Epstein, Epstein, Epstein...

 

Epstein, Epstein, Epstein. Rather than rehash the horrifying and disgusting details we’ve read in the news so far or debate the political consequences that may or may not come for our national sexual abuser in chief, I want to zero in on what the hell is actually happening legislatively. So for this week's newsletter I’m going to try to break it down:

What is the legislation that would release the Epstein files? This legislation is called the “Epstein Files Transparency Act” (H.R. 4405). In short, it directs the Department of Justice (DOJ) to release files they have relating to Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell, related investigations, immunity deals struck, internal DOJ communications, and other information. It’s a long, specific list, but the bill itself is pretty straightforward and just about 3 pages long (you can read it here).

I don’t know how else to say this, so I’ll just say it: This bill is not just a political game. There are actual, real-life victims directly, personally impacted by this legislation and the cover-up that preceded it. The press often treats the bill as a political inconvenience for Trump and his coalition. And that same press often ignores Trump’s conviction for sexual assault just two years ago in the same articles that treat the trafficking and rape of young girls as a mere political football.

Shouldn’t we be worried that some Democrats are implicated? It’s so weird to me that people ask this question as some sort of gotcha. I don’t care what political party a person belongs to -- anyone who trafficked and/or sexually assaulted children should face removal from office, public excommunication, prosecution, and serious prison time. That’s easy for me to write because I’m not in a cult. That’s one key difference between us and Trump’s MAGA fanatics. Back to the legislative process.

Is this thing actually going to pass the House? Yes, this bill will pass -- likely with unanimous backing from Democrats and even a sizable number of Republicans. Squeaker of the House Mike Johnson tried burying it by shutting down the House for 6 weeks and refusing to swear in Adelita Grijalva, but it’s not going away. The votes are there. That’s why, after spending weeks campaigning against it, Trump himself saw he was going to lose the House fight and posted Sunday night encouraging House Republicans to vote for the bill.

Does this mean it will pass the Senate? We don’t know. Senate Majority Leader John Thune could decline to schedule a vote or draft his own weaker bill. For an Epstein bill to pass the Senate, 13 Republican senators will have to join every Democrat. Under normal circumstances, that’d be nearly inconceivable for legislation opposed by Trump. But pressure is already building from many Epstein survivors and even from some conservative senators.

My guess is that if it comes to the floor and we keep the heat on, the votes are there for Senate passage, but that’s just a guess.

If it passes the Senate, do we get the files then? Again, we don’t know for sure.

Trump could still veto the legislation, and if he does, it would take 2/3 of the House (~290 votes) and Senate (~67 votes) to override that veto. So one thing to pay close attention to is whether the bill achieves veto-proof support in the House this week. If it does, Trump might not be able to pull off a veto strategy.

Trump could also sign the bill but then simply refuse to release the files anyway -- or withhold and redact so much information that we’re still left with more questions than answers. The bill is very specific about what needs to be released and when, but we know better than to assume this regime will follow the law.

In any case, the more House members vote for the bill and loudly call for transparency this week, the weaker Trump’s position becomes, and the more likely it is that the full truth comes to light.

So what does that mean for all of us? As you can see, there are a lot of things we just don’t know because this is a live fight -- one in which constituent pressure could truly sway the outcome. Every House and Senate Dem is going to support the legislation; the question is how much the Republicans fracture over it. If you’ve got a Republican representative, now’s a good time to give them an earful about this.

Our opponents are disgusting, cruel, and craven. They have real power to do real harm, but they are not inevitable or unstoppable. They are not the majority. We are. And we will defeat them with acts of solidarity small and large in defense of justice and truth. That’s how we win.

In solidarity,
Ezra Levin
Co-Executive Director, Indivisible

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Your weekly to-dos

If you have a Republican representative, send them an email to demand full release of the Epstein Files. The House is readying a vote to obtain the FULL Epstein Files this Tuesday, and although it looks likely to pass, the threat of a Trump veto is real. To notch a veto-proof majority and max out our chance of uncovering the truth, we need mass defections by Republicans -- and that starts by turning the heat up.

If you have a Democratic senator, demand that they call for Chuck Schumer to step down as minority leader. Last week’s total surrender shows, once again, that Chuck Schumer is not the right leader for this moment. Senate Dems need bold new leadership to effectively fight the Trump regime, and that starts by convincing Schumer to step aside.

Cancel your Spotify Premium subscription until Spotify stops running ICE ads. Spotify is running ads recruiting more ICE agents to infringe our rights and terrorize our communities, so we’re calling on users to stop paying for or using the app until Spotify stops streaming fascism. Don’t use Spotify? Support the campaign by spreading the word on social media.

Sign up to call voters and get out the vote for Aftyn Behn -- a former Indivisible running to flip a red congressional seat! Our next chance to stomp the regime at the ballot box is in Tennessee, where Aftyn Behn can flip a district Trump won by double-digits if we turn enough voters out. You can call voters from anywhere. All you need is a phone and computer, and we offer live training before the shift!

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