How the government shutdown is thwarting efforts to shed light on Epstein's case

The government shutdown is delaying proceedings in Congress’ investigation into Jeffrey Epstein, affecting a measure to require the release of files in the possession of the federal government and holding up testimony from key figures.

Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican, has kept the House of Representatives out of session for two weeks and counting as part of his party’s strategy to pressure Senate Democrats into voting for their resolution to fund the government.

That has slowed down the House Oversight Committee’s investigation into the late pedophile and held a petition demanding the release of the files at bay.

Bill and Hillary Clinton were expected to testify before the panel over the past few weeks but have yet to appear.

And Johnson has declined to swear into office Representative-elect Adelita Grijalva, a Democrat from Arizona who would be the crucial 218th vote on a discharge petition from Kentucky Republican Thomas Massie that would demand a vote on the release of the government’s Epstein files.

Republicans on the Oversight panel argue there are no delays and the Clintons will eventually appear.

“There are no delays and the postponement of the depositions has nothing to do with the government shutdown. We are in communication with the Clintons’ attorneys to schedule their appearance before the Committee,” a spokesperson for the Republicans on the committee told the Miami Herald.

Both Clintons were subpoenaed in early August by Republicans. Hillary Clinton had been expected to testify on Oct. 9 and Bill Clinton was scheduled for Tuesday.

Bill Clinton flew on Epstein’s private jet and was one of many figures who contributed a message to a “birthday book” for him. The former president has said he wishes he had never met Epstein.

A spokesperson for the Clintons didn’t respond to a request for comment.

Democrats on the panel fault the Republicans and the shutdown for the delay.

“House Republicans would rather keep our government shut down than further this Epstein investigation,” said Sara Guerrero, a spokesperson for Oversight Committee Democrats.

“The majority should be having hearings, enforcing subpoenas like the one they sent to [Epstein associate] Ghislaine Maxwell, and working day and night to get to the bottom of this. Oversight Democrats are here and ready to work for the American people.”

Other committee hearings have been affected due to the shutdown. Attorney General Pam Bondi was scheduled to testify before the House Judiciary Committee on Oct. 8, but that was postponed.

Meanwhile, Arizona is threatening to sue Johnson for not seating their newly-elected congresswoman. Grijalva’s victory was officially certified on Tuesday. She is replacing her late father in his House seat.

Johnson said he will swear her into office once the government reopens.

“She won her election after the House was out of session, so we’ve not had a full session,” the speaker told reporters on Capitol Hill on Tuesday.

“She deserves to have all the pomp and circumstances everybody else does. She deserves to have a full House of members and go down and do the speech and have her family and friends in the balcony. That hasn’t been scheduled because we haven’t had that session.”

Democrats argue Johnson, using his power as speaker, can swear her in at any time. They point out two Florida Republicans — Randy Fine and Jimmy Patronis — were sworn in during a pro forma session on April 2, the day after their special elections.

There is no formal rule requiring the House to be in session to seat a member of Congress.

“This is a massive White House coverup and now Mike Johnson is involved,” said Rep. Robert Garcia, the ranking Democrat on the Oversight panel.

Garcia is also demanding Republicans on the committee call in Maxwell to testify. She was subpoenaed by the panel but Committee Chairman James Comer allowed her to postpone her testimony until the Supreme Court decided whether to hear her case. Earlier this month the high court declined to add it to their docket.

Grijalva’s case may be in court soon.

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes, a Democrat, said she will file suit if Johnson doesn’t swear Grijalva in over the next two days.

Grijalva would be the final signature needed on the procedural measure called a discharge petition. Once the petition hits the 218 mark, it will force a vote by the full House on a measure by Massie requiring the Department of Justice to release all its unclassified Epstein documents, bypassing party leadership, which typically decides what legislation is voted upon.

“Speaker Johnson is stalling because he knows I will be the 218th signature on the discharge petition to release the Epstein files,” Grijalva has said.

She and her supporters have enacted a pressure campaign on the speaker, including a march through the Capital on Tuesday to Johnson’s office, demanding a swearing-in ceremony.

“What is he afraid of? Epstein!” the group of Democrats sang during their march.

Fellow Arizona lawmakers are also piling on, holding a rally in front of the Capital on Wednesday morning.

“Speaker Johnson is protecting pedophiles, that’s what this is about,” Senator Ruben Gallego, Democrat of Arizona, said. “The only thing that’s been consistent the whole time is that Speaker Johnson is covering up for pedophiles.”

Both political parties, however, have dug in when it comes to the shutdown, each wanting the other to give.

Democrats are demanding protections for Obamacare subsidies to keep health insurance premiums from increasing.

And Republicans want Democrats to accept their stopgap bill to fund the government through Nov. 21. The House has already passed the stopgap, which is why Johnson is keeping his lawmakers home — to increase the pressure on the Senate to approve it.

President Donald Trump is also weighing in and said on Tuesday he’ll use the opportunity the shutdown brings to close “Democrat programs that we want to close up or we never wanted to happen.”

“The Democrats are getting killed on the shutdown because we’re closing up programs that are Democrat programs that we were opposed to. So, we’re being and — and they’re never going to come back in many cases,” Trump said, when asked when he’d bring the parties together to negotiate.

The longest government shutdown on record was 35 days. It took place in Trump’s first administration.