WASHINGTON (Diya TV) — The House of Representatives is preparing to vote on releasing the long-awaited Jeffrey Epstein files after a new Democratic lawmaker provided the final signature needed to force the issue to the floor.
Democratic Rep. Adelita Grijalva of Arizona was sworn in on Wednesday after a two-month delay that prevented her from assuming office. Her signature on the discharge petition gave House lawmakers enough support to compel Republican Speaker Mike Johnson to schedule a vote.
The petition, signed by all 213 Democrats and four Republicans, triggers a vote on legislation requiring the Justice Department to release its full case files on Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted sex offender and financier who died in 2019.
Speaker Johnson told reporters that he plans to bring the bill to the House floor next week.
The bill was introduced by Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.). It would require the Justice Department to make all Epstein-related documents public within 30 days of passage.
Massie, who led the discharge petition, celebrated the milestone on social media, writing that the effort had succeeded despite a last-ditch effort by the President to foil the motion.”
Along with Massie, Republican Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, Nancy Mace of South Carolina, and Lauren Boebert of Colorado signed the petition. Each has confirmed they will vote to release the files despite public criticism from former President Donald Trump.
On Truth Social, Trump accused Democrats of reviving what he called the “Jeffrey Epstein Hoax.” He warned that “only a very bad, or stupid, Republican would fall into that trap.”
The former president said Democrats were using the Epstein issue to distract from other controversies, including the recent government shutdown and budget disputes. “There should be no deflections to Epstein or anything else,” Trump wrote.
Despite Trump’s remarks, Greene, Mace, Boebert, and Massie have stood firm.
Greene wrote on X that releasing the Epstein files “is not only the right thing to do for the victims but also for the country.” She added that “Americans deserve transparency.”
Mace echoed the sentiment, saying, “I stand with all survivors. God bless all those who never had a fighting chance. The Epstein vote will be for you,u too.”
Boebert said outside the Capitol that she would not remove her name from the petition, emphasizing that she was a “co-sponsor of the bill” and intended to “force the vote.”
Epstein, a financier with ties to many influential figures, was found dead in his New York jail cell in August 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. His death was ruled a suicide, but the case has fueled years of conspiracy theories due to his relationships with powerful individuals, including Trump.
On Wednesday, House Democrats on the Oversight Committee released three emails Epstein wrote that referenced Trump. The documents have reignited public interest in what the former president may have known about Epstein’s activities. Trump has repeatedly denied any connection to Epstein’s crimes, saying he ended their friendship “years ago.”
Estimates of Epstein’s victims vary, with reports suggesting that dozens to more than 100 girls were abused. Advocates and lawmakers from both parties argue that the release of the Epstein files is essential for transparency and justice.
Under full Republican control, only four GOP lawmakers signed the discharge petition. Greene said she expects that number to rise once the vote takes place next week. “When everyone is forced to go on record, I expect a lot more Republicans to vote yes,” she said on X.
The White House has not publicly commented on the upcoming vote. However, officials previously promised to publish names and evidence connected to Epstein’s network before backtracking in July — a move that triggered widespread backlash.
With the discharge petition complete, the House must now hold a floor vote, likely in early December. If passed, the Justice Department would have 30 days to release the Epstein files.
The vote represents one of the most bipartisan moves in Congress this session and could mark a major step toward revealing long-hidden details of one of America’s most controversial criminal cases.
As Rep. Massie wrote on X, “Next month, the entire House of Representatives will vote on releasing the Epstein files. Americans deserve the truth.”
