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House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., sharpened his criticism of Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., on Tuesday as the debate over how to handle transparency in the Jeffrey Epstein case rages on Capitol Hill.
“I would describe virtually everything Thomas Massie says, as related to this issue, as meaningless,” Johnson told reporters, delivering his harshest remarks yet against the Kentucky Republican.
The jab came minutes before Massie introduced a measure designed to bypass Johnson and force a vote on legislation compelling the release of a wide range of Department of Justice (DOJ) records tied to Epstein. Johnson, meanwhile, is backing a separate resolution authorizing the House Oversight Committee’s inquiry into the case.
Massie and Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., are spearheading a discharge petition — a rare procedural move that allows lawmakers to circumvent leadership if a majority of House members sign on.
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Speaker Mike Johnson and Rep. Thomas Massie exchanged harsh words in the press as the fight over how to promote transparency in Jeffrey Epstein’s case continues. (Getty Images)
Massie told Fox News Digital he expected enough signatures to hit that threshold by the end of this week.
“I think there’s a real good chance of that,” he said.
As of Tuesday afternoon, the petition had two signatures: Massie and Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass.
Asked about Johnson’s comments, Massie blasted House leaders’ measure as a “placebo resolution.”
“He copied three pages out of my resolution. I mean, we wrote this from scratch. So if he thinks it’s meaningless, why is he copying it and taking the teeth out of it?” Massie said. “He is afraid of President Donald Trump. Mike Johnson’s speakership just hangs on that thread.”
House Oversight and Accountability Committee Chair James Comer is leading a bipartisan probe into the handling of Epstein’s case. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
The DOJ has already begun turning over thousands of files to the Oversight Committee under a bipartisan subpoena, though at least some redactions are expected.
Johnson argued his approach balances transparency with privacy concerns for Epstein’s victims.
He told reporters Tuesday, “I would not put much stock into what Thomas Massie says.”
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“The House Republicans have been very consistent about maximum disclosure and maximum transparency with the Epstein files, but we had to do it in a way that would protect the innocent victims of these horrific crimes,” Johnson said. “We have achieved that. Now we have a resolution that will accomplish that desired end. And what people want to do with this for political purpose is, to me, this is really just shameful.”
Massie and Khanna plan to hold a press conference Wednesday with several of Epstein’s victims to promote their resolution. Those victims also met Tuesday with Johnson and members of the Oversight Committee.
The showdown underscores intensifying GOP divisions over how to handle the DOJ’s handling of Epstein’s case, which was reignited after an internal memo effectively declared the matter closed earlier this year.
