House Republicans shut down an effort by Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) to release more details about the death and activities of Jeffrey Epstein, the wealthy financier whose ties to powerful figures have stirred conspiracy theories for years.
The vote in the House Rules Committee took place Monday evening and ended in a 5-7 defeat. Only Rep. Ralph Norman, a Republican from South Carolina, joined Democrats in supporting Khanna’s amendment. Rep. Chip Roy of Texas abstained from voting.
The vote came amid growing frustration in the MAGA world, where many supporters of President Donald Trump feel betrayed by his administration’s failure to release Epstein’s alleged “client list.” These Trump supporters believe the list, tied to Epstein’s history as a convicted sex offender, could expose powerful figures involved in sex trafficking.
However, Attorney General Pam Bondi recently dismissed the claims, saying there is no evidence to back them up. Trump also urged his followers to “move on,” which only deepened the anger among his base.
Democrats, eager to capitalize on the situation, wasted no time criticizing Trump and the GOP for breaking their promise.
“People are fed up. They are fed up,” Khanna wrote on social media after the vote. “Need to put the American people before party!”
