Bipartisan duo secures signatures to force a House vote to release Epstein files

A new Democratic member, Rep. Adelita Grijalva, got the petition over the finish line Wednesday. Still, the bill is unlikely to pass the GOP-controlled Senate.

WASHINGTON — After a weeks-long delay, Reps. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., and Ro Khanna, D-Calif., secured the signatures they need to bypass GOP leaders and force a floor vote to compel the Justice Department to release all of the files in its investigation into Jeffrey Epstein.

Rep. Adelita Grijalva, D-Ariz. — who won the seat of her late father in a September special election — was the 218th signature on Massie and Khanna’s “discharge petition" just moments after she was sworn into office on Wednesday.

That number represents a simple majority of the entire 435-member House chamber.

Under House rules, once a discharge petition hits that magic number of 218 signatures, the House must act on it, though seven legislative days must pass before a vote can be called.

But Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., who has opposed the effort, said Wednesday that he would expedite the process and bring the Epstein measure to the floor next week.