Whoa! GOP Turns Against Trump as Bluff Is Called

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1:00Ben Meiselas:Wow, this is Donald Trump and MAGA Mike Johnson's worst nightmare. A majority of Republicans in the House Oversight Subcommittee just turned against Donald Trump and MAGA Mike, and they are issuing a subpoena to the Department of Justice to turn over all of the Epstein files. Now, Donald Trump had his protectors in the House of Representatives ready to go. He has MAGA Mike Johnson. He's got MAGA Republican Clay Higgins and others. But they didn't expect this maneuver from the Democrats. The Democrats knew that based on the other Republicans in this House Oversight Subcommittee, that they actually had the votes and that they could win on at least an eight to two vote to release the Epstein files from the Department of Justice by way of a subpoena.

1:48Ben Meiselas:So you had Democratic Congresswoman Summer Lee, when nobody was expecting it at this House subcommittee, she brings it up and she goes, all right, I'm taking a vote right now. We want to issue a subpoena to the Department of Justice to release the Epstein files. Now that put these MAGA Republicans in a bind because Democratic Congresswoman Lee knew the MAGA Republicans in that room had made statements saying that they would be in favor of releasing the files. So then you had this situation where MAGA Republican Congress member Clay Higgins, who chairs this subcommittee, he tried to scuttle the vote.

2:23Ben Meiselas:So he goes, we're in recess. He tried to figure it out. He was going to MAGA, Mike, what do I do? What do I do? We're trying to protect Donald Trump, but there's enough MAGA Republicans in here who are going to turn against Donald Trump and they're going to vote to subpoena the Department of Justice to turn over these Epstein files. What are we doing? I guess we got to go back in right now. So they went back in and then there was a vote. And then you'll see when I show you this clip in a little bit that Clay Higgins, the MAGA Republican chair of the subcommittee, he lies. And even though it was clear that the I votes beat the no votes, he's like, it looks like the no's have it.

2:57Ben Meiselas:And then Democratic Congress member Garcia is like, let's take a roll call vote. Let's actually count the people. And it turns out it was an eight to two vote to subpoena the Department of Justice to turn over the files, exactly what Trump and MAGA Mike were trying to avoid. That's why MAGA Mike was pushing this into recess. So hat tip to Democratic Congress member Garcia, who now is the ranking member of the Oversight Committee and a special hat tip as well to Democratic Congresswoman Summer Lee, but they got the MAGA Republicans to turn against Trump. So first, let me show you how this was all lining up.

3:36Ben Meiselas:So here you have, for example, MAGA Republican Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene. And she goes, look, I like Trump, but we got to release these files. Here's what she was saying leading up to this. Let's play the clip. I really like President Trump. I also think he has a great pulse on things, But on this issue, the American people really want to see transparency. It's become one of those basically fractures that is too big to ignore. Then you had MAGA Republican Congress member Bacon. Here's what he had to say. Let's play it. I just support transparency. I'm willing to vote on a bill. Should be a standalone bill.

4:11So I think let's vote on transparency, put everything out. I think if there's anything hidden, it's probably in the court system. But we should ask for it. What do you mean by the administration's handling of this? I mean, they're saying that all this is going to come out and then backtracked on it. Well, they were they must love people to think there was a lot more there.

4:30Ben Meiselas:Then you had MAGA Republican Congress member Scott Perry. Here's what he had to say. I just think it's important that the American people know what's occurred. The president wants to move on, though. He says it's time to move on. I have been very clear on my opinion on this issue for a long time. Are your constituents clamoring for this information? Some are, yeah. And here you have MAGA Republican Congress member Chip Roy and MAGA Republican Congress member Ralph Norman. Let's listen to what they had to say. Play this clip. I think the administration will put more stuff out in August. And like I said, if they don't, then I promise you there's going to be some more looking at this in the first week of September.

5:10You'd have to be, have your head in the sand to say that this is going to go away. It's not. The public deserves it. I assure you that we'll be working together in a bipartisan manner to make certain that every word is perfect and reflective of what our agreements were today.

5:29Ben Meiselas:Then you have MAGA Republican Nancy Mace. Now, Nancy Mace did try to protect Donald Trump in this House subcommittee. She tried to insert language that says only the credible information can be subpoenaed from the Department of Justice. But the Democrats pushed back on that and said, how would you determine what's credible or what's not credible? And then the MAGA Republicans tried to add some additional language like, OK, but we're going to go after information related to the Clintons and relating to what Biden's DOJ was doing. And the Democrats were like, sure, go for it. Get the info about the Clintons.

