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Mike Johnson Shuts Down House Early To Block Vote On Jeffrey Epstein Files
WASHINGTON ― Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) on Tuesday abruptly canceled upcoming House votes and decided to send lawmakers home early for a five-week recess, all because he wants to block a bipartisan effort to force a vote on releasing files on Jeffrey Epstein, the disgraced financier and former close friend to President Donald Trump. The House was scheduled to be in session through Thursday, with votes set for that day. But Tuesday morning, Johnson scrapped those plans and decided to close up shop by Wednesday afternoon. Lawmakers are now heading back to their districts until Sept. 2. Johnson told reporters he's fed up with Democrats' efforts to force votes on releasing Epstein's files. 'The American people are best served by putting an end to Democrats' side shows,' he said in a Tuesday press conference. 'That's what we're doing by not allowing the Rules Committee to continue with that nonsense this week.' ADVERTISEMENT 'We're done being lectured on transparency,' he said. On Monday night, Democrats forced an early end to a House Rules Committee hearing by announcing plans to force the committee to vote on a bipartisan bill to make the Justice Department release all of its files on Epstein, who faced multiple charges relating to sex trafficking of minors. The committee, which the speaker directly controls, ended its meeting and never came back. Johnson claimed Tuesday that he supports 'maximum transparency' on Epstein's records, but is concerned about the need to 'protect innocent victims' of Epstein. The idea that the Justice Department should release all of its records on Epstein could harm them, he said. 'We also have to be judicious and careful about protecting the innocent,' he claimed. 'We cannot be careless in an open release like that.' ADVERTISEMENT But Johnson glossed over the real problem he's facing, which is that many House Republicans also want to see all of Epstein's files released. Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and 11 other Republicans signed onto the bipartisan bill with Democrats, and they're not backing down in trying to force a vote on it. 'Americans were promised justice,' Massie said Tuesday on social media. 'Our binding bipartisan legislation to release the complete Epstein files now has 20 sponsors. Soon we can begin collecting signatures required to force a public vote in the U.S. House. Is your member on this list?' The other GOPers on this bill are Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (Ga.), Tim Burchett (Tenn.), Eric Burlison (Mo.), Lauren Boebert (Colo.), Jeff Van Drew (N.J.), Eli Crane (Ariz.), Cory Mills (Fla.), Tom Barrett (Mich.), Max Miller (Ohio), Nancy Mace (S.C.) and Keith Self (Texas). Trump created this problem for himself. He and top officials in his administration spent years fueling conspiracies about an Epstein client list, and Trump vowed to release this purported list when he was running for president. They all fanned this idea that Democrats were hiding Epstein's client list to protect powerful figures in their party who they alleged were on it. Attorney General Pam Bondi defiantly claimed in February, weeks after Trump had won, that Epstein's client list was 'sitting right now on my desk for review.' But Bondi is now claiming this list doesn't exist at all, and Trump is trying to move on. President Donald Trump previously vowed to release Jeffrey Epstein's client list, but now he's trying to move on. Why? AP/Getty Images It infuriated many of his staunch supporters, who are wondering, along with everyone else, why he's hiding Epstein's files. Meanwhile, the Wall Street Journal reported last week on a racy birthday card that Trump gave to Epstein in 2003, with a strange note. Trump, furious about this story, is now suing the newspaper for $10 billion over it. ADVERTISEMENT During his Tuesday press conference, Johnson knocked Massie for working with Democrats to try to force the release of Epstein's files. 'Massie is the one trying to bite Republicans,' Johnson said in response to a question about his GOP colleague's efforts. 'Let me just say about Thomas Massie: Could you just accept my southern, 'Bless his heart?'' The speaker also seemed to be trying to mislead people about what Massie and others are trying to accomplish with their bill versus what action Trump is currently taking regarding Epstein's files. He repeatedly said Trump ordered the Justice Department to 'get everything released,' which means there's 'no purpose for Congress' to also push for this. But Trump only directed the release of grand jury testimony related to Epstein's case, which is a tiny fraction of Epstein's records and files. And even this order only came in response to a groundswell of pressure from his own base. Trump is all over the Epstein Ted Lieu (D-Calif.) ADVERTISEMENT Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.) said he talked about the Epstein files during the Biden administration, and it's clear how close Trump and Epstein were based on what's been made public so far. He said the two appear together in multiple videos and photos, there's 'weird quotes' from Trump about Epstein, court pleadings that include Trump's name, plane logs showing Trump flying with Epstein, and 'now this creepy birthday card.' 'Trump is all over the Epstein files,' Lieu told reporters Tuesday. 'Why do you think we have this entire explosion now about Epstein?' he asked. 'Because Attorney General Pam Bondi went on national TV and told the American people that Jeffrey Epstein's client list was, quote, sitting on my desk right now. Where's that client list? Why doesn't she release it?' Related...
