Johnson says he 'never fought' the Epstein files. In 2025 he sent the House home early

House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, said on Thursday, Nov. 12, that he has "never fought getting the Epstein files out." He said it while calling a new push by Rep. Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican, a "political stunt." ¹²

The record from 2025 tells a different story. That July, Johnson sent House members home early for their summer break. The early exit came after Republicans on the House Rules Committee, the panel that decides which bills reach the floor, stopped work rather than risk Democratic proposals to release the Epstein files. ³

That fall, the Associated Press reported that Johnson kept the House closed for legislative business for nearly two months. He also refused to swear in a newly elected Democrat whose signature gave the push for a vote its majority. ⁴

What he says now

The new fight is over the Epstein Files Transparency Act II. It would let state attorneys general, survivors and members of Congress sue the Justice Department over files it holds back or blacks out. It would also let victims see unredacted records about themselves. ⁶¹

From Channel GOPMassie reads impeachment charges against Hegseth on House floorThomas Massie · 292 plays · captioned, with the source named

Massie and Rep. Ro Khanna, a California Democrat, are using a discharge petition. That is a tool that forces a floor vote, even over the speaker's objections, once 218 House members sign it. The petition reached 218 signatures on Nov. 11. ¹ All Democrats and four Republicans agreed to sign: Massie, Ralph Norman and Nancy Mace of South Carolina, and Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania. ⁶⁷

We have always, I have always been for full transparency of the Epstein files.

When CNN's Manu Raju told Johnson, "But you fought that bill, the last bill," the speaker answered: "What we tried to do all along is maintain principle and balance to protect the victims." He also said the files "sat completely dormant … for the entire Biden administration" and that "They did this to go after President Trump." ¹

Raju asked if he supports the new bill. Johnson did not give a yes or a no: "I haven't seen this discharge, this is Thomas Massie trying to get attention again." ¹ He told reporters that "Thomas Massie has never given a darn about that" and said, "We don't need legislators taking political stunts here, and that's what I see." ²

What he said then

On July 22, 2025, as he sent the House home, Johnson said Congress had no reason to act because the Trump administration was already moving. ³

There's no purpose for the Congress to push an administration to do something they're already doing

He added that Congress had "a moral responsibility to expose the evil of Epstein and everybody who was involved in that," but also "an equal moral responsibility to protect the innocent." ³ Democrats saw it differently at the time. ³

It's about transparency in government. It's about whose side are you on?

Massie and Khanna started their first petition in July 2025. Democrat Adelita Grijalva of Arizona won a special election on Sept. 23 and promised to be the 218th signer. ⁴ Her swearing-in was delayed about seven weeks. Johnson rejected claims that he was stalling and tied her oath to the government shutdown fight. ⁵ She signed right after she was sworn in. ⁴

With the petition about to take effect, Johnson brought the bill up himself on Nov. 18, 2025. He used a fast-track procedure that needs a two-thirds vote to pass. ⁴ He criticized the bill and then said he would vote for it anyway. ⁴

This is a raw and obvious political exercise

"None of us want to go on record and in any way be accused of not being for maximum transparency," Johnson said that day. ⁴ The House passed the bill 427 to 1. Rep. Clay Higgins, a Louisiana Republican, cast the only no vote. ⁴⁵ Massie complained that "We've needlessly dragged this out for four months." ⁴ Two days before the vote, Trump reversed course and told Republicans to support the bill, even as he called the issue a "hoax." ⁵ He later signed it into law. ²

The pattern

In fairness, Johnson has been consistent in one way. In July 2025, in November 2025 and again this week, he said the files must be handled in a way that protects victims. ³⁴¹

But "never fought" is a different claim, and the record does not support it. The 2025 reports show Johnson using the speaker's control of the floor to slow the first bill at almost every step, then voting for it once he could not stop it. ³⁴

The second bill has followed the same path. The House left early for a pre-election recess and did not return until after the midterms, so the new petition could not be completed until then. ⁶ Massie described it as a recess "that Speaker Johnson imposed until the election." ⁶ MS NOW counted eight successful discharge petitions in this Congress, which it called unprecedented, and said each one shows how weak Johnson's grip on the floor is. ⁷

Khanna says the new bill would "allow survivors to get access to the Epstein files." ⁶ Johnson says he wants the same goal. The upcoming vote will show whether his actions now match what he says.

