Schumer to force a vote in the Senate compelling DOJ to release Epstein files

WASHINGTON — In a surprise move, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., on Wednesday moved to force a floor vote to compel the Justice Department to release all of its records related to the Jeffrey Epstein case.

Schumer said that he would be forcing a vote on an amendment to the sweeping defense policy bill, and that his amendment would mirror the language of bipartisan legislation from Reps. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., and Ro Khanna, D-Calif., who have vowed to force a similar vote in the House.

“There has been so much lying, obfuscation, cover-ups, the American people need to see everything that’s in the Epstein file, and my amendment would make that happen,” Schumer told reporters.

“Look, the bottom line is the American people need to see this. Donald Trump has lied about this,” Schumer continued. “There has been so many lies, so much prevarication, so much cover-up. The American people, Democrats, independents, Republicans are demanding it be made public, and it should be. We hope Republicans will vote for it. They should.”

It’s not clear when the Senate vote on the Epstein files would happen — no votes are currently expected in the chamber on Wednesday. And rather than on the legislation itself, the vote could be on a Republican motion to table or kill the amendment.

Either way, the move is significant because Senate Republicans have largely avoided voting on the issue of the Epstein files. And all senators will be put on record on the matter.

The Senate is currently plodding through consideration of the annual defense policy bill, known as the National Defense Authorization Act, or NDAA, which is not expected to be completed this week.

Schumer's surprise move comes just two days after the House Oversight Committee, which is investigating the Epstein case, released a new trove of documents stemming from a subpoena the panel had sent to Epstein's estate.

That trove included a lewd note Trump allegedly sent Epstein that was part of a book compiled for Epstein's 50th birthday. Trump has repeatedly denied that he wrote the note and filed a lawsuit in July against The Wall Street Journal, which first reported on its existence. Speaking to NBC News on Tuesday, Trump called the letter a "dead issue."

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“I don’t comment on something that’s a dead issue,” Trump said in a brief phone call. “I gave all comments to the staff. It’s a dead issue.”

In the House, the “discharge petition” to force a vote on the Massie-Khanna legislation is on track to succeed. It currently has 216 signatures — including all Democrats and four Republicans — and needs just two more. Those two are expected to arrive this month in the form of a newly elected Democrat in a Virginia special election and another safe blue seat in Arizona that will get a special election in late September.

Massie told NBC News on Tuesday that the four Republicans who have signed on are solidly behind the effort and won’t bow to pressure to remove their names. He said there are other GOP lawmakers who have signaled to him they are open to signing the petition, but prefer not to get crosswise with Trump or party leaders publicly if their votes aren't needed to pass it.

“There’s some on the fence,” Massie said. “My pitch to them is we’re going to get there anyways, you might as well be on the right side of history while there’s still two slots. But that hasn’t compelled anybody.”

Massie said he’s certain the vote count on the bill will be larger than the number of signatories on the discharge petition, which is seen as a hostile move against House GOP leaders, as it effectively takes control of the floor away from them.

He said an overwhelming House vote would pressure the Senate to take up and pass the legislation.

“I would like to get at least a two-thirds vote here in the House and send that message. That’s my goal,” Massie said. “Maybe it’s ambitious, but I also think even if it passes with simple majorities in both chambers, that’s a hard veto for the president to make — a really hard veto, especially given his personal connection to Jeffrey Epstein.”