Massie warns blocking Epstein vote in the House could be political liability for GOP in midterms

House Speaker Mike Johnson connected Sunday criticized the propulsion to unit a ballot successful the U.S. House connected releasing much federal files pertaining to enactment offender Jeffrey Epstein arsenic "reckless," portion the measure's co-sponsors fired backmost against Republican Party leadership.

"House Republicans importune upon the merchandise of each credible grounds and accusation related to Epstein successful immoderate way," Johnson, R-La., said connected NBC News.

"But we are besides insisting upon the extortion of guiltless victims," Johnson continued.

"And our interest is that the ... discharge petition is reckless successful the mode that it is drafted and presented, it does not adequately see those protections," helium added, referring to the measurement introduced by Reps. Reps. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., and Ro Khanna, D-Calif.

Meanwhile, Massie and Khanna took to the airwaves connected Sunday to support their measure — and knock the Republican leadership, whom they spot arsenic lasting successful the mode of holding a ballot connected the measures.

Massie and Khanna some repudiated the allegations that releasing the Epstein files would wounded victims of the financier and convicted enactment abuser.

In an interrogation connected NBC News, Massie said that Johnson was making a "straw antheral argument" erstwhile the talker said that the measure does not see protections for victims.

"Ro and I cautiously crafted this authorities truthful that the victims' names volition beryllium redacted and that nary kid pornography volition beryllium released," Massie said.

The lawmaker's comments underscore the ongoing divisions wrong the GOP implicit the Epstein files, which proceed to substance conspiracy theories among the party's MAGA basal and infuriate immoderate of President Donald Trump's strongest supporters.

On Friday, Trump deflected questions astir Epstein, a erstwhile friend. Epstein died from termination portion successful jailhouse weeks aft being arrested connected kid enactment trafficking charges successful 2019.

"I person thing to bash with the guy," Trump said of the antheral helium had socialized with for years earlier a falling retired successful the mid-2000s with the convicted pedophile.

The Trump medication has faced increasing backlash successful caller weeks aft the Justice Department walked backmost connected earlier plans to merchandise the files related to Epstein's case.

Massie besides criticized Johnson connected Sunday for opening its August recess early successful the U.S. House, avoiding being forced to instrumentality the ballot connected the motions related to the Epstein files.

"The question is, wherefore isn't Mike Johnson having this vote? Why did helium nonstop america location early?" Massie said connected ABC News.

He besides warned of the governmental implications if Johnson does not clasp a ballot connected the bill.

"I'll archer you what's politically going to beryllium a liability is, if we don't ballot connected this, and we spell into the midterms and everybody ... they conscionable cheque retired due to the fact that Republicans didn't support their promise," helium said.

"We'll suffer the majority," helium continued.

Massie said that helium thinks unit volition physique to clasp a ballot connected it done the August recess period.

Some Democrats, including Reps. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) are besides backing the bill.

Massie was besides asked however helium would respond if Trump granted convicted Epstein accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell some signifier of clemency.

"I don't deliberation she deserves that oregon needs that," Massie said connected ABC News, adding that "it's hard to judge that she, herself, and Epstein did these crimes by themselves," which means it's "time to find retired who other was involved," by evaluating documents, slope records and others including plea bargains antecedently nether seal.

In caller days, Maxwell was granted limited immunity by the Justice Department to reply questions astir the Jeffrey Epstein case.

This benignant of immunity allowed Maxwell to reply questions from Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, Trump's erstwhile idiosyncratic lawyer, without fearfulness that the accusation she provided could aboriginal beryllium utilized against her successful immoderate aboriginal cases oregon proceedings.

When Johnson was asked what helium thought of a imaginable pardon for Maxwell, helium reiterated that the determination is yet up to Trump.

"Obviously that's a determination of the president," Johnson said, adding, "that's not my lane."