6:06Ben Meiselas:If you want to put language about Biden, all good. We want full transparency. So here you have MAGA Republican Congresswoman Nancy Mace, and she's like, look, we got to have transparency on this one. Here, play this clip. And I'm going to amend the motion to protect the identity of the victims. What do you think of this speaker adjourning the House early to avoid this whole fight of Repstein? This fight's coming no matter, I mean, this is here, and I've made it part of my life's mission to protect women and kids. And I think that, you know, I'm ready to take this vote. I think we should take this vote and move forward, move this country forward.

6:39And the victims deserve justice, and people deserve transparency is what they want.

6:43Ben Meiselas:And you have MAGA Republican Congressmember Warren Davidson. Here's what he's got to say. I don't really see why we would do anything other than bring Pam Bondi in and say, you know, to the committee of jurisdiction and say, you know, please explain. Would you want to hear her testify, Pam Bondi? Yeah, I mean, I'm not on that committee, but, you know, I really would like the committee of jurisdiction to bring her in and say, you know, hey, you start this off, you've got binders, please explain. You know, we are led to believe there are going to be some prosecutions. If we're going to prosecute, we assume there's going to be convictions.

7:15And I think that's really the disconnect.

7:17Ben Meiselas:And now you have MAGA Republican Congress member Thomas Massey, and he's been saying MAGA Mike is scared. Here, watch this. What do you make of the speakers handling of this issue over the last couple of weeks? I think he's scared. I think he's terrified. I think, well, I mean, 80 % of MAGA, once these files released, they were promised this, they expected this, and it's not happening. But at the same time, he feels an allegiance to President Trump, who's gone against the mega base on this. So I think he's torn. I think the right thing to do would be just leave it up to the people's house, let us vote on whether to release these files or not.

7:58And I hope he does not try to use some kind of parliamentary procedure to subvert or hide the release of these files. Just to follow up on what you said earlier, you don't think the public pressure is going to go away over the next five weeks. Do you see it lasting as long as 26 midterms? If that follows Republicans through that, depending on how they vote. This will be an issue that does follow Republicans through the midterms. And it will follow each individual Republican through the midterms. It will follow people into their primaries. Did you support transparency and justice or did you come up here, get elected and fall into the swamp?

8:44Did you decide that getting reelected was more important than exposing a pedophilia ring and a blackmail ring? If you did, then maybe you shouldn't be coming back. And that'll be a referendum in every primary and every general election in the United States in 2026, which is why I'm urging people to get onto my resolution to co-sponsor the release of these files before we go into August recess. There's only six legislative days between when I release this, introduce this bipartisan resolution and the August recess, but we need seven legislative days to start collecting signatures and force the vote.

9:29As soon as we get back, there's going to be a vote on this unless the speaker subverts it.

9:34Ben Meiselas:And here's Massey again. Let's play it. Well, it wouldn't really matter. Their Epstein bill resolution is non-binding. So it's kind of fake. The, um, the resolution that I have co-sponsored with Ro Khanna would actually bring up legislation that would be binding on the president. Is your understanding that that will ripen the day after lawmakers get back from August, you says? Yeah. Unfortunately, we have six days and we needed seven days for the discharge petition to ripen before we could bring this up before the August recess. So we'll have to bring it up after the August recess. But the good news is the speaker has no interest in keeping us here one extra day because this will ripen in an extra day.

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11:28Ben Meiselas:And the best part, I can pause or reschedule deliveries anytime I'm traveling. It's totally flexible. For a limited time, Trade is giving 50 % off a month of cold brew. That's around 60 cups of cold brew for 50 % off when you go to drinktrade.com slash Midas. That's drinktrade.com slash Midas to get 50 % off one month of cold brew. Drinktrade.com slash Midas, M-E-I-D-A-S. All right. Now, let me show you what went down. I had to give you all of that as background, right? So now go into this House Oversight Subcommittee and you have Democratic Congress member Garcia, the ranking member of the House Oversight Committee right now.

12:10Ben Meiselas:And then you have Democratic Congresswoman Lee. They planned this. They knew they had the votes. I showed you a lot of that video. They knew they had the MAGA Republican Congress members in the room who would vote for this. The hearing was on another matter. It was right before MAGA Mike was able to send Congress into recess. So the Democrats pounced. They said, actually, we want to add this amendment to release the Epstein files. Let's subpoena the DOJ. And then Clay Higgins, who chairs this committee, he's like, oh, OK, let's go into recess. So you're going to watch that. Then they come out of recess and then they take a vote on it.

12:46Ben Meiselas:By the way, you'll see that Lauren Boebert was just a no show right there. They take a vote on it. It's obvious that the eyes, the yes, release it, issue the subpoena, beats the nays, beats the no votes. But then you'll see, I just want to spell it out for you so you know what you're watching here because these maneuverings in Congress can be a little bit weird. So then Clay Higgins is like, the no's have it. And it was like, what are you talking about? The voice vote was clear that the ayes have it. The yes, release the files, subpoena the DOJ. He's like, it's no. And you'll see some Congresswoman Lee looking at him and going, it was yes.

