The man who is the focus of the most attention on Capitol Hill this week is not the speaker of the House—it’s the late Jeffrey Epstein.
On Tuesday, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., fielded a number of questions on his decision to oppose motions from Democrats and some Republicans to try to compel the White House to release information on the now-deceased convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
“This morning at our weekly conference meeting, we discussed the upcoming schedule, given the Democrats’ endless efforts to politicize the Epstein controversy and that whole investigation,” Johnson said at his weekly press conference.
Republicans decided to shut down the House Rules Committee—the last stop before a bill comes to the floor—owing to those motions, which have mostly paralyzed the House floor ahead of a six-week recess.
Leadership also told members Tuesday that the recess would begin one day early, on Wednesday, a move likely spurred by the Epstein drama.
“We want maximum transparency,” said Johnson. “We also understand the other part of that duty is, we have to protect innocent victims.”
He added, “Look, involved in the Epstein evil—which is what it was, let’s call it what it was—there are innocent victims of those unspeakable sex crimes. Some of them were minors, some of them were not. When the Epstein records are turned over to the public—which we must do as quickly as possible—we have to also be very judicious and careful about protecting the innocent.”
Asked by The Daily Signal if there could be a role for the House Judiciary and Oversight committees to call in Epstein’s accomplices to testify, Johnson expressed some openness.
“There is and they may, so we’ll see how that develops. We’ve got to allow them time to do their work,” Johnson told The Daily Signal.
One Republican, Rep. Tim Burchett of Tennessee, is working to make just that happen.
Burchett forwarded a motion in the House Oversight Committee on Tuesday directing its chairman, Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., to subpoena Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s longtime confidante, who was convicted of involvement in sex-trafficking. R-Ky., to subpoena Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s longtime confidante, who was convicted of involvement in sex-trafficking.
The committee passed the motion by a voice vote, with a spokesperson telling The Washington Examiner, “Since Ms. Maxwell is in federal prison, the committee will work with the Department of Justice and Bureau of Prisons to identify a date when the committee can depose her.”
“I just want them to subpoena Ms. Maxwell. I’m sick of it. I’m tired of waiting. We waited four years on this in the Biden administration,” Burchett told The Daily Signal shortly after the motion passed.
The Tennessee lawmaker added, “Epstein, he’s dealing with the devil now. He’s burning in hell. That’s where he should be. And I think we need to arrange that meeting for a few more of these people.”
Burchett is also a supporter of legislation from Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., and Ro Khanna, D-Calif., to compel the Department of Justice to release files on Epstein.
He reiterated his support, but cautioned against a witch hunt against people who interacted with Epstein, but were not accomplices in his crimes.
“Let’s make sure, just because they flew on his plane doesn’t mean they’re a pedophile, because nobody even knew who this cat was until all this broke. So, I think we need to go about it in a judicious manner and make sure that we handle that,” he told The Daily Signal.