Speaker Mike Johnson Cancels Votes for Late September, Thomas Massie Says He Called It Beforehand
He just proved him right
Since falling out of favor with the Republican Party, United States Representative Thomas Massie has unapologetically challenged his party members. Recently, Massie alleged that Speaker Mike Johnson would call off Congress to delay a vote on the Epstein Files Transparency Act II. When Johnson was asked to respond to Massie’s claims, he shot them down, dismissed any possibility of something like this happening, and even questioned Massie’s work ethic.
According to ABC News, Johnson said on Tuesday while speaking to a journalist, “Republicans are here to work.” Commenting on Massie’s suggestion of a schedule change, he added, “We have a schedule, a calendar that’s been out for a year. We are abiding by that calendar. We are going to work all the way through September, and every day that’s on the calendar, so long as people like him don’t stop the progress.”
However, almost a week later, the story looks a little different. Johnson has indeed suspended Congress’s operations for six weeks before the midterm elections scheduled for November 3. According to ABC News, the House is scheduled to meet on September 14 for “four days of legislative business” and then leave on September 17 for the prolonged break.
In light of Johnson’s actions, Massie took to social media to share his thoughts. On X, he wrote, “I predicted they’d call off Congress until the election to stop our new Epstein bill.” He suggested involvement by people higher up, “Johnson said on TV that was “stupid” and “nonsensical.” But then he got a call from “upstairs” and canceled Congress from the middle of September until the election.”
What Is the Epstein Files Transparency Act II?
Representative Thomas Massie (Republican) and Representative RO Khanna (Democrat) have been among the frontrunners on the Jeffrey Epstein investigation since the beginning. Responding to their pressure, along with that of others who supported the cause, the United States Department of Justice began releasing parts of the controversial Epstein Files in February 2025, and by January 2026, it said it had released everything it had.
However, people associated with the case, including Massie and Khanna, were not satisfied with the outcome and alleged inconsistencies in the information the DOJ made public, suggesting foul play. Therefore, on the pretext of bringing Epstein’s victims to justice, Massie, Khanna, Teresa Leger Fernández, and a few other Congresspeople introduced the Epstein Files Transparency Act II.
A statement from RO Khanna mentions that the Epstein Files Transparency Act II bill will give “standing to state attorneys general, the victims of Jeffrey Epstein and his co-conspirators, and members of Congress to challenge the Department of Justice (DOJ) in court for the DOJ’s failure to comply with the disclosure of materials required by Public Law 119-38, the Epstein Files Transparency Act.”
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