In a move that has sent shockwaves through Capitol Hill, Speaker Mike Johnson abruptly shut down the House of Representatives just hours after the U.S. Treasury handed over critical financial records tied to Jeffrey Epstein’s sex trafficking operation. What was initially framed as a routine closure now appears to be a calculated effort to stall a growing congressional investigation into one of the darkest scandals in recent history.
According to a stunning report from Beltway News, the first batch of documents delivered to the House Oversight Committee contained detailed records exposing suspicious transactions from Epstein’s bank accounts and a ledger connecting him to potential co-conspirators. But rather than allowing lawmakers to dig deeper, Johnson canceled all floor votes and ordered House Republicans out of Washington — effectively grinding the investigation to a halt and freezing any further cooperation from the Treasury.
Rep. Yassamin Ansari (D-Ariz.), a member of the Oversight Committee, didn’t mince words. She believes Johnson’s shutdown was a deliberate move to shield powerful figures implicated in Epstein’s financial web, and that it was done at the direction of President Donald Trump. “I have just been so mind blown by the cover up that’s underway right now by the Trump White House over this,” Ansari said.
The pattern of obstruction is all too familiar. Earlier this year, Johnson abruptly started the summer recess weeks ahead of schedule to avoid a vote on releasing Epstein’s files. “Mike Johnson — what’s most egregious to me is, he sat in the room with Epstein and Maxwell’s victims, and he said all sorts of things to them about how he empathizes and how he will be there for them and make sure there’s accountability,” Ansari explained. “And then he also made sure to say, ‘let’s keep this investigation to the Oversight Committee. We shouldn’t talk about this in any other committee in Congress.’”
By confining the investigation to the Oversight Committee, Johnson created a controlled environment—one that appears designed to look supportive but, in reality, suffocates the pursuit of justice behind layers of bureaucracy.
What makes this recent Treasury cooperation all the more baffling is the sudden turnaround from Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. For nine months, Bessent had denied requests for Epstein’s financial documents from a Senate investigation, and many expected the House to meet the same stonewall. But then, seemingly out of nowhere, Bessent agreed to cooperate, delivering the first batch of records on September 19.
The timing couldn’t have been worse for Johnson: that very same morning, he shut down the House, sending Republicans packing even though it practically guaranteed a federal government shutdown.
Johnson’s obstruction extended beyond just the financial records. He refused to swear in Representative-elect Adelita Grijalva (D-Ariz.), who had won a special election on September 23 and was ready to take her seat in Congress. While that might seem unrelated, Ansari sees a direct connection. “This is also a matter of wanting to protect rich and powerful men who likely have appointments at the highest levels of our government,” she said. “I have no doubt that the delay for Adelita Grijalva’s swearing-in is related. So much of what’s happened is related.”
It’s no secret that Trump has ordered Republicans to block any votes that could shed light on Epstein’s sex trafficking ring. His administration has gone so far as to clear Epstein’s estate without pressing charges and pushed the narrative that Epstein had no clients, despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary.
Democrats on the Oversight Committee, including Ansari, have published partial Treasury documents that contradict the administration’s claims. Hidden among heavily redacted pages are the names of billionaires Elon Musk, Peter Thiel, and Bill Gates—names that have sparked widespread speculation and outrage.
Many members of Congress are pushing hard to release the full Department of Justice’s Epstein Files. But due to Trump’s influence, these bills have been blocked from reaching the House floor.
That’s where Grijalva’s delayed swearing-in plays a crucial role. Kentucky Republican Rep. Thomas Massie has been leading an effort to force a vote through a discharge petition—a rare procedural tool that can bypass the Speaker’s control. Massie’s petition currently has 217 signatures, just one short of the 218 needed to bring the Epstein Files to a vote. Grijalva’s seat would provide that final signature.
Johnson’s refusal to swear in Grijalva is a clear move to keep that vote out of reach. After closing the House, he announced she would only be sworn in when the chamber reconvenes on October 7, then extended the recess to October 13, delaying her seat even further.
“I believe, as many of us believe, that they didn’t swear her in because they don’t want the 218th vote for the Epstein files to open,” said Rep. Robin Kelly (D-IL). “They are not slick, and we are not stupid.”
What’s happening on Capitol Hill is no longer just a political maneuver—it’s a brazen attempt to keep the Epstein scandal buried, to protect the powerful, and to deny victims the accountability they deserve. With the House closed, the files locked away, and votes blocked, the question remains: how long will justice wait?
