National Correspondent
Representative Thomas Massie has promised to identify more individuals whose names were redacted from files connected to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Massie made the pledge during an interview withNBC’sMeet the Presson Sunday, days after losing his primary bid for reelection to his seat in Kentucky's 4th congressional district to Ed Gallrein, President Donald Trump’s handpicked candidate, inthe most expensive House primary election in United States history.
Trump sought to unseat Massie after Massie repeatedly broke with him on several key policies and issues, most notably to advance the legislation that forced the release of the Epstein files,
While Masse’s defeat demonstrated Trump’s ability to reshape Republican primaries, itfurther exposed a divide in Trump’s Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement. Several of the president’s biggest allies also broke with him on the release of the Epstein files, including former congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene.
Massie will remain in Congress unil his term ends in January. Without a Republican primary looming, he has several months left in office for further antagonize the president.
OnMeet the Press,Massie was asked by host Kristen Welker if he would use his remaining time in Congress to identify individuals connected to Epstein on the House floor, as he has done before.
Welker noted that lawmakers are given wide protections from liability for comments made in the course of Congress under the "speech or debate" clause in the Constitution, which grants members of Congress legislative immunity, allowing them to talk about anyone or anything without fear.
“You have named names in the Epstein files in the past. Can we expect you to name more names in the coming weeks and months?” Welker said.
“Yes,” Massie replied.
He accused Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche of “violating the law,” adding that there were still “millions of files” that have not been released. “We know the files have been over-redacted. I have released at least three names of billionaires who are implicated in this,” he said.
Massie added: “I’ve got seven more months to keep going against the grain, which means voting for principles and for people over party.”
The records related to the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) investigation into Epstein were released starting late last year in compliance with a bill passed by Congress and signed into law by Trump, who bowed to political pressure from his own party after initially resisting efforts to disclose more files.
Last month, the Justice Department’s internal watchdogannounced a review of the department’s compliance with the Epstein Files Transparency Act, focusing on how the the department collected, reviewed and redacted materials in preparation for their release, as well as its process for addressing concerns that arose after the files were made public.
When asked by Welker if it was worth it to break with Trump on key issues, Cassie said it “absolutely” was. As well as pushing for the release of the Epstein files, Massie has opposed the war with Iran and voted against Trump’s signature tax legislation last year.
