❓WHAT HAPPENED: House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) explained Tuesday that there remain significant issues with the Democrat-led discharge petition that would force the release of the Epstein Files held by the federal government.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Speaker Mike Johnson, House Republicans, House Democrats, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD), and files pertaining to deceased pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
📍WHEN & WHERE: Tuesday, November 18, 2025, in Washington, D.C.
💬KEY QUOTE: “I am very confident that when this moves forward in the process, if and when it is processed in the Senate—which it is no certainty that it will be—that they will take the time, methodically, to do what we have not been allowed to do in the House, to amend this discharge petition and to make sure these protections are there.” — Mike Johnson
🎯IMPACT: The comments indicate the Epstein Files will take some time to be released as the Senate is likely to change the parameters of how the federal government is to go about making the documents public—which will require a second House vote as well.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) explained Tuesday that there remain significant issues with the Democrat-led discharge petition that would force the release of the Epstein Files held by the federal government. While the Republican House leader acknowledged that he lacks the votes to block the measure, he also made clear that Republican efforts to amend the discharge petition to ensure the privacy rights of victims and those with no criminal ties to Epstein were rejected by Democrats. Additionally, Johnson raised concerns that the petition lacks language preventing the release of Child Sex Abuse Material (CSAM) and sealed grand jury testimony—the latter of which has had no adversarial challenge.
“Our side has been insistent that this matter must be handled very carefully,” the Republican Speaker explained before detailing that the language used in the Democrat-led discharge petition is so vague that it provides no protections for Jeffrey Epstein’s victims or even provisions to bar the release of CSAM materials collected from Epstein’s properties. Speaker Johnson continued: “We want maximum transparency,” though he warned that as currently written, the discharge petition is likely to muddy the waters further.
“So what am I to do as a leader in a situation like this?” Johnson posed during his morning press conference on Tuesday, ahead of the vote. He continued: “I called my counterpart in the Senate, Leader Thune, and I talked through this with him and I shared our deep concerns. And of course they share those concerns as well.”
“So I am very confident that when this moves forward in the process, if and when it is processed in the Senate—which it is no certainty that it will be—that they will take the time, methodically, to do what we have not been allowed to do in the House, to amend this discharge petition and to make sure these protections are there,” Johnson stated.
Overall, House Republicans presented five key objections to the Democrat-led discharge petition as it is written. Namely, that it fails to protect the right to privacy of Epstein’s victims. While a number of the women preyed upon by the deceased pedophile financier have come forward, there are still many who have chosen not to go public with their allegations or horrific experiences. In addition, Speaker Johnson and House Republicans note that the release of sealed grand jury materials—which have not undergone adversarial challenges—risks implicating potentially innocent individuals in Epstein’s crimes, effectively creating a new class of victim.
Thirdly, they note that the petition fails to create adequate guardrails preventing the release of CSAM or child pornography that may be contained within the files, especially from materials seized from Epstein’s properties. Their fourth objection pertains to the impact the petition could have on future investigations, as it provides no protections for the identities of whistleblowers, informants, or undercover law enforcement involved in gathering evidence against Epstein, and who may be involved in current and ongoing investigations.
Lastly, Speaker Johnson notes the language lacks any reference to a proper declassification process. This could result in the unwanted disclosure of information and intelligence gathering practices.
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