WASHINGTON — Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Crescent Springs, said he’s two signatures away from being able to force a vote on his bipartisan bill related to the government’s files on sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Before House lawmakers left Washington last month, dozens of them signed on to Massie’s discharge petition for the bipartisan Epstein Files Transparency Act II.
The petition, used successfully by Massie last year, is a legislative maneuver that allows a bill to be brought to the floor over the House Speaker’s objections, if 218 lawmakers sign on.
Massie wants to force a vote on a bill that he said would allow for state attorneys general to prosecute crimes by co-conspirators of the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
According to Massie, the legislation also gives lawmakers, state officials and survivors the right to challenge the Justice Department in court for failing to comply with his original Epstein Files Transparency Act.
Attorney General Todd Blanche has defended the DOJ’s compliance with that law.
“We have 216 signatures for the Epstein Files Transparency Act II discharge petition, but we need 218,” Massie said in a social media post Thursday. “Two Democrats who were out sick have pledged to sign, but any two Republicans could sign the petition NOW.”
Three Republicans have joined Massie in signing the petition: Rep. Ralph Norman and Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina and Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania.
The House is out of session until after the November election.
Source: spectrumnews1.com
