U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson abruptly adjourned the House of Representatives a day earlier than scheduled, stalling a crucial vote aimed at forcing the release of documents related to Jeffrey Epstein, the disgraced financier at the center of a long-running sex trafficking scandal.
The early recess delays a contentious vote until September, despite growing bipartisan pressure to declassify Epstein-related records. The move came hours after a House committee approved a subpoena for Epstein’s longtime associate, Ghislaine Maxwell, to testify before Congress.
Speaker Johnson defended the decision, accusing Democrats of political theatrics. “We’re done being lectured on transparency,” he said, while critics accused him of shielding powerful interests from scrutiny.
The delay also provides time for Republicans to navigate internal divisions, especially among pro-Trump lawmakers demanding aggressive action. Elements of the former president’s MAGA base have expressed outrage over the Justice Department and FBI’s recent conclusion that Epstein had no “client list” implicating high-profile figures and that his 2019 prison death was indeed a suicide.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, who previously represented Trump in his 2024 criminal trial, reaffirmed the department’s stance. He said a new review of FBI records “found no evidence to predicate an investigation against uncharged third parties,” but confirmed a meeting with Maxwell was being arranged.
“If Ghislaine Maxwell has information about anyone who has committed crimes against victims, the FBI and DOJ will hear what she has to say,” Blanche stated.
Maxwell’s legal team confirmed they are in talks with federal prosecutors. “She will always testify truthfully,” attorney David Oscar Markus said, adding: “We are grateful to President Trump for his commitment to uncovering the truth in this case.”
President Trump, speaking from the Oval Office, supported the move to interview Maxwell, saying it “sounds appropriate to do,” while distancing himself by adding, “I don’t know anything about it.”
Trump last week directed Attorney General Pam Bondi to petition a federal court to release sealed grand jury testimony related to Epstein’s activities.
Maxwell, who was sentenced to 20 years in 2022 after being convicted of aiding Epstein’s abuse of underage girls, recently sought a Supreme Court review of her case, an appeal the Justice Department has urged the court to reject.
Survivors continue to speak out. Annie Farmer, one of the four women who testified against Maxwell, told the BBC this week that the renewed political interest has brought more frustration than closure. “There’s been too much focus on the abusers and not enough new truth,” she said. “It leaves us feeling used.”
The House is scheduled to reconvene in September, when pressure is expected to intensify for the full disclosure of Epstein-related files.
Written By Rodney Mbua
