Langworthy Votes Against Releasing the Epstein Files…Again

Introduction

Rep. Nicholas Langworthy has stated that he supports transparency in the Jeffrey Epstein case. He issued a statement endorsing “President Trump’s call for full transparency on the Epstein files.” [1] During a town hall meeting, he said, “I want to see anyone who has committed a crime against a child to be prosecuted. Period. Hard stop.” [2]

However, Langworthy has voted against releasing the Epstein files twice [3,4] and has not signed a discharge petition that would force a House vote on the issue.

Epstein’s Crimes

Jeffrey Epstein abused dozens of women, many of whom were minors, some as young as 14. [5] Epstein groomed them with promises of money, travel, education, and career opportunities. Instead, the girls were trafficked to Epstein’s homes in Florida, New York, and the Virgin Islands. Some were coerced into sexual activity with Epstein’s associates. [6]

In 2007, Epstein was charged in Florida with sex trafficking and abuse of minors. He was expected to face a federal trial, but instead entered a plea deal with federal prosecutors. He pled guilty to lesser state charges and served 13 months in jail. [7,8] He was allowed work release six days a week for up to 13 hours a day. [9] Victims were not informed of the deal, which violated federal law. [10]

In 2019, federal prosecutors in New York charged Epstein with sex trafficking and conspiracy. Before his trial began, Epstein was found dead in his jail cell. His death was ruled a suicide, but security failures raised further questions. [11]

The Epstein Files Transparency Act

During his presidential campaign, Donald Trump said he supported releasing the Epstein files, but he now opposes doing so. [12] In response, Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) and Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) introduced the Epstein Files Transparency Act. [13] House Speaker Mike Johnson has blocked a vote on the bill. [14]

The Epstein Files Transparency Act was introduced to compel the public release of Epstein-related documents. It directs the Department of Justice and FBI to make unclassified records available, prohibiting withholding based on “embarrassment, reputational harm, or political sensitivity.” It allows redactions for victim privacy, national security, or ongoing investigations but requires written justification for any redactions.

Langworthy, a member of the House Rules Committee, voted with eight other Republicans against advancing the bill. [15] He also opposed it when it was proposed as an amendment to another bill in July. [16,17] At that time, he called it “a pointless political gimmick, not a path to justice.”

Langworthy has defended his “no” votes by pointing to the House Oversight Committee’s release of 33,295 pages of Epstein material. [18,19] According to reports, 97% of those documents had already been made public before the committee’s release. Fewer than 1,000 pages were new, and many were heavily redacted.

The Discharge Petition

After the bill was blocked in committee, Massie and Khanna launched a discharge petition to force a House vote. [20] Such petitions require 218 signatures. [21,22] As of September 2025, 217 members had signed, including 213 Democrats and four Republicans: Massie, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Lauren Boebert, and Nancy Mace. [23,24]

If one additional member signs, the petition would reach the required threshold. A special election in Arizona could provide that vote if Democrat Adelita Grijalva wins and joins the signatories.

Survivor Advocacy

On September 3, Epstein survivors gathered for a rally at the U.S. Capitol called “Stand With Survivors.” [25,26] They shared testimony about their experiences and called for the full release of the Epstein files. [27]

Rep. Nancy Mace attended a closed session with survivors. Mace, a rape survivor herself, experienced a panic attack during the testimony and left the meeting. [28,29,30,31,32,33] She later stated, “It‘s time to put prosecution first so victims, survivors, and the country can finally begin to heal.“

Survivors at the rally urged Congress to act. Marina Lacerda said, “This is not a hoax. It’s not going to go away.” Anouska De Georgiou said, “The days of sweeping this under the rug are over.” [34]

Rep. Massie has also stated that the FBI possesses the names of at least 20 individuals connected to Epstein from interviews, including business, political, entertainment, and financial figures.

Conclusion

Langworthy has expressed public support for transparency in the Epstein case. However, his voting record shows opposition to the Epstein Files Transparency Act, and he has not signed the discharge petition that could force a House vote.