The Record

1. Jul 22, 2025Johnson sends the House home early for its summer break after the Rules Committee stalls over Democratic proposals to release the Epstein files ³
2. Sep 23, 2025Democrat Adelita Grijalva wins an Arizona special election and pledges to be the 218th signer of the Epstein petition. Her swearing-in is delayed about seven weeks ⁴⁵
3. Nov 18, 2025Johnson calls the bill 'a raw and obvious political exercise' but votes for it. The House passes it 427 to 1 ⁴⁵
4. Sep 18, 2026Massie and Khanna say they have commitments for 218 signatures on the Epstein Files Transparency Act II during a pre-election recess ⁶⁷
5. Nov 12, 2026A day after the petition reaches 218, Johnson calls it a 'political stunt' and says he 'never fought' releasing the files ¹²

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<h2>Johnson says he &#39;never fought&#39; the Epstein files. In 2025 he sent the House home early</h2> <p><em>By The GOP Files Receipts Desk. This article first appeared on <a href="https://thegopfiles.com/story/johnson-says-he-never-fought-the-epstein-files-in-2025-he-sent-the-house-home-early">The GOP Files</a> on Saturday, November 14, 2026.</em></p> <p>House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, said on Thursday, Nov. 12, that he has &quot;never fought getting the Epstein files out.&quot; He said it while calling a new push by Rep. Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican, a &quot;political stunt.&quot;</p> <p>The record from 2025 tells a different story. That July, Johnson sent House members home early for their summer break. The early exit came after Republicans on the House Rules Committee, the panel that decides which bills reach the floor, stopped work rather than risk Democratic proposals to release the Epstein files.</p> <p>That fall, the Associated Press reported that Johnson kept the House closed for legislative business for nearly two months. He also refused to swear in a newly elected Democrat whose signature gave the push for a vote its majority.</p> <h2>What he says now</h2> <p>The new fight is over the Epstein Files Transparency Act II. It would let state attorneys general, survivors and members of Congress sue the Justice Department over files it holds back or blacks out. It would also let victims see unredacted records about themselves.</p> <p>Massie and Rep. Ro Khanna, a California Democrat, are using a discharge petition. That is a tool that forces a floor vote, even over the speaker&#39;s objections, once 218 House members sign it. The petition reached 218 signatures on Nov. 11. All Democrats and four Republicans agreed to sign: Massie, Ralph Norman and Nancy Mace of South Carolina, and Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania.</p> <blockquote><p>We have always, I have always been for full transparency of the Epstein files.</p><p>&mdash; Mike Johnson, Speaker of the House, R-La.</p></blockquote> <p>When CNN&#39;s Manu Raju told Johnson, &quot;But you fought that bill, the last bill,&quot; the speaker answered: &quot;What we tried to do all along is maintain principle and balance to protect the victims.&quot; He also said the files &quot;sat completely dormant … for the entire Biden administration&quot; and that &quot;They did this to go after President Trump.&quot;</p> <p>Raju asked if he supports the new bill. Johnson did not give a yes or a no: &quot;I haven&#39;t seen this discharge, this is Thomas Massie trying to get attention again.&quot; He told reporters that &quot;Thomas Massie has never given a darn about that&quot; and said, &quot;We don&#39;t need legislators taking political stunts here, and that&#39;s what I see.&quot;</p> <h2>What he said then</h2> <p>On July 22, 2025, as he sent the House home, Johnson said Congress had no reason to act because the Trump administration was already moving.</p> <blockquote><p>There&#39;s no purpose for the Congress to push an administration to do something they&#39;re already doing</p><p>&mdash; Mike Johnson, Speaker of the House, R-La.</p></blockquote> <p>He added that Congress had &quot;a moral responsibility to expose the evil of Epstein and everybody who was involved in that,&quot; but also &quot;an equal moral responsibility to protect the innocent.&quot; Democrats saw it differently at the time.</p> <blockquote><p>It&#39;s about transparency in government. It&#39;s about whose side are you on?</p><p>&mdash; Ro Khanna, U.S. representative, D-Calif.</p></blockquote> <p>Massie and Khanna started their first petition in July 2025. Democrat Adelita Grijalva of Arizona won a special election on Sept. 23 and promised to be the 218th signer. Her swearing-in was delayed about seven weeks. Johnson rejected claims that he was stalling and tied her oath to the government shutdown fight. She signed right after she was sworn in.</p> <p>With the petition about to take effect, Johnson brought the bill up himself on Nov. 18, 2025. He used a fast-track procedure that needs a two-thirds vote to pass. He criticized the bill and then said he would vote for it anyway.</p> <blockquote><p>This is a raw and obvious political exercise</p><p>&mdash; Mike Johnson, Speaker of the House, R-La.</p></blockquote> <p>&quot;None of us want to go on record and in any way be accused of not being for maximum transparency,&quot; Johnson said that day. The House passed the bill 427 to 1. Rep. Clay Higgins, a Louisiana Republican, cast the only no vote. Massie complained that &quot;We&#39;ve needlessly dragged this out for four months.&quot; Two days before the vote, Trump reversed course and told Republicans to support the bill, even as he called the issue a &quot;hoax.&quot; He later signed it into law.</p> <h2>The pattern</h2> <p>In fairness, Johnson has been consistent in one way. In July 2025, in November 2025 and again this week, he said the files must be handled in a way that protects victims.</p> <p>But &quot;never fought&quot; is a different claim, and the record does not support it. The 2025 reports show Johnson using the speaker&#39;s control of the floor to slow the first bill at almost every step, then voting for it once he could not stop it.</p> <p>The second bill has followed the same path. The House left early for a pre-election recess and did not return until after the midterms, so the new petition could not be completed until then. Massie described it as a recess &quot;that Speaker Johnson imposed until the election.&quot; MS NOW counted eight successful discharge petitions in this Congress, which it called unprecedented, and said each one shows how weak Johnson&#39;s grip on the floor is.</p> <p>Khanna says the new bill would &quot;allow survivors to get access to the Epstein files.&quot; Johnson says he wants the same goal. The upcoming vote will show whether his actions now match what he says.</p> <p><em>Read the original, with every source linked, at <a href="https://thegopfiles.com/story/johnson-says-he-never-fought-the-epstein-files-in-2025-he-sent-the-house-home-early">thegopfiles.com</a>. Republished under The GOP Files' <a href="https://thegopfiles.com/republish">free republishing terms</a>.</em></p> <img src="https://thegopfiles.com/api/rp/johnson-says-he-never-fought-the-epstein-files-in-2025-he-sent-the-house-home-early.gif" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="border:0;width:1px;height:1px">

