embarrassment or political sensitivity, but it does allow for redactions of personally identifiable information of victims, child sexual abuse material (CSAM), and information that would jeopardize an active federal investigation. The act aims to ensure transparency and accountability by forcing the release of files including flight logs, travel records, and names of individuals involved.
