California Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell predicted the end is nigh for MAGA Republican President Donald Trump's stranglehold on the GOP if the House of Representatives are required to vote on the release of the information gathered by the FBI and Department of Justice to indict and arrest registered sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in July of 2019, during Trump's first presidential term.
Representative Swalwell noted on X that Republicans are feeling the heat of continuing to protect people who prey on children as the 2026 midterms loom.
Representative Swalwell posted:
"It’s coming to an end guys. I’ve spoken to a lot of House Republicans this week and they’ve confided that Trump’s movement/support is fading. As one told me, 'this Epstein bomb is about to drop and no want wants to defend a pedo-protector. It’s just a matter of time.'"
The California Democrat added:
"One Republican just texted me that if there’s a discharge vote on Epstein they expect a 'jail break' of over 100 members. Trump will go nuts!"
People were cautiously optimistic in the comments.
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The files in question would have been part of the official court record if Epstein had not died while in the custody of Trump's DOJ in August 2019. Many of the records were sealed until the conclusion, in late 2024, of a lawsuit filed against Epstein accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell by some of their victims.
Kentucky Republican Representative Thomas Massie filed a discharge petition to force the House to vote on the Epstein Files Transparency Act—a bill backed by Massie and California Democratic Representative Ro Khanna.
It's this vote that Republicans, especially GOP House Speaker Mike Johnson, and the Trump administration have worked desperately to avoid.
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