Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) accused Republicans of shielding "rich and powerful men" linked to alleged sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein after the House Rules Committee voted to block his amendment calling for the full release of the Epstein files.
Khanna argued the decision exposed the deep influence of Epstein's wealthy and politically connected associates over Washington politics.
Khanna: Last night the speaker's rules committee voted to block my amendment that called for the full release of the Epstein files.. You ask why did they vote this way? Because these rich and powerful men donate to the politicians in Washington, D.C... They are foreign leaders who... pic.twitter.com/t9k8eYiMhP
— Acyn (@Acyn) July 15, 2025
"Let's just be clear: they voted to protect rich and powerful men who were abusing, assaulting, and abandoning young women. That's what this vote is about," he said.
"Why did they vote this way?" Khanna continued. "Because these rich and powerful men donate to the politicians in Washington, DC, play golf with the elites...They are foreign leaders who we don't want to offend, they interact with our intelligence agencies."
"There is something rotten in Washington," he added, framing the fight as a choice between protecting the public or shielding the powerful. "Are you on the side of America's children? Or are you on the side of the rich and powerful who have had their thumb on the scales and shafted Americans for decades?"
The Democrat vowed to force another vote on the measure, praising Republicans like Ralph Norman, Marjorie Taylor Greene, and Thomas Massie for backing full disclosure of the Epstein files. "It's not just a question of Epstein, it's a question of trust in our democracy ... and the rebirth of a nation that stands for our children," he concluded.
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Last week, the FBI and Department of Justice concluded in a memo that the Epstein files contained no new information regarding Epstein's prison suicide or any information about his clients. The announcement shocked many followers of the case, particularly in light of repeated promises from FBI Director Kash Patel and Attorney General Pam Bondi to completely declassify the files.
Backlash among MAGA Republicans, long dedicated to President Donald Trump's commitment to "drain the swamp," has been particularly strong.
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