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‘Doesn’t want that to be the news’: Thomas Massie exposes the real reason Republicans dodging the government shutdown

WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 17: U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) speaks during a House Judiciary Committee hearing in the Rayburn House Office Building on September 17, 2025 in Washington, DC. Patel is facing questions from lawmakers for the second straight day following a contentious hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee where he was criticized for his handling of investigations into the assassination of political activist Charlie Kirk and the case related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Every day, the Republicans under Donald Trump’s administration seem to reach new lows as they attempt to push their agenda and take steps toward establishing a dictatorship in the United States. In the past, they handled this more discreetly, but now their intentions are quite apparent.

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It has been nearly a week since the United States government shutdown due to disagreements between the Democrats and Republicans over a spending bill. The Democrats are advocating for a bill that emphasizes healthcare, including medical care and Medicaid, while the Republicans are refusing to agree, accusing the Democrats of trying to extend medical benefits to illegal immigrants, whom they claim form a significant part of their voter base.

While the shutdown continues, the House has gone into a prolonged period of recess, with many, mostly Republicans, refusing to work. In a desperate attempt at mud-slinging and shifting blame, Trump sympathiser and speaker of the United States House of Representatives, Mike Johnson, said during a news conference on Friday that the House would come back into session and work as usual only after “Chuck Schumer “allows them to “reopen the government.” While his comments were ridiculous enough, some people were quick to pinpoint a few insidious reasons behind the House’s refusal to be in session. 

Once the House gets back to session, one of their first lines of action would be to swear in Adelita Grijalva as a member-elect of the U.S. House of Representatives. After she assumes her position, Grijalva is expected to be the last signatory on a discharge petition that would force a vote for the release of the Epstein files, a document over which Democrats and Republicans have been fighting for years. The same could paint President Donald Trump in a negative light after years of him dismissing his friendship with the disgraced financier and sex offender. Many believe that Johnson and the others are preventing such a situation from happening, and for the same reason, are refusing to return to work.

United States Representative Thomas Massie, who has been quite open about his criticism of Trump’s handling of the Epstein files, also holds a similar opinion. Taking to X (previously Twitter), he said:

“The government is shutdown, but the House refuses to go back in session. Why are we in recess? Because the day we go back into session, I have 218 votes for the discharge petition to force a vote on releasing the Epstein files.”

He also tagged Mike Johnson in the post and let everyone know that he “doesn’t want that to be the news.”

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Sanchari Ghosh
Sanchari Ghosh is a political writer for The Mary Sue who enjoys keeping up with what's going on in the world and sometimes reminding everyone what they should be talking about. She's been around for a few years, but still gets excited whenever she disentangles a complicated story. When she's not writing, she's likely sleeping, eating, daydreaming, or just hanging out with friends. Politics is her passion, but so is an amazing nap.

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