Just as Americans awoke to news that the long government shutdown had finally ended, Capitol Hill erupted in a very different kind of crisis. On Nov. 12, 2025, House Democrats dramatically released dozens of Epstein files – including a 2011 message in which Epstein dubbed Donald Trump “the dog that hasn’t barked,” noting that one trafficking victim had “spent hours at my house” with Trump. In the next breath, Republicans accused their colleagues of political grandstanding, demanding an explanation for redactions and insinuating the Left was conspiring to “create a fake narrative” about the president.

The result was a classic Washington spectacle: blame everywhere, answers nowhere. Each party hurled accusations – Democrats called for accountability, Republicans claimed charades – but in the end the country’s pressing issues (from the stalled economy to infrastructure gaps) remained on hold. In effect, Congress has turned Epstein’s files into performative theater.

The clash has played out most vividly around the question of whether Congress can force the discharge petition to compel the Justice Department to turn over all its Epstein files. In July, Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) and Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) unveiled the Epstein Files Transparency Act, aiming to compel DOJ to release unclassified records of its Epstein investigations. House

© The Eastern Herald