Both Sides: Should Epstein survivors be able to sue the Justice Department?
A discharge petition from Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) reached 218 signatures Wednesday, forcing a House vote, likely in early December, on a second Epstein files bill that would let survivors, state attorneys general and members of Congress sue the Justice Department over withheld or redacted records.
AI-assisted · US Brief desk · Sources listed below
What happened
Rep. Thomas Massie's discharge petition for the Epstein Files Transparency Act II reached the 218 signatures needed on Wednesday, which lets supporters force a House vote over the objection of party leaders. Four Republicans signed: Massie, Nancy Mace and Ralph Norman of South Carolina, and Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania. The other 214 signatures came from Democrats, Axios reported. Rep. John Garamendi (D-Calif.) provided the final signature, according to the House clerk's records cited by Axios.
Why it matters
The first law required releases but gave outsiders no way to enforce it. This bill would let survivors and state prosecutors go to court over specific withheld records, which could keep the Epstein files in the courts well into the next Congress. It also puts House Republicans on record again weeks before Democrats take the majority.
More context
What the bill does: It would let members of Congress, state attorneys general and Epstein survivors sue the Justice Department for not complying with last year's Epstein Files Transparency Act, CBS News reported. That first law passed the House 427-1 in November 2025 and was signed by President Trump. The Justice Department missed its Dec. 19, 2025, deadline but said in January it had released nearly 3.5 million pages, Axios reported.
How outlets framed it: Axios called Massie an "outgoing Trump foe" forcing a "new Epstein files showdown." The Washington Examiner led with the petition gathering "enough support to force vote." CBS News framed it as a bill to compel release of "the remaining Justice Department files." The Hill noted Massie is "racing the clock" after losing his primary to a Trump-backed challenger.
The case for the bill: Massie says the department "continues to unlawfully withhold over 3 million Epstein files" and keeps "heavy redactions" on what it releases, CBS reported. Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) says it would let state attorneys general prosecute abusers. A Republican-led House Oversight Committee report released Tuesday faulted the administration's handling, including failures to protect victims and redactions that hid alleged co-conspirators, Axios reported.
The case against: The White House did not answer questions about the bill. Spokesperson Lauren Bis said Trump has "been totally exonerated on anything relating to Epstein" and has "done more for Epstein's victims than anyone before him" by releasing documents and signing the first law, Axios reported. In the first round last year, Speaker Mike Johnson called Massie's push "meaningless" and said releases had to "protect the innocent victims," Fox News reported in 2025. His office did not comment this time.
Weak spot: Supporters' counts of withheld pages do not match. Massie says more than 3 million; Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.) said Tuesday it is more than 2.5 million pages, The Hill reported. Neither figure has been confirmed by the department or tested in court.
Weak spot: "Totally exonerated" goes beyond the record cited. The Oversight Committee said its investigation found no evidence implicating Trump in Epstein's crimes, Axios reported. That is a finding of no evidence in one probe, not a formal exoneration.
What would change the story: The petition should be eligible for a floor vote by early December, Axios reported. Passage in the House is not guaranteed, and Senate Republican leaders could decline to take it up before the new Congress starts in January.
Sources across the spectrum This story cites right-leaning and left-leaning outlets. Every source is listed below.
6 listed sources
- Axios (Andrew Pantazi), Outgoing Trump foe Massie forces new Epstein files showdown, Nov. 11, 2026
- CBS News (Caitlin Yilek), House petition for new Epstein files bill gets enough support to force vote, Nov. 11, 2026
- Washington Examiner (Emily Hallas), Massie's Epstein files discharge petition gathers enough support to force vote on bill, Nov. 11, 2026
- The Hill (Mira Bhakta), Massie secures signatures to force vote on second Epstein files petition, Nov. 11, 2026
- POLITICO, House members force new vote on Epstein files (live updates), Nov. 11, 2026
- Fox News (Elizabeth Elkind), Massie fires back after Johnson calls his Epstein records push 'meaningless', Sep. 2, 2025
References listed by US Brief; a source count is not a verification score.
Editorial sourcing notes
Signature counts and names are from Axios, CBS News, The Hill and the Washington Examiner. The figures for withheld pages are claims by Rep. Massie (more than 3 million) and Rep. Robert Garcia (more than 2.5 million); the Justice Department has not confirmed either number in these reports, and no court has ruled the withholding unlawful. The White House statement is as reported by Axios. Speaker Johnson's office did not respond to Axios.
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