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GOP Representative Thomas Massie, a longtime critic of both President Donald Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson, has accused America’s political and business elite of benefiting from “immunities and privileges exceeding those of Royalty in Britain," as the release of files related to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein remained stalled in Congress. It comes after Andrew, a brother of Britain's King Charles III, was stripped of his title of 'prince' and evicted from his residence in Windsor, England, amid scrutiny of his relationship with Epstein. Newsweek contacted Massie and Johnson for comment via email outside of normal office hours on Friday. Why It Matters The fight over releasing Epstein–related files has become a rare bipartisan flashpoint in the House. Massie and California Democrat Ro Khanna are leading a petition to force a floor vote on legislation that would compel full disclosure. The measure has drawn support from across the political spectrum but remains stuck amid congressional recess and procedural maneuvering. Supporters accuse House leadership of slowing the process, while Johnson’s team insists the chamber is simply following its normal schedule. At stake is whether Congress will move forward with a vote that advocates say is crucial for transparency—and opponents warn could upend ongoing investigations. What To Know In a post on X Thursday night, following news of Buckingham Palace's move against Andrew, Massie wrote: “This is a victory for victims. However, it appears that rich and powerful men in the United States have immunities and privileges exceeding those of Royalty in Britain. @SpeakerJohnson is avoiding a vote on releasing Epstein files by keeping the House in recess. It’s not a hoax.” The Kentucky Republican's comments reflect growing frustration among members of Congress who have pushed for full disclosure of Epstein-related materials held by the Justice Department. Congress clash over Epstein files disclosure Massie and Khanna's petition currently stands just short of the 218 signatures required to bypass House leadership and bring the bill directly to the floor. Johnson’s early adjournment in August delayed any immediate consideration of the measure — a move critics say could slow its momentum. And since September, the Republican speaker has used a series of procedural maneuvers to effectively stall House business. He has refused to reconvene the chamber until the Senate acts on the House’s continuing resolution, keeping lawmakers out of session and preventing any floor votes. “This isn’t about politics. It’s about transparency and justice,” Khanna said earlier this year in support of the petition. Massie has insisted that the issue “is not going to go away,” describing the stalled vote as symptomatic of what he calls “a culture of impunity for the connected and powerful.” The political backdrop to Massie’s criticism has been complicated further by the delayed swearing-in of Grijalva, who won a special election in late September. Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes has sued Johnson, alleging that his refusal to administer Grijalva’s oath of office is unconstitutional. “The people of southern Arizona deserve a voice in Congress,” Mayes said when announcing the lawsuit earlier this month. Democrats allege that the timing of Grijalva’s absence is not accidental. Once seated, she is expected to become the 218th signatory on the discharge petition, giving the coalition enough support to force Johnson’s hand. Arizona Democratic Senator Ruben Gallego confronted the speaker earlier in October, asking, “How much of this is actually you don’t want her to be on the Epstein [petition]?” Johnson called the accusation “absurd,” saying the delay had “nothing to do with Epstein.” Royal fallout adds pressure abroad Buckingham Palace confirmed Thursday that Andrew, formerly the Duke of York, would no longer hold his titles or his lease on Royal Lodge, a house with 30 rooms situated in Great Windsor Park not far from Windsor Castle. The palace said in a statement that “formal notice has now been served to surrender the lease,” adding that “their Majesties wish to make clear that their thoughts and utmost sympathies have been, and will remain with, the victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse.” Virginia Giuffre, who accused Andrew of sexual assault when she was 17, settled a civil suit against him in 2022. Her family announced she died by suicide in April this year. Andrew has consistently denied the allegations. His loss of title follows mounting political and public pressure in the U.K., where the country's ambassador to the U.S., Peter Mandelson, lost his role in September after just seven months in the job, following new revelations about his ties to Epstein. Massie drew a pointed contrast between those developments in Britain and what he called a lack of accountability in the U.S. For Massie and his allies, the issue of transparency surrounding Epstein’s network has become both a political and symbolic issue. “We can’t avoid justice just to avoid embarrassment for some very powerful men,” Massie said earlier this year, adding “This is not going away… the legislation that we wrote protects the victims and protects national security, so there’s no reason not to release everything that they’ve got.” What People Are Saying California Democratic Representative Ro Khanna said in a post on X Thursday: Thanks to the courageous survivors of Epstein's abuse, justice is coming to Andrew. If you abused children alongside Epstein, you will face justice. That is what [Thomas Massie] & I are fighting for. We will not rest." Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson said in September: “The Oversight Committee is well underway, the administration is complying. The Department of Justice complied with all the subpoenas they received and are processing 34,000 documents already … and we’re going to move that along as quickly as possible so that all of this is pushed out to the public so the American people can make their own decisions.” What Happens Next The fate of Massie’s push to release Epstein–related files now depends on whether House leaders allow a vote when Congress reconvenes. Until then, the effort remains in procedural limbo, with supporters seeing it as a test of congressional accountability.