Yahoo
2 minutes ago
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GOP adjourns Congress early to avoid votes on Jeffrey Epstein files
Republican Speaker Mike Johnson Tuesday ordered the House of Representatives to shut down early for a summer recess to avoid a vote on releasing the Jeffrey Epstein files. With legislative business grinding to a near standstill over the Epstein drama, Johnson said he wouldn't allow votes on proposals calling on the White House to release all the files until after Labor Day at the earliest to give President Donald Trump 'space' to release some of the information. 'We're done being lectured on transparency (and) endless efforts to politicize the Epstein investigation,' said Johnson. 'We're not going to play political games with this.' Johnson insisted he and Trump both want to release as much information as possible about the notorious sex-trafficking ring, but called the push in Congress a political distraction. ADVERTISEMENT 'There's no purpose for the Congress to push an administration to do something they're already doing,' Johnson said. Johnson dismissed the effort from right-wing Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Kentucky, and a few allies to force a floor vote on the Epstein files: 'Bless his heart.' Several conservative Republicans back the measure although it remains to be seen if they will stand up to certain pressure from Johnson and the White House to back down. Democrats are likely to overwhelmingly support the measure. The GOP-led Oversight Committee, meanwhile, voted to subpoena Ghislaine Maxwell to testify about the Epstein sex ring although it was unclear if or when that might happen. The move came the same day the Trump Justice Department said it wants to talk to Maxwell, who is serving a 20-year sentence for helping Epstein commit sex crimes. ADVERTISEMENT It's not clear if Trump's effort to turn the page on the Epstein scandal will succeed in quieting anger from his own MAGA base. Rep. Ralph Norman, Republican of South Carolina and a member of the Rules panel, criticized his leaders for 'stalling' on the matter. 'The American people deserve action, not excuses,' he tweeted.
Yahoo
2 minutes ago
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US considering removing tax on capital gains on home sales, Trump says
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday his administration is considering removing taxes on capital gains on home sales. "If the Fed would lower the rates, we wouldn't even have to do that," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. "But we are thinking about no tax on capital gains on houses." Profits from the sale of homes, like other assets, are now subject to capital gains taxes, although there are large deductions for sales of primary residences. Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene interpreted Trump's comments as a show of support for a bill she's proposed called the No Tax on Home Sales Act, which would eliminate the federal capital gains tax on the sale of primary residences. "Thank you, President Trump, for supporting my No Tax on Home Sales Act!" Greene said in a post on X. "You worked for it. You should keep it. Let's get this bill passed!" Greene said. Congress recently passed legislation that made permanent broad tax cuts passed in 2017 during Trump's first presidency. The bill also fulfilled Trump's campaign promises to include new tax breaks for tips, overtime pay, seniors and auto loans. Trump's political opponents say the measures will mainly help the rich and add trillions of dollars to U.S. national debt, only partially offset by deep cuts to healthcare and other benefits for the poor.
