House, California lawmakers vote overwhelmingly to release Epstein files
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- House voted to release Justice Department Epstein files; California GOP joined.
- 218-signature petition triggered floor vote; final signature arrived after vacancy filled.
- Trump shifted to support release after GOP pressure; files now head to Senate.
California’s House Republicans, who did not support this summer’s bid to get a House vote to release the Epstein files, Tuesday joined Democrats to support the bill authorizing their release.
The 427-1 vote — Rep. Clay Higgins, R-La., was the only dissenter — came two days after President Donald Trump’s change of heart on releasing Justice Department material on convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Trump had fought hard to stop or delay the release; Sunday, he dropped his opposition as more and more Republicans said they’d vote for the release.
The first step in this process involved a petition begun this summer to force the House vote. There were 218 signatures, a majority of the House, needed for floor action, and 214 were Democrats while four were Republicans. None of the Republicans were from California.
The bill now goes to the Senate, which is expected to approve it, and then to Trump, who said he will sign it.
California Republicans weigh in
Rep. Kevin Kiley, R-Roseville, had said two days before Trump’s Sunday statement that he would vote to release the files.
“I have always supported transparency in this process, consistent with protecting victims. Both the victims and the American people deserve answers so we can move forward, and that’s why I will vote to release the files. This should not be a partisan issue,” Kiley said.
He did not sign the “discharge petition” to compel the House to vote. Members of the majority party historically have been reluctant to do so, because it can be seen as defying the leadership as well as upsetting the regular way the House does business.
“I’ve never signed a discharge petition on any piece of legislation,” he told The Bee. “I tend to think a discharge is a nuclear option that should be saved for something of paramount importance for your district.”
Rep. Doug LaMalfa, R-Chico, had similar thoughts.
“I don’t do discharges against our own team here,” he said. He said the bill was flawed and hoped sensitive information would be “properly redacted” so that the names of victims and others would not have sensitive information disclosed.
Rep. Tom McClintock, R-Elk Grove, voted yes on the bill. He noted that “for four years, the Biden administration did not release a single document related to the Epstein investigation. Not one. “
The Trump administration, the congressman said, “has released thousands of pages so far. And somehow it’s Trump who’s hiding something? Trump is right: release everything.”
Resistance to a vote on Epstein
The effort to force the vote was led by Reps. Ro Khanna, D-Santa Clara, and Thomas Massie, R-Ky. They quickly got more than 200 signatures when they sought support this summer, but stalled one short of what was needed.
The House then held no voting sessions from Sept. 19 until it voted last week on ending the federal shutdown. Rep. Adelita Grijalva, D-Ariz., who was elected Sept. 23, was finally sworn in last week and within minutes provided the deciding signature.
Trump and his allies fought hard to keep them from the public. But pressure grew last week, when the Democrats on the House Oversight Committee released documents that showed Epstein discussing Trump.
Epstein said Trump “knew about the girls” and was a “dog that hasn’t barked.” Epstein, who died by suicide in 2019, did not elaborate.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., had been vocal in demanding the release, annoying Trump to the point where he said he no longer supported her.
Last week, one of the Republican petition signers, Rep. Lauren Bobert, R-Colo., was called to the White House situation room to talk about her decision.
Sunday, Trump relented. “House Republicans should vote to release the Epstein files, because we have nothing to hide, and it’s time to move on from this Democrat Hoax,” he said on his Truth Social website.
This story was originally published November 18, 2025 at 12:44 PM.
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