Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer made a rare and bold move on Wednesday by filing an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act that will force Republicans to vote on releasing all Jeffrey Epstein files. The New York Democrat took the unusual step of filing cloture on his amendment, guaranteeing a full Senate vote on the matter. This procedural move traditionally is only made by majority party leaders, making Schumer’s action particularly striking.
The amendment would require Attorney General Pam Bondi to release all Justice Department files related to Epstein within 30 days of passage. Senate Majority Leader John Thune called the move a “political stunt” and said Republicans would “dispose of it.” A Republican source told reporters that Schumer’s surprise filing was seen as “an extremely hostile act” that could hurt bipartisan talks on the defense bill.
