The battle over whether the Trump administration should release files on deceased sexual predator Jeffery Epstein could become a political problem for at least one member of Minnesota’s GOP delegation: Michelle Fischbach.

House Speaker Mike Johnson is shutting the House down early for its August recess to head off a Democratic push to vote on the Epstein case, which has become a political liability for President Trump. But Fischbach, who fended off a tough primary challenge last year in her deep red western Minnesota district, has already had to vote multiple times to block the release of the files due to her membership on the House Rules Committee.

The move has angered some of the right-wing activist base that’s dominated Republican politics in her district, including conservative group Action 4 Liberty (A4L). They’ve warned that the Epstein issue could be “the straw that breaks the camel’s back” for the base.

“Congress’ participation in the Epstein cover-up may come back to haunt them,” A4L said in a post about Fischbach’s recent votes, calling for the congresswoman to face a primary challenge.

Fischbach’s office did not respond to requests for comment, both in person and through her office, and took to social media to blame Democrats, arguing they had several years to release the Epstein files under former President Joe Biden.

Loyal followers of President Donald Trump had seen an opening in his second term to get answers on the powerful individuals that may have been affiliated with Epstein, who allegedly kept a client list. But the Trump administration — and now the Republican-controlled Congress — has blocked attempts to force the federal government to release the Epstein files.

Democrats have seen an opportunity to force Republicans on the record on Epstein, pushing amendments to require the release of the files.

Fischbach joined all but one Republican on the Rules Committee last Monday in voting down a Democratic amendment that would require the attorney general to release the Epstein files. The next day, she and the Republican conference blocked a procedural move from Democrats that would have brought the amendment up for a vote in front of the full Congress.

Fischbach and the rest of the Republicans on the committee also blocked a bill that would release the Epstein files. Instead, Republicans voted for a non-binding resolution they put together that similarly calls for the federal government’s release of the files but in a non-enforceable way.

Democrats on the committee decried the GOP resolution as nothing more than a “glorified press release” that would allow Republicans to take cover on the issue if it ever came up for a vote.

Republicans were eager this week to put the issue behind them in the hopes that Trump, who’s asked Attorney General Pam Bondi to release grand jury testimony on Epstein, would take the matter out of their hands by the time they return from August recess in September.

Johnson won’t bring the GOP resolution to the House floor before lawmakers leave for August recess at the end of the week. And he canceled all scheduled votes after Wednesday so lawmakers could begin recess earlier than expected to duck having to play “political games” on the Epstein drama, he said.

Fischbach said after her Monday vote that Democrats were playing “games” for attaching the amendment to a larger legislative package.

Though she handily won her Republican primary and general election last year, Fischbach’s GOP opponent, Steve Boyd, blocked her from securing the party’s endorsement. He was backed by the conservative grassroots base.

Boyd declined to comment on Fischbach’s recent votes, but didn’t rule out running against her in 2026.

“I haven’t made any final decisions on whether I will run again,” Boyd said in a text message.

Seventh District Republicans have had to wrestle with a conservative base that’s challenged both Fischbach and the former leadership of the local party.

Earlier this year, grassroots activists from Otter Tail County helped propel now Congressional District Seven Chair Bret Bussman to victory, who ousted former chair Craig Bishop, a Fischbach staffer.

Action 4 Liberty marked Bussman’s victory as a win for the grassroots base giving him a “major opportunity to restore fairness to the process and expand the conservative, MAGA base,” they said.

But asked to comment on Fischbach’s recent votes, Bussman initially declined before he spoke with the congresswoman first.

He later provided a statement to the Minnesota Star Tribune, defending Fischbach and echoing the congresswoman and other Republicans’ defense of the Epstein votes.

“Unlike the Democrats’ half-baked amendment, the Republican resolution prioritizes protecting the victims of Epstein’s disgusting acts,” Bussman wrote.

“Rep. Fischbach and other Republicans are committed to transparency and holding the government accountable, as well as ensuring no victims are hurt further as they seek the truth,” Bussman added.

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