A political time bomb is ticking on Capitol Hill — and it’s got the name Epstein written all over it.
Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) lit a fuse Wednesday, claiming House Republicans are quietly preparing to revolt against their own leadership over sealed documents tied to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. According to Swalwell, frustration is boiling over, and it’s not just Democrats pushing for transparency anymore.
“It’s coming to an end guys. I’ve spoken to a lot of House Republicans this week and they’ve confided that Trump’s movement/support is fading,” Swalwell posted on X. “As one told me, ‘this Epstein bomb is about to drop and no [one] wants to defend a pedo-protector. It’s just a matter of time.’”
Swalwell didn’t stop there. He claims a GOP jailbreak is imminent.
“One Republican just texted me that if there’s a discharge vote on Epstein they expect a ‘jail break’ of over 100 members. Trump will go nuts!”
If accurate, that would mean a massive breach in party ranks — a rare moment of bipartisan alignment on an issue that’s haunted both sides of the aisle for years.
Jeffrey Epstein died in a federal jail cell in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. Since then, pressure has mounted on the Department of Justice to release unredacted files that could reveal who was connected to his operation — and how far the alleged cover-ups go.
The current flashpoint? A discharge petition — a rarely used congressional maneuver that forces a vote on a stalled bill — spearheaded by Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.). The petition demands the release of those Epstein files, and according to Massie, House leadership is doing everything they can to dodge it.
“Why are we in recess? Because the day we go back into session, I have 218 votes for the discharge petition to force a vote on releasing the Epstein files,” Massie posted on X on Sunday.
218 votes is the magic number. It means bypassing leadership and forcing the House to act — which may explain some recent head-scratching maneuvers.
The Grijalva Delay
Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) has delayed the swearing-in of Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva (D-Ariz.), who is expected to sign the petition as soon as she’s officially in office.
Democrats are accusing Johnson of slow-walking her induction specifically to block the Epstein vote. Johnson denies that, insisting she’ll be sworn in once the government shutdown standoff is resolved.
“It has nothing to do with that at all. We will swear her in when everybody gets back,” Johnson said in a press conference.
But behind the scenes, it looks a lot like political sandbagging.
Even far-right firebrand Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) is feeling the heat — and she’s already signed the petition.
“My signature is on that discharge petition, and there has not been another issue where I have ever received more pressure than that one, and I’m pretty much shocked by it. I can’t imagine — I’ve never understood how this is an issue,” Greene told NewsNation’s Blake Burman on Tuesday.
Greene’s comment cuts through the noise: if the Epstein files weren’t politically dangerous, they’d have been released years ago. The fact that both hardcore Trump loyalists and progressive Democrats are aligned on this shows just how radioactive this issue has become.
If Swalwell’s prediction holds, over 100 House Republicans could break ranks in what he calls a “jail break.” Combined with the full support of House Democrats, that would all but guarantee the petition succeeds and forces a floor vote.
That would not only be a direct challenge to House leadership — it would also put the heat back on President Donald Trump, who’s been accused by critics of being too cozy with Epstein and his associates.
No one knows what’s in the full Epstein files. But the lengths to which some in Congress are going to not have that vote? That speaks volumes.
