House Democrats put Republicans on record opposing a vote on the ‘full release of the Epstein files’

As the DOJ opposed an appeal on Ghislaine Maxwell’s sex-trafficking conviction, GOP legislators took a political loss in voting against transparency on her late associate, Jeffrey Epstein.

President Donald Trump may have attempted to shift the focus away from the late sex offender, but his administration’s actions only added fodder for opponents seeking to eke out a narrative victory. Such was the case Monday that while the Justice Department petitioned to deny Maxwell’s appeal, House Democrats put Republicans on record opposing a vote on the “full release of the Epstein files.”

As Maxwell is serving a 20-year prison sentence for sex trafficking, she had already been seeking an appeal of her conviction before a joint memo from the DOJ and FBI contended there wasn’t an “incriminating ‘client list.’”

Her case argued that a co-conspirator’s clause in the financier’s 2007 non-prosecution agreement, which had allowed Epstein to avoid federal charges with a guilty plea to state crimes, protected her from the prosecution she’d faced in New York — an argument that had already been rejected by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.

While her legal defense argued the Supreme Court should weigh in, U.S. Solicitor General D. John Sauer had submitted, “That contention is incorrect, and petitioner does not show that it would succeed in any court of appeals.”

In a statement reported by ABC News, Maxwell’s attorney David Oscar Markus said, “I’d be surprised if President Trump knew his lawyers were asking the Supreme Court to let the government break a deal.”

“He’s the ultimate dealmaker–and I’m sure he’d agree that when the United States gives its word, it should keep it. With all the talk about who’s being prosecuted and who isn’t, it’s especially unfair that Ghislaine Maxwell remains in prison based on a promise the government made and broke,” he added.

Meanwhile, speaking from the House floor Monday, California Rep. Ro Khanna (D) addressed his introduction of an amendment that was later opposed by the House Rules Committee in a vote that ended 5-7, “Mr. Speaker, I introduce today an amendment demanding the full release of the Epstein files. The Speaker’s Rule Committee should demand a vote tomorrow of every member of Congress: yes, we should release it; or no, we should not.”

“This is a question of whose side are you on? Are you on the side of protecting the rich and the powerful who put their thumb on the scales of government to suck out millions of dollars while working-class Americans suffer? Or are you on the side of the people?” he went on.

I just introduced an amendment to demand the release of the Epstein files.

Representatives should have to vote tomorrow either to stand with ordinary Americans and release the files or side with the rich and powerful.

Whose side are you on? pic.twitter.com/oBkpgBTkRi

— Rep. Ro Khanna (@RepRoKhanna) July 14, 2025

“The attorney general said on her desk was the Epstein files, and now she’s saying, no, no, no, nothing to see, don’t release it. This is a question of trust. We need to release the Epstein files so we can restore government of the people by the people and for the people, and every member of Congress tomorrow should be forced to vote on this amendment,” continued the congressman before later sharing the results.

Of the nine Republican members of the Rules Committee, seven opposed the amendment that would require Attorney General Pam Bondi to release records related to Epstein. Only South Carolina Rep. Ralph Norman (R) sided with the release, while Texas Rep. Chip Roy (R), who had been dealing with the deadly flash flooding in his district, was not present for the vote.

Rules voted 5-7 to block the full House from voting on my amendment to have a FULL release of the Epstein file. People are fed up. They are fed up. Thanks ⁦@RepRalphNorman⁩. Need to put the American people before party! pic.twitter.com/HCdIutV5Sv

— Ro Khanna (@RoKhanna) July 15, 2025