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◆ Mixed look for JohnsonCongress / MembersCriminal Justice

Bipartisan duo expects to have signatures Wednesday to force a vote to release Epstein files

Johnson opposed the petition but said he would bring the Epstein-related measure to the House floor the following week.

Bipartisan duo expects to have signatures Wednesday to force a vote to release Epstein files
Image · NBC News

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Outlet credibilityNBC News85/100 HIGH
This article1 analysis · Oct 13, 2026
NBC News
Nov 12, 2025
tl;dr

Reps. Thomas Massie and Ro Khanna secured the 218 signatures needed to force a House vote on requiring the Justice Department to release Epstein-related files, with Rep. Adelita Grijalva providing the final signature. Speaker Mike Johnson said he would expedite a vote for next week, though the measure would still need Senate approval and the president’s signature.

Community verdict

8 VOTES
How does this story look for
Mike Johnson R · LA-4

Counts every outlet’s report of this story. See all 23

● OPEN
  • Readers of left-leaning coverage: 57% good look
  • Readers of right-leaning coverage: not enough votes yet
Votes cast on this page

Votes cast on this page: ▲ 0 · ◆ 0 · ▼ 0

People in this story

SWIPE →
Mike Johnson
R · LA-4

Speaker who opposed the discharge effort and said he would expedite a floor vote

PRIMARY SUBJECT

Representative whose signature supplied the petition’s 218th signature

Grijalva's version of this story ↗
Ro Khanna
D · CA-17

Representative leading the discharge petition and coauthor of the Epstein Files Transparency Act

Khanna's version of this story ↗
Thomas Massie
R · KY-4

Representative leading the discharge petition to force a vote on releasing Epstein-related files

Massie's version of this story ↗

Representative whose special-election victory preceded the petition’s 217th signature

Nancy Mace
R · SC-1

Representative who signed the petition and publicly expressed support for survivors

Donald Trump
R · President of the United States

President criticized the effort and whose administration disputed emails released by House Democrats

Representative who signed the petition and met with White House officials

Raúl M. Grijalva
Former U.S. Representative (D-AZ)

Former representative and Adelita Grijalva’s father, whose seat she succeeded

Gerald E. Connolly
Former U.S. Representative (D-VA)

Former representative whose seat James Walkinshaw won in a special election

Marjorie Taylor Greene
Former U.S. Representative (R-GA)

Representative who signed the discharge petition

House Minority Leader who accused Republicans of hiding the Epstein files

White House press secretary who disputed the emails and commented on Boebert’s meeting

ALSO MENTIONED  Kash Patel, FBI director whose earlier comments about an Epstein client list are contrasted with the administration’s memo

Part of a bigger story

23 OUTLETS
Johnson Says House Will Vote on Releasing Epstein Files

A petition seeking the release of Epstein-related files reached the support needed to bring legislation to a House vote. Speaker Mike Johnson was involved in the dispute over the vote’s timing. Left-leaning outlets emphasize Johnson’s delay and criticism of his handling of the vote, with some linking the fight to scrutiny of Trump and Republicans. Center outlets mostly explain the petition, vote timing and procedural next steps, while some report allegations over delayed seating or voting and political pressure. Right-leaning outlets foreground Republicans’ claim that Democrats blocked a faster vote to keep the issue alive.

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