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Sources

1. The New Republic, “Massie Trolls Mike Johnson for "Crashing Out" Over Epstein Files Act” (2026-11-12). newrepublic.com/post/217937/massie-trolls-mike-johnson-crash
2. NJ.com via Yahoo News, “GOP Speaker bashes Thomas Massie for latest 'political stunt' involving Epstein files” (2026-11-12). yahoo.com/news/politics/articles/gop-speaker-bashes-thomas-m
3. AP via WDIV ClickOnDetroit, “Speaker Johnson refuses to allow Epstein vote as House set to recess early” (2025-07-22). clickondetroit.com/news/politics/2025/07/22/speaker-johnson-
4. AP via WHYY, “House votes overwhelmingly to force release of Epstein files, sending bill to Senate” (2025-11-18). whyy.org/articles/jeffrey-epstein-files-release-house-vote/
5. NPR via WRVO, “House votes to approve releasing the Epstein files by a near unanimous margin” (2025-11-18). wrvo.org/2025-11-18/house-votes-to-approve-releasing-the-eps
6. MeidasTouch via Yahoo News, “Massie, Khanna Say They Have Secured 218 Signatures for New Epstein Files Vote” (2026-09-18). yahoo.com/news/politics/articles/massie-khanna-secured-218-s
7. MS NOW (MaddowBlog), “Members go around Speaker Johnson again, advance Epstein Files Transparency Act sequel” (2026-09-18). ms.now/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/epstein-files-transpare

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