13:24Ben Meiselas:And then Congress member Garcia is like, roll call. And then you'll see it was an eight to two vote against Donald Trump, meaning the mega republicans joined with the democrats when they were put on the spot so with that as background watch what went down you're gonna love this here play this clip documented to the record listing the members of this committee and their individual calls to release the epstein files sona without without objection the subcommittee stands in recess subject to the call of the chair point of order are we not going to take the vote? We're in recess. That was a previous order.

14:04Ben Meiselas:Yeah. Mr. Chair, we need to take the vote from the motion.

14:11We're in recess in the previous order which passed without objection. We're in recess and we were moved to those votes. This is an out of order conversation. I'm just being polite with the previous order that we move without objection. Votes would be moved until after deliberation.

14:37I'm all subject to call of the chair. I hope it's today. We have plans. We have plans. Forever recess. Children will not be.

14:44Ben Meiselas:So when is the actual, when are we back in session for this subcommittee? After votes? That's subject to the call of the chair, as I stated. So we're going to do a permanent recess. the previous order. So stand by.

15:06And now we will be calling up Ms. Lee's motion as amended. All those in favor say aye. Aye. All those opposed? No. No. Any opinion of the... Pardon? And the opinion, Chair, the no has it. Recorded vote, sir. Recorded vote is called for. The clerk will read the call the roll. Mr. Gosar. Mr. Biggs.

15:46Ms. Mace. Ms. Mace votes aye. Mr. Perry. Mr. Perry votes aye. Ms. Boebert. Mr. Jack. Aye. Mr. Jack votes aye. Ms. Lee? Ms. Lee votes yes. Mr. Bell? Aye. Mr. Bell votes aye. Ms. Simon? Aye. Ms. Simon votes aye. Ms. Presley? Aye. Ms. Presley votes aye. Mr. Garcia? Aye. Mr. Garcia votes aye. Mr. Chairman? No. Mr. Chairman votes no.

16:17Mr. Biggs is not recorded. Mr. Biggs votes nay.

16:34Mr. Chairman, on this vote, the ayes are eight, the nays are two.

16:38Ben Meiselas:Now here's Congresswoman Lee talking about what went down in her own words. You've had a hell of a day. So thank you so much for being here. So a lot has happened today and I just tried to outline it. The full oversight committee said is going ahead with the subpoena. What happens next? Well, next after after Comer signs it. Right. He said it. He has to sign it. He signed the one for Maxwell within 24 hours. So he says that we expect it. Then the DOJ has to release those files to the federal law enforcement ranking subcommittee to the minority and majority. And we go from there. But right now, what we asked for were the unredacted complete files.

17:18At the end of the day, if someone has participated in child sex trafficking, I don't care if they're a prince or a president or if there are anybody in between, they should be held accountable. They were just trying to make this a both sides thing to make up for the fact that they are being hypocrites, that they said that this is what they want. You saw it, right? We read off all of the members of the subcommittee who called very publicly for these files to be released. We saw that they ran on this in the last election from Trump on down to all of his folks. They all ran on this. So they're just trying to distract from the fact that they're being hypocrites, that they know that they're choosing to protect Donald Trump over the very victims that they keep giving lip service to, that they're choosing to protect Donald Trump over transparency for the American people that they're calling for.

18:02They're very base and all Americans of all different parties. And that's really what that was about.

18:07Ben Meiselas:OK, now here is Lauren Boebert being a no show. Play this clip. Votes aye. Miss Boebert. Mr. Jack. Aye. Mr. Jack votes aye. By the way, here's what Senator Murkowski has to say about these files. Play this clip. Speaker Mike Johnson is sending the House home so they don't have to vote on it. So do you, that sounds like you think they should just release everything. Just be done with it. Be done with it. If in fact there's no there there for the president, get it out there. Just get it out there and be done. Does it give you any pause with the reporting tonight that his name, he was told his name is included in it?

18:45That doesn't mean that he did anything wrong. But do you think that is a factor in why they have been hesitant to put more information out there? It's so hard to determine what may or may not have been a factor. But I don't think it's any secret. Certainly, the president has not made it a secret that years and years ago, he was a friend of Jeffrey Epstein. And that was a time prior they had had a falling out. And there has been no engagement since. So if there's really nothing there, again, just put it out. Get this behind us. And again, what you're seeing happening now is the country is talking about this.

19:28Well, at the same time, the Congress has so much work that we need to be doing. We don't need to be caught up in the chatter about what is in, what is not in. But we can't get to it because of this. I view it as a political distraction. And I think if the administration wants to get beyond it, if President Trump wants to get beyond it, just get this stuff out there and let's move forward.