MaddowBlog-Speaker Mike Johnson's strategy on Epstein Files Transparency Act fails in spectacular fashion

[LetMyPeopleVote]

As the dust settles on a tumultuous process, spare a thought for the House speaker, whose strategy flopped in multiple ways.

House Speaker Mike Johnson appeared to have a specific strategy on the Epstein Files Transparency Act.

It’s amazing just how spectacularly it flopped. www.ms.now/rachel-maddo...

— Steve Benen (@stevebenen.com) 2025-11-19T14:27:41.282Z

https://www.ms.now/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/speaker-johnsons-strategy-epstein-files-transparency-act-fails-spectac-rcna244767

After months of divisive debate and wrangling behind the scenes, the House finally voted on Tuesday afternoon to approve the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which would force disclosure of the Jeffrey Epstein files. Although many Republicans fought against the effort for much of the year, the final tally was lopsided: The bipartisan measure cleared the lower chamber on a 427-1 vote.

The legislation initially faced an uncertain fate in the Republican-led Senate, and it was far from clear when or whether the bill would reach the floor. But that’s when things got interesting. As MS NOW reported:

Hours after the House overwhelmingly passed a bill to force the release of files from the Justice Department’s investigation into Jeffrey Epstein, the Senate moved to approve the legislation by unanimous consent — sending the measure to President Donald Trump’s desk and bringing the yearslong campaign to release some of America’s most scrutinized documents to its final stage.

.....Ahead of Tuesday afternoon’s vote, Johnson said he’d vote for the legislation he’d opposed, but there was a catch: The GOP leader said he was “very confident” that the Senate would “amend” the measure and send it back to the House.

In other words, Johnson believed the House vote would simply be the start of a larger process that would include a variety of Senate actions — followed by another House vote.

That didn’t happen. Maybe Johnson was confused; maybe Senate Majority Leader John Thune changed his mind; maybe Republican senators wanted to get it all over with and didn’t much care about the House speaker’s expectations.

Whatever the explanation, Johnson’s strategy flopped.

As work wrapped up on Tuesday night, the House speaker conceded to reporters that he was “deeply disappointed” in the outcome. The reaction wasn’t surprising: Senators from both parties treated Johnson and his concerns like an afterthought, adding to the Louisiana Republican’s list of failures.

[Raven123]

1. I just wonder

I wonder if the plan was just as MAGA Mike said. Have the Senate rewrite the bill. Then Trump put his foot in it and dumped on the legislators. He doomed the plan when he said vote for it and he would sign it. The House had 1 no vote. The Senate hears that freight train and gets off the track by passing it with unanimous consent.

Of course a part of me wonders if Trump’s dementia kicked in and he forgot about the plan, but whatever.

[Baitball Blogger]

2. I am wondering if it was an intentional orchestration between Johnson and Trump

to allow the outrageous giveaway in the bill that would have allowed the 6 or 8 Congress people to receive a million dollar deal each for their phones being tapped (which of course, they weren't). That would be why Johnson expected it to come back. But, the Senate voted unanimously which means the bill is veto-proofed.

So, next question, does it become a pocket veto if Trump doesn't sign in ten days?

[LetMyPeopleVote]

3. This made me smile

Link to tweet

[usonian]

4. The idea was to "get it over with" for short attention span America, but that's the goof. It's too juicy to go away.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100220810679
👆👆👆👆👆👆👆👆👆👆

It just opened the floodgates.
This is a global crime ring, and maybe the rest of the world isn't so GD stupid as to let it go.

And the crack in the dam was "Prince Andrew in a can" (Old timers will understand that reference)



It showed that open source intelligence (a posthumously written book) can take down an oligarch/monarch, OUTSIDE of the Area 51 DOJ never to be opened vault, and that it's world-wide. Nowhere to hide (not even Argentina), and I'll bet a monopoly money dollar that Men in Black (robes) are going to be outed. (opinion only)

[PCIntern]

8. "Well, LET HIM OUT!!!" 😂

[peggysue2]

5. I think most of us suspect there's a backdoor on all this weird maneuvering

The pocket veto is one way out. There would be screams and gnashing of teeth but Trump and his billionaires might believe the outrage would simmer down after the holiday, the electorate distracted by the next bright, shiny event. There's the Bondi 'save' on opening investigations into Trump's Democratic enemies--Larry Summer, Bill Clinton, Reid Hoffman, etc--and their possible ties to Epstein, and then claims that the files need to remain closed for future prosecutions.

The 'scrubbing' of the files is another possibility. Personally, I felt a little queasy when I saw Musk greeting Trump last night at the State dinner. Trump smiled broadly, then reached out and patted the man on the chest as if to say 'Thanks, Buddy."

Hummmmm. If I wanted to scrub material, make it disappear forever without a trace, who would I turn to??

There's something nefarious afoot because there's no way Agent Orange will willingly expose himself. Unless it's to children, that is.

