"Trump had fought for months against the bill, which was drafted by a bipartisan coalition created by California Democrat Ro Khanna and Kentucky Republican Thomas Massie. In the end, the strong public revulsion for Epstein's crimes made opposing the bill untenable. But the final version specified that the Department of Justice must make public "all unclassified" documents on Epstein. The word unclassified potentially gives Trump and the CIA wide latitude to hold back Epstein-related materials that they claim are too sensitive to release."
"In this, they have the support of House Speaker Mike Johnson, who insisted that US intelligence agencies be allowed to "protect their critical sources and methods. It is incredibly dangerous to demand that officials or employees of the DOJ declassify material that originated in other agencies and intelligence agencies." Johnson's words stand in stark contrast to the remarks by Marjorie Taylor Greene, one of four dissident House Republicans who forced Trump to abandon his opposition to the Epstein bill."
On November 18 the House passed the Epstein Files Transparency Act by 427-1, requiring the Department of Justice to publish "all unclassified" Epstein documents. The bill was crafted by a bipartisan coalition led by Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie and overcame months of opposition from President Trump amid public revulsion over Epstein's crimes. The "all unclassified" proviso could allow Trump and the CIA to withhold materials they deem too sensitive. House Speaker Mike Johnson defended protecting intelligence sources and methods, while Marjorie Taylor Greene questioned whether the DOJ or CIA will actually release the files.
Read at The Nation
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