In a nearly unanimous House decision, United States Representative Clay Higgins stood alone as the only lawmaker to vote against releasing the Jeffrey Epstein files to the public. The Louisiana Republican's solitary opposition came during Tuesday's overwhelming 427-1 vote that will force the Justice Department to make the convicted billionaire sex offender's documents public.
The Lone Dissenting Voice
While 427 House lawmakers, including 216 Republicans, voted in favour of the legislation, Representative Higgins maintained his principled opposition. The 64-year-old congressman, who chairs a subcommittee that previously initiated a subpoena for the Epstein files, explained his position following the controversial vote.
"I have been a principled 'NO' on this bill from the beginning," Higgins wrote on the social media platform X. "What was wrong with the bill three months ago is still wrong today. It abandons 250 years of criminal justice procedure in America."
Concerns About Innocent Victims
Higgins expressed deep concerns about the potential consequences of releasing the extensive files without proper safeguards. The congressman argued that the legislation in its current form could harm numerous innocent people connected to the case.
"As written, this bill reveals and injures thousands of innocent people - witnesses, people who provided alibis, family members, etc," Higgins stated. "If enacted in its current form, this type of broad reveal of criminal investigative files, released to a rabid media, will absolutely result in innocent people being hurt."
Political Context and Possible Amendments
The vote marked a significant shift in Republican leadership's position on the matter. Despite months of roadblocks and pushback from GOP leaders, the bill gained overwhelming Republican support after former President Donald Trump dropped his opposition to a vote.
Higgins, a steadfast Trump supporter and reserve law enforcement officer who won a runoff election in 2016, indicated he might support a revised version of the legislation. "If the Senate amends the bill to properly address privacy of victims and other Americans, who are named but not criminally implicated, then I will vote for that bill when it comes back to the House," he said.
The Senate could soon clear the bill, with Majority Leader John Thune telling reporters that the chamber could potentially pass it by unanimous consent as soon as late Tuesday. Meanwhile, Donald Trump lashed out at a reporter on Tuesday after being questioned about the Epstein files, highlighting the continued sensitivity surrounding the case.
