A long-shot effort in Congress to compel the release of government files related to Jeffrey Epstein has cleared its first major hurdle.
A discharge petition, a rare procedural move allowing lawmakers to bypass House leadership, reached the required 218 signatures on Wednesday, guaranteeing that the measure will receive floor consideration in the coming weeks.
Rep. Adelita Grijalva (D-Ariz.) became the decisive 218th signatory shortly after being sworn into office, joining every House Democrat and four Republicans: Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.), and Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.).
Grijalva added her name on the House floor amid applause from Democrats and survivors of Epstein’s abuse watching from the gallery. “Just this morning, House Democrats released more emails showing that Trump knew more about Epstein’s abuses than he previously acknowledged. It’s about time for Congress to restore its role as a check and balance on this administration and fight for we, the American people,” she said in her first speech. She added, “Justice cannot wait another day.”
The petition aims to bring forward a bipartisan bill introduced by Massie and Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) that would require the Department of Justice to release unclassified materials tied to Epstein, his former associate Ghislaine Maxwell, and others linked to his criminal activities. Sensitive information such as victims’ identities or explicit materials would remain protected through redactions.
While the petition’s success marks a historic milestone, discharge petitions rarely reach the required threshold — procedural and political challenges remain. Under House rules, the measure must “ripen” for at least seven legislative days before lawmakers can formally demand a vote.
Even then, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and GOP leadership could move to block or delay the vote through procedural maneuvers, as they did earlier this year with a separate discharge petition.
A White House official previously warned that signing the petition would be considered a “very hostile act to the administration.” Nonetheless, the four Republicans who broke ranks resisted pressure from the White House and top GOP leaders to withdraw their support.
CNN reported that Attorney General Pam Bondi, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, and FBI Director Kash Patel planned to meet with Boebert on Wednesday, while President Trump personally reached out to Rep. Mace earlier in the day. Both lawmakers ultimately stood by their signatures.
Khanna expressed optimism that a final vote on the Epstein records would gain broader bipartisan backing. “I believe we’re going to get 40, 50 Republicans voting with us on the release. And if we get that kind of overwhelming vote, that’s going to push the Senate, and that’s going to push the release of the files from the Justice Department,” he said.
Despite growing momentum, the measure faces an uphill climb in the Republican-controlled Senate. Even if it clears Congress, it would still need President Trump’s approval.
Speaker Johnson has dismissed the bill as “moot,” pointing to the ongoing investigation by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, which has already reviewed materials from the Department of Justice and the Epstein estate. The committee also interviewed former Labor Secretary Alex Acosta, who oversaw Epstein’s controversial 2008 plea deal.
Fresh disclosures from the committee on Wednesday intensified partisan tensions. Democrats released new emails alleging that Trump “knew about the girls,” while Republicans accused them of political spin. “These emails prove absolutely nothing other than the fact that President Trump did nothing wrong,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said. “Jeffrey Epstein was a member at Mar-a-Lago until President Trump kicked Jeffrey Epstein out, because he was a pedophile and he was a creep.”
Later that evening, the committee made public 20,000 pages of new documents from the Epstein estate, ensuring that the political and legal debate surrounding Epstein’s network, and who knew what — is far from over.