Legislative Push for Transparency
Kentucky Republican Rep. Thomas Massie has launched a discharge petition to force a House vote on the Epstein Files Transparency Act II (H.R. 9694), a legislative effort designed to compel the Department of Justice (DOJ) to release unredacted records related to Jeffrey Epstein’s sex trafficking operations. The move follows Massie’s floor speech on August 31, during which he publicly named 14 individuals he characterized as “co-conspirators” who warrant further investigation and potential prosecution.
The proposed legislation, co-sponsored by Democratic Reps. Ro Khanna and Teresa Leger Fernández, seeks to close loopholes that Massie and other supporters claim the DOJ has used to withhold millions of documents. While the original Epstein Files Transparency Act, signed into law in November 2025, mandated the release of unclassified records, Massie argues that the department has improperly relied on “deliberative process privilege” to maintain secrecy.
This report draws on information published by lawcommentary.com and washingtontimes.com.
Named Individuals and Legal Context
During his address to the House, Massie named Jes Staley, Leon Black, Les Wexner, David Copperfield, Lapo Elkann, Tom Pritzker, Glenn Dubin, Frédéric Fekkai, Edoardo Teodorani, Jean-Luc Brunel, Daniel Siad, Ramsey Elkholy, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor (Prince Andrew), and Lesley Groff. It is important to note that these mentions are legislative allegations and do not constitute criminal findings. Several of the individuals named have not been charged with crimes linked to Epstein, and mere association with the financier does not establish criminal conduct.
The speech is shielded by the Constitution’s Speech or Debate Clause, which protects members of Congress from civil or criminal liability for statements made during legislative debate. This constitutional protection does not, however, verify the truth of the accusations made.
Stakes and Enforcement Mechanisms
The Epstein Files Transparency Act II is designed to grant victims, state attorneys general, and members of Congress the legal standing to sue the U.S. attorney general for unlawfully withheld, redacted, or delayed records. New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez has been a vocal supporter of the bill, citing his office’s need for unredacted federal files to advance an investigation into alleged abuse at Epstein’s former Zorro Ranch.
The DOJ maintains that it has complied with the original 2025 law, reporting the release of approximately 3.5 million pages of documentation, over 2,000 videos, and 180,000 images. The department asserts that remaining withheld material consists of duplicate records, privileged information, and data irrelevant to the Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell cases.
Path to a House Vote
To force a floor vote, the discharge petition requires 218 signatures from members of the House. Massie remains optimistic about gathering the necessary support, noting that the original 2025 act passed with overwhelming bipartisan support (427-1). He suggested that if the petition does not gather sufficient signatures before the midterms, it could gain momentum during the lame-duck session.