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Dulcinea

(9,461 posts)
Fri Nov 14, 2025, 08:18 AM Friday

Johnson shifts strategy on Epstein files vote - as GOP leaders brace for mass defections

(CNN) House Speaker Mike Johnson decided to quickly schedule a House vote on an effort to force the release of all of the Jeffrey Epstein case files once the calculation was made that it couldn’t be stopped.

The decision marked a shift in strategy for Johnson and the White House, who had long sought to delay the process, ​three sources told CNN.

House GOP leaders are bracing for a significant number of Republicans to break from President Donald Trump and support the bipartisan bill led by GOP Rep. Thomas Massie and Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna calling for the Justice Department to release the Epstein files — as supporters push for a veto-proof majority.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/johnson-shifts-strategy-epstein-files-223104680.html

23 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Johnson shifts strategy on Epstein files vote - as GOP leaders brace for mass defections (Original Post) Dulcinea Friday OP
Who's going on record to protect pedophiles? surfered Friday #1
Actions will speak much louder than their lies, as always! SheltieLover Friday #2
Birds of a feather will be flocking together in that vote. cstanleytech Friday #5
Expect many Repug abstentions. Sneederbunk Friday #8
And the real hypocritical thing is that Johnson tried to make it a voice vote Bluetus Saturday #20
MAGA bootlickers IronLionZion Friday #9
Did he shut down the House again.............. Lovie777 Friday #3
Just a thought, but... 3825-87867 Friday #4
But no joke, YodaMom2 Friday #14
Not sure: There may be many honest FBI agents who made copies... Justice matters. Friday #19
That isn't the biggest risk Bluetus Saturday #21
What does this mean? Is he now pushing for a Friday night news dump? Baitball Blogger Friday #6
Is he trying to get the vote done before there is a veto-proof majority? n/t NH Ethylene Friday #7
I suspect quite a few of the Republicans would like to be rid of tRump one way or another. diane in sf Friday #10
Makes one wonder if there might be impeachment proceedings coming KS Toronado Friday #18
which makes them even bigger cowards Skittles Saturday #23
They should have done this from the very beginning -- take the hit and get it over with, don't just drag it out over Fil1957 Friday #11
Anyone voting against the release of the Epstein files sdfernando Friday #12
Has there ever been a worse Speaker? Johnson is horrible! young_at_heart Friday #13
Trump will veto any Epstein release bill that passes Zorro Friday #15
Hopefully the vote is veto proof. OLDMDDEM Friday #16
That's not the big picture Bluetus Saturday #22
K&R BlueWavePsych Friday #17

Bluetus

(1,933 posts)
20. And the real hypocritical thing is that Johnson tried to make it a voice vote
Sat Nov 15, 2025, 04:30 PM
Saturday

so that Republicans would not have to be on record.

Fortunately the House is not run by Schumer. If Schumer were running that, he would have agreed to a voice vote under the theory that we have to protect Bill Clinton or something.

IronLionZion

(50,362 posts)
9. MAGA bootlickers
Fri Nov 14, 2025, 10:40 AM
Friday

Megyn Kelly is on the record on her show trying to minimize the crimes like a true deplorable.

3825-87867

(1,719 posts)
4. Just a thought, but...
Fri Nov 14, 2025, 08:45 AM
Friday

something smells rotten in D.C!

Heard a rumor the Powers That Be ordered a million bucks worth of paper shredders, 200,000 gallons of gas , a new larger, "more comfortable" coffin for the Latest Ex Ms. Trump and a total renovation for part of the First Tee of his NJ golf course. He's also de-turfing some old land and putting up The Ivana Parking Lot! (Giant Stadium was full!)

YodaMom2

(138 posts)
14. But no joke,
Fri Nov 14, 2025, 12:10 PM
Friday

with the 1,000+ FBI agents that *sshole had combing through the records, I’d be willing to bet that whatever is released will be so heavily redacted that it will be unreadable.

Justice matters.

(9,119 posts)
19. Not sure: There may be many honest FBI agents who made copies...
Fri Nov 14, 2025, 04:09 PM
Friday

Ethical FBI agents who really don't like the criminal bondi-patel-bongino cover up just waiting for the right moment to be 'anonymous' leakers... (to help save democracy and be Heroes).

Bluetus

(1,933 posts)
21. That isn't the biggest risk
Sat Nov 15, 2025, 04:35 PM
Saturday

The redactions will mostly be obvious that they involved Trump. And the redactions may look worse than the truth for Trump. The committee will be able to subpoena testimony from the lawyers who scrubbed this stuff.

The bigger issue is that Trump's Doj has probably already destroyed the most incriminating evidence. These people are completely lawless.

Skittles

(168,672 posts)
23. which makes them even bigger cowards
Sat Nov 15, 2025, 09:18 PM
Saturday

they have been covering for Trump instead of serving WE THE PEOPLE

Fil1957

(407 posts)
11. They should have done this from the very beginning -- take the hit and get it over with, don't just drag it out over
Fri Nov 14, 2025, 11:07 AM
Friday

several months...

sdfernando

(5,974 posts)
12. Anyone voting against the release of the Epstein files
Fri Nov 14, 2025, 11:32 AM
Friday

is protecting pedophiles....FULL STOP!

The campaign ads will write themselves and should be plastered everywhere in every one of their districts. Online ads, social media campaigns, TV/cable, EVERYWHERE! Make them OWN this vote and see how many get reelected....that along with the dummymandering in Texas could swing the house way over to the Democratic side

young_at_heart

(3,984 posts)
13. Has there ever been a worse Speaker? Johnson is horrible!
Fri Nov 14, 2025, 11:32 AM
Friday

Just listening to him speak makes my blood pressure rise.....something I can't afford to have happen!

Bluetus

(1,933 posts)
22. That's not the big picture
Sat Nov 15, 2025, 04:53 PM
Saturday

This vote puts the pedo enablers on record. And most MAGA people seem to still be strongly in the camp to release the files. Some of them evidently believe it will nail Hunter Biden or Bill Clinton or Jimmy Carter or something, but not Trump. But many other MAGA people have had enough of Trump. That seems to be where MTG is, and there are many MAGA people in her camp.

The key will be how many Republicans in the House vote for release. If it is only the 4 who signed the petition, then nothing will come as a result. It will never get a vote in the Senate.

But let's say 50 Republicans in the House vote against Trump . In that case, this could spook the Senate Republicans. I mean, we just had a very lopsided election that would have been an historic disaster for Republicans if it were the mid-terms. If this is closely followed by the House throwing Trump under the bus, that could set many things in motion, including some Cabinet members and Vance distancing themselves from Poison Don.

And remember that the FBI has been showing Republicans evidence (pictures) that everyone describes as much worse than anything that has been reported publicly. If Senators see that evidence and also see the House running away from Trump, even thing could change quickly. We could very plausibly see that Watergate-style call on the President, "Sir, I'm afraid there are not the votes to save you. You have to resign."

Everybody hates Trump, with the possible exception of Miller. If they see him wobbly, they will want to finish him off.

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