It’s official. House Speaker Mike Johnson has sworn in Congresswoman Adelita Grijalva, giving Democrats the crucial 218th signature on the long-simmering Epstein files discharge petition. That milestone guarantees the full House of Representatives will now be forced to vote on whether to release the long-hidden documents tied to Jeffrey Epstein’s network and his alleged political connections. I spoke with Ro Khanna, the Congressman leading this effort in an exclusive interview.
This is a fight I have refused to let fade into the background. For months, while much of the mainstream media turned away, I have kept the spotlight on this story because it matters. The truth about the Epstein files and the survivors whose voices were silenced for far too long deserves to be heard. Now we are breaking through, reaching millions, sharing the truth, and demanding accountability. This vote is only the beginning of a defining battle for transparency and justice.
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A Stunning Development
With Grijalva’s swearing-in and immediate signing of the petition, Democrats and a handful of Republicans have triggered one of the most dramatic and rarely used maneuvers in congressional procedure. The discharge petition, designed to bypass the Speaker and majority leadership, compels a bill to the House floor once a majority of lawmakers have signed on.
This move comes amid new bombshell revelations from the House Oversight Committee, which released emails between Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell, and journalist Michael Wolff. The emails reportedly show that Donald Trump not only knew about Epstein’s criminal behavior but also spent “hours” at Epstein’s residence with one of his victims. The timing of the committee’s release has amplified the political and moral stakes of the coming vote.
In addition, we have a new bombshell email this afternoon. This is Jeffrey Epstein, in 2018, talking about “i know how dirty donald is.”
What Happens Next
Now that the petition has hit 218 signatures, a countdown begins. Under House rules, the petition must “ripen” over seven legislative days, after which Speaker Johnson has two legislative days to bring the Epstein records bill to the floor for debate and a vote.
According to senior aides from both parties, the floor vote is expected the first week of December, after lawmakers return from the Thanksgiving recess. At least three Republicans have already come out today and said they will vote for the petition: Don Bacon, Warren Davidson, and Eli Crane. That makes at least seven Republicans, and likely much more.
The discharge petition sets up a “rule,” a procedural step that defines how the Epstein bill will be debated. This move gives the petition’s sponsors more control over the measure’s consideration and prevents leadership from burying it in committee limbo. If the bill passes the House, it would still require approval from the Senate.
Political Fallout and Intrigue
Republican leaders in the Senate have not yet committed to taking up the Epstein transparency measure, and some insiders expect it to stall in the upper chamber. However, before it gets that far, the bill is expected to ignite a fierce and deeply partisan battle in the House.
Speaker Johnson could still attempt to derail the process, but so far, he’s publicly declined to interfere. In a recent interview, Johnson said he would “let the process play out.”
Members of the House Rules Committee, including several Republicans, have reportedly warned Johnson not to use procedural tricks to kill the measure before it reaches the floor. In turn, the Speaker has privately reassured key lawmakers that the Epstein files bill will get its day in the chamber once the petition reaches 218 signatures.
A Divided Majority
Johnson’s razor-thin majority now leaves him with little room to maneuver. After Grijalva’s swearing-in, Republicans hold just a two-vote margin. To block the Epstein measure, Johnson would need to peel off a number of GOP lawmakers, a tall order given that “several dozen” Republicans are said to be considering supporting the bill on the floor.
Trump-aligned officials have reportedly been working behind the scenes to pressure hard-liners to keep their names off the discharge petition. But that effort may prove too little, too late. The combination of public pressure, fresh revelations, and bipartisan frustration with secrecy surrounding the Epstein case has created a rare alignment of interests across the aisle.
A Moment of Reckoning
The move marks one of the most consequential transparency pushes in recent congressional history. If successful, it would force the federal government to release long-classified Epstein files, potentially exposing the full scope of his network, his political connections, and who in power may have enabled his crimes.
With the House now locked into a mandatory vote, the next few weeks promise to be explosive. What began as a procedural maneuver has transformed into a high-stakes showdown that could shake Washington’s most powerful institutions.