House Speaker Mike Johnson is denying claims that he shut down Congress early to avoid a politically risky vote on releasing Jeffrey Epstein investigation files, saying Republicans will not be drawn into what he called "political gamesmanship."
The House was dismissed for August recess, sparking criticism from Democrats and fueling speculation that the move was designed to block an effort to force a vote on unsealing documents related to Epstein's case. The disgraced financier died by suicide in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges, but his extensive ties to public figures have kept public pressure high for more transparency.