Sickening!

[2na fisherman]

7. "...All They're Legally Entitled To"

Trump said this in reference to the release of the "Epstein Files." But there is enough ambiguity in that statement to drive an eighteen wheeler through. First, "Pam" will be directed to stall the release for a long time while sham "ongoing investigations" are conducted only against Dems in the files. Second, what is commonly referred to as these files has not been clearly defined to include ALL the materials gathered by the Justice Department, including terabytes of documents, videos, photos , bank records and travel logs, just to name a few. Third, when finally released incompletely, the files presented will have been so heavily scrubbed and redacted that they should be known as the "Zebra Files" because the amount of black ink redactions will turn every page full of stripes. Aside from this, it isn't too hard for conspiracy buffs to imagine that some hard core MAGA acolyte in the Justice Department might agree to fraudulently alter things in the documents so it looks exculpatory for Trump. I imagine that person will be offered millions to do this and get a pardon for doing so. There is nothing they won't try to save this sinking ship. Because, as some have said, Epstein's death was arranged to look like suicide in his cell while he was supposedly on watch by his jailers. I think Trump will be long dead of natural causes long before we ever get the whole truth surrounding this international sex trafficking ring for the rich and entitled.

[Wiz Imp]

11. The bill/law directly addresses most of that.

The bill clearly spells out what must be released. From the actual text of the bill:

(a) In general.—Not later than 30 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Attorney General shall, subject to subsection (b), make publicly available in a searchable and downloadable format all unclassified records, documents, communications, and investigative materials in the possession of the Department of Justice, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation and United States Attorneys’ Offices, that relate to:

(1) Jeffrey Epstein including all investigations, prosecutions, or custodial matters.

(2) Ghislaine Maxwell.

(3) Flight logs or travel records, including but not limited to manifests, itineraries, pilot records, and customs or immigration documentation, for any aircraft, vessel, or vehicle owned, operated, or used by Jeffrey Epstein or any related entity.

(4) Individuals, including government officials, named or referenced in connection with Epstein’s criminal activities, civil settlements, immunity or plea agreements, or investigatory proceedings.

(5) Entities (corporate, nonprofit, academic, or governmental) with known or alleged ties to Epstein’s trafficking or financial networks.

(6) Any immunity deals, non-prosecution agreements, plea bargains, or sealed settlements involving Epstein or his associates.

(7) Internal DOJ communications, including emails, memos, meeting notes, concerning decisions to charge, not charge, investigate, or decline to investigate Epstein or his associates.

(8) All communications, memoranda, directives, logs, or metadata concerning the destruction, deletion, alteration, misplacement, or concealment of documents, recordings, or electronic data related to Epstein, his associates, his detention and death, or any investigative files.

(9) Documentation of Epstein’s detention or death, including incident reports, witness interviews, medical examiner files, autopsy reports, and written records detailing the circumstances and cause of death.

It's basically every single document, email, photo, etc. related to Jeffrey Epstein that the DOJ, FBI & US Attorney's offices have ever had in their possession due to all investigations, prosecutions, or custodial matters of Jeffrey Epstein & Ghislane Maxwell. NOTHING is excluded though some materials may be redacted including:

the segregable portions of records that—

(A) contain personally identifiable information of victims or victims’ personal and medical files and similar files the disclosure of which would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy;

(B) depict or contain child sexual abuse materials (CSAM) as defined under 18 U.S.C. 2256 and prohibited under 18 U.S.C. 2252–2252A;

(D) depict or contain images of death, physical abuse, or injury of any person

They must release (or provide access to) the files within 30 days of the bill being signed (which must be done within 10 days).

As for withholding records due to an ongoing investigation, the bill limits the DOJ's ability to do that. See additional post here: https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=20817373

[2na fisherman]

12. I remain skeptical

But thank you very much for this information and I hope everything comes out. But isn't there wiggle room in the phrase, "...all unclassified records...?" So maybe Trump says he classified everything in his mind like all those Mar-a-Lago documents he allegedly "unclassified" in his mind before. And there seems to be a lot of room for shenanigans with so many redactions that very little sees the light of day. I hope I'm wrong.

[AverageOldGuy]

6. Why . . .

. . . are people the quality of Maddow and O'Donnell not telling us about how Trump can -- and likely will -- kill the Epstein bill -- either (1) pocket veto, or, (2) DOJ "ongoing investigation."

[usonian]

9. I'll bet that Trump reaches for his sharpie and announces "Excuse me while I whip this out."

and the room empties.

Alternatively, the perv paparazzi we call reporters, get out the powerful magnifying telephoto lenses to get a glimpse of ...



his signature.

Thanks to Mel Brooks and Cleavon Little for the gag.

[JoseBalow]

10. Sad trombone for Floppy!

Whatever the explanation, Johnson’s strategy flopped.