House Republicans Scramble as Epstein Files Petition Hits Magic Number -- Several Announce They're Now Voting in Favor

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: MEDIAite

Nov 12th, 2025, 5:31 pm


CNN’s Manu Raju reported on CNN Wednesday that more Republicans are joining the move to release the Epstein files now that the discharge petition has enough signatures to force a full House vote.

Raju reported that Reps. Warren Davidson (R-OH) and Eli Crane (R-AZ) are now “yes votes” on the bill to release the files, but cautioned that it is still extremely unlikely that the bill ever becomes law. Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE) also said on MSNBC on Wednesday that he would vote to release the Epstein files, although he refused to join the likes of Reps. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) and Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) in signing the discharge petition. The petition gained the necessary signatures to sign the vote after Rep. Adelita Grijalva (D-AZ) was finally sworn in on Wednesday evening and signed it.

Trump himself reportedly pressured Boebert to drop her support for the petition as both House Democrats and Republicans released a trove of emails connecting Trump to Epstein. The stunning email dumps showed Epstein boasting that he knew how “dirty Donald” was and claiming he “gave” Trump his girlfriend.

“Well, look, I think the Oversight Committee—I’m going to vote for it if it comes up, because–” Davidson told Raju, who pushed, “You’ll vote for the bill.” “Yeah, because look, the Oversight Committee has pushed out a lot of disclosures. The administration’s done a lot. If you look in the U.K., they’ve tried to do something towards Prince Andrew. But one of the things that went away during the shutdown is Pam Bondi was supposed to come to the House and answer these questions. And look, I’m not on the Judiciary Committee, but I did want Pam Bondi to come and do some explaining,” he added.

Read more: https://www.mediaite.com/media/tv/house-republicans-scramble-as-epstein-files-petition-hits-magic-number-several-announce-theyre-now-voting-in-favor/

[Raven123]

1. So they can read the tea leaves

Or they were hiding behind the likes of Bobert and MTG to avoid having to vote.

[Quanta]

2. They wanted to avoid speaking poorly of Trump

Yet they do not want to go down in history as protecting a pedophile.

[choie]

3. I don't believe this for a second.

We really think that republicans will do the right thing?

[Irish_Dem]

4. I know hard to believe isn't it? They might do the right thing to save their own skin or for the right price.

[gordianot]

7. Republicans are entirely transactional.

That is how we ended up with Trump in the first place.

[Irish_Dem]

8. They know the price of everything but the value of nothing.

[BumRushDaShow]

5. It's not a matter of "the right thing"

A number of them CAMPAIGNED on it for the past decade, since they are MAGats and/or bought into the QAnon nonsense that lead to crap like "Pizza-gate" and "sex trafficking rings". And with Epstein's sudden demise after charges of being sex trafficker, that just fueled the fire, as they envisioned a mother lode of "Democrats" involved, since there were pics of Bill Clinton with Epstein, and a "deep state" covering it all up.

But with Bondi's "reality show" performance (complete with a dramatic flourish) about the files purportedly being right there "on her desk", and she would release them... and then suddenly, all she did was release stuff that had already been released, that seemed to be the final straw.

These are the travails of belonging to a cult.

[Irish_Dem]

9. Pizza Gate was pure projection and cover up.

Psychopaths often accuse others of the crimes they hare committing.
It confuses and distracts the public and prosecutors.

The cult may have bought it for sure.

But it is all backfiring now.

[BumRushDaShow]

12. Yup

and that showed how brainwashed people were.

But as others have noted, the puppet masters managed to water down the outcome of Fitzmas and suppress the Mueller Report. So even with all that has come out so far with Epstein, it might end up with the same fate.

[Irish_Dem]

13. Exactly, how many times have we gotten our hopes up that the truth will come out

on a variety of topics.

And we are always disappointed.

The powers that be tightly control information and hide their crimes.

[ancianita]

21. Absolutely right. IMO, they never do the right thing because it's right, only because they fear the consequences

they thought they could avoid by helping their cult leader's coverup. Turns out that they fell for and spread his lie that the files were full of Democrats, and as always, it turns out their own party and leader are the corrupt ones who've been found out.

They know they're in the law violation zone:

Federal laws, such as 18 U.S.C. § 1519, make it a crime to knowingly alter, destroy, or conceal records with the intent to impede a federal investigation or case. Other laws, like 18 U.S.C. § 2071, specifically target custodians of public records who do so.

Tampering with evidence:
Knowingly altering, concealing, falsifying, or destroying a record, document, or tangible object with the intent to interfere with a federal investigation, a possible investigation, or any federal proceeding is a federal crime.

