Kentucky Congressman Thomas Massie is turning up the heat on Washington’s most sensitive secrets, claiming he’s just shy of forcing a public vote to release the federal investigation files on Jeffrey Epstein—the notorious sex offender and financier whose web of blackmail left the country’s ruling class sweating bullets.

Massie’s campaign, derided by party bosses but cheered by Epstein’s victims, now rides the momentum of the Arizona special election which sent Democratic candidate Adelita Grijalva to Congress—Grijalva promised to sign Massie’s petition, giving him the magic number: 218.

Washington Panic Over Epstein Files

At a community forum in northeastern Kentucky, Massie didn’t mince words. Both Arizona candidates pledged their support, and with Grijalva’s victory, the discharge petition is locked and loaded. Now, as Massie put it, not even Republican leadership can duck responsibility: “We’re going to force a vote on releasing those files.”

But the Republican congressional brass, led by Speaker Mike Johnson and Oversight Committee Chair James Comer, want no part of this grassroots insurrection. Massie says party leadership is “in full panic,” with pressure and threats raining down on co-signers.

According to Massie, any attempt to use obscure parliamentary gimmicks to block the vote would itself require 218 representatives—throwing everyone into the headlights: “If you participate in that vote to sideline the discharge petition, now you’re part of the coverup.”

Hall passes? “This is an 80-20 issue,” Massie said, suggesting Speaker Johnson might let some members side with transparency—if only to save face with angry constituents.

Grassroots vs. Insiders: Trump and Massie

Massie’s crusade puts him at direct odds with President Donald Trump, who once vowed to unseat the Kentucky Congressman over perceived political betrayal, even though both men draw strong support from the region’s GOP voters.

The Trump-Massie feud is tangled: Trump himself has stoked speculation about Epstein’s death, hinting at foul play and promising to declassify Epstein records if given a second term as president. Massie—in stubborn populist fashion—shows no sign of backing down.

Rand Paul Joins the Fray

Massie wasn’t alone in Greenup County. Senator Rand Paul joined him on a whistlestop tour, stirring the pot and predicting a “groundswell” if Speaker Johnson tries to ice the petition. Paul says members could object to Johnson’s tricks, not just the substance, suggesting the movement could grow if leadership doubles down on secrecy.

Epstein Files: The Stakes

Epstein died in custody under a cloud of suspicion in 2019—officially ruled suicide, but widely doubted on both the right and left. The official line matters little to the activists and survivors who appeared with Massie to demand congressional action.

Their voices—frequently sidelined by DC’s gatekeepers—are driving a surge in support for letting Americans see what the federal government knows about Epstein, his crimes, and the powerful circles he manipulated.

If Speaker Johnson and the old guard try to sideline this vote, the backlash may finally crack the Capitol’s walls of secrecy—proving that when the grassroots are cornered, the establishment’s coverups don’t stand a chance.