Massie on Epstein files: ‘We can't avoid justice to avoid embarrassment for some very powerful men’
Republican Rep. Thomas Massie said Sunday that those who might be in the Jeffrey Epstein files need to be held accountable regardless of their social status.
"We can't avoid justice just to avoid embarrassment for some very powerful men," Massie told ABC News' "This Week" anchor George Stephanopoulos.
Appearing in the files is not indicative of wrongdoing or a crime.
Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna said there are enough votes in the House to force a vote on his and Massie's discharge petition, a rare bipartisan effort they've led to compel the Justice Department to release all records related to the convicted sex offender.
"We have the 218 votes, 216 already support it. There are two vacancies that haven't been reported as much, but two Democrats are going to be joining and they are both committed to signing it. That's going to happen by the end of September," Khanna said.
Asked why he thinks President Donald Trump is resisting releasing the files, Massie said, "I think it's going to be embarrassing to some of the billionaires, some of the donors who are politically connected to his campaign. There are probably intelligence ties to our CIA and maybe to other foreign intelligence," Massie told ABC News' "This Week" anchor George Stephanopoulos.
It was not clear the basis for Massie’s claims. ABC News' has reached out to the White House for comment on Massie's assertion.
Trump said on Friday that the Justice Department has given Congress "everything requested of them” and both the president and House Speaker Mike Johnson have said they believe that the push for more information on the Epstein case has been an overreaction and politicized.
Khanna rejected that notion, and praised the "courage" of Republican House members who have signed their petition and are going against the president.
"This is a moral issue. It's about standing with survivors. It's about protecting children," Khanna said. "I admire Congressman Massie's courage. I admire Nancy Mace's courage, Marjorie Taylor Greene's courage, Lauren Boebert's courage. They are standing with survivors. We have the votes. Let's get a vote this month and get their files released."
Khanna, however, said he had concerns whether the files would be released in their entirety.
"It's a concern. But the victims' lawyer, Bradley Edwards, has seen the files, as have many people who are career officials. So if they try to do something that is political, then, many other people would call them out on it," Khanna said.
Massie and Khanna's appearance came after survivors of Epstein's abuse shared their stories on Capitol Hill, highlighting how they are demanding that the federal government release files and records related to the convicted sex offender.