Penalties:
This offense can result in a fine, imprisonment for up to 20 years, or both.
Targeting specific individuals: Law enforcement officials and other government employees who are custodians of public records are also subject to specific penalties for tampering, including forfeiture of their office and being disqualified from holding any federal office.

[thesquanderer]

18. *If* they sense that something is going to pass regardless of their vote, they might as well be on the right side of it.

When your vote won't affect the outcome, the value of the vote is in its PR potential.

[YodaMom2]

25. Exactly.

They’re forever holding a damp finger up, testing the direction of the wind. And they’re sensing a directional change. No moral epiphanies, just soulless pragmatism.

[PatSeg]

20. Well, the "right thing"

when it comes to protecting their own asses. They know the party is over and many of them may know what is in the Epstein files.

[IronLionZion]

6. What's left of the files. We'll never know how much they destroyed already

which I'm sure was the main purpose of delaying it as long as they could.

[Irish_Dem]

10. The information is worth too much to be destroyed. And it is an insurance policy for some.

Somebody has documents somewhere.

For insurance and protection.

For bribery and extortion.

[speak easy]

31. "Somebody has documents somewhere."

Like Mr. Musk, one way or another.

[Irish_Dem]

32. Probably a major reason he wanted access to the entire US govt data base.

The rogue college kids he hired seemed to have only one goal in mind.
Download any and all US govt lists and documents.

[speak easy]

37. "Download any and all US govt lists and documents."

Specifically to upload everything to the cloud, then feed it into his AI models. Incredibly useful for blackmail and manipulating voters but also a back stop for executive action against him.

[oasis]

11. Put the files out. Let chips fall where they may!

[orangecrush]

14. Trump shitting gold plated bricks

[onenote]

15. Unless 13 repub senators are willing to stand up to Trump, the House vote is a safe one

It would take roughly 25% of the Senate repubs going against Trump and voting for cloture on the epstein file disclosure bill. That seem unlikely.

[InstantGratification]

19. Depressingly, It'll take much more than that

The House votes to release the files. It goes to the Senate and 60 Senators vote to release the files. The bill goes to Trump's desk where it will be vetoed. Getting the files out there after that takes 2/3 of both houses. Do you see it getting 292 votes in the House and 67 in the Senate?

[onenote]

22. Since I don't see it getting 60 votes in the Senate, I don't think it has a chance of getting the override votes

should it come to that

[Wiz Imp]

27. Based on reporting this week, I could definitely see it getting 292 votes in the House

(There are reports of at least 100 Republicans being ready to vote YES, which would put it over 300 votes total. And if it gets anywhere close to that, it will put a lot of pressure on the Senate to put it to the floor for a vote. Then it will be up to Thune as to whether he allows a vote or not. Is he too afraid of Trump to allow a vote? Probably, but that remains to be seen. Again, based on reporting, it would not surprise me if it passed the Senate if a vote is ever allowed. The bigger question is whether it could receive 67 votes to override a veto. At this point, I would consider that highly unlikely, but each step along the way weakens Trump further so I wouldn't rule it out.

[Torchlight]

16. Mr. trump is miserably failing in his attempt to keep this out of the news

I doubt a year is long enough by half for the GOP to wash this stink off before midterms hit. I think getting in front of it and then pretending outrage will be their reponse to trump's brand-new lame duck administration.

This is juicy stuff, hard to wash off (though no doubt attempts will be made to minimize the odor). trump's "this won't change a damn thing" fans will be moving goalposts again between now and next Friday.

[Fil1957]

17. Rats leaving the sinking ship...

[Bayard]

23. Doesn't the Senate and trump still have to sign off on it?

Pretty doubtful they will.

[Anxy]

35. Yes

Correct.

[republianmushroom]

24. As the wind blows.

[Doodley]

26. This is the GOPs one chance to possibly get rid of Trump, without saying so.

[Dulcinea]

28. "Epstein boasting that he knew how "dirty Donald" was and claiming he "gave" Trump his girlfriend"

GAVE the Fascist Felon his girlfriend? WTF does that even mean?! She's not a piece of property!

[KS Toronado]

29. Why in the hell do we need a law to see what a dead man wrote when he was alive?

National security because he was a Russian spy?

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

30. Trump is probably stinking up his Depends big time right now

[BlueWavePsych]

33. Kick

[Wednesdays]

34. Ah! So now the dam is breaking

[CaliforniaPeggy]

36. Love your graphic! It's astonishing.