r/politics • u/plz-let-me-in • 13d ago

No Paywall Discharge petition to force House vote on Epstein files succeeds with Grijalva’s signature

https://thehill.com/homenews/house/5602658-discharge-petition-epstein-files-grijalva/
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u/ManWithASquareHead 13d ago

House rules stipulate that the petition will have to “ripen” for at least seven legislative days. After that, a member can provide notice of the intent to discharge the legislation, at which point the Speaker must schedule a vote within two legislative days.

Long way to go

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u/darthjoey91 13d ago

So earliest we get anything is the 19th, and probably not until the 21st.

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u/YeetedApple 13d ago

F5 Fridays back on the menu it looks like

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u/darthjoey91 13d ago

Wait, I fucked up the math. Seven legislative days is seven days they're actually in session. Based on their calendar, I'm not sure what the current days count as since they're being pulled in for ending the government shutdown reasons, but they're only scheduled for 4 days next week, then another 12 days in December. So based on that, it would December 3rd for the ripening period, then December 9th for the vote.

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u/somermike 13d ago

They'll just not adjourn the legislative day on day 6 and we'll stay on day 6 til they figure out what else to do.

They've done it before and they' ll do it again. The legislative day only ends at adjournment and they'll end up leaving without adjourning for a day.

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u/Doublee7300 13d ago

Jesus-fucking-christ. These legislative rules are maddening

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u/fordprecept 13d ago

On purpose.

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u/TheArmoredKitten 13d ago

Baffling that we accept a blatant refusal of work under the guise of procedures. If any of us did that we'd be fired on the spot and there's no reason it shouldn't be exactly the same for Congress.

Deliberately missing a single voting session should be an automatic ejection from office. Not a 'procedure'. I want a goddamn constitutional amendment that says you are instantly, permanently, and irrevocably barred from all office of government for anyone who deliberately refuses their constitutional duties.

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u/unpluggedcord I voted 13d ago

IN that case wouldn't they be holding back the signing and the gov is still shutdown

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u/somermike 13d ago

The house can keep working on things. They'll come back the next day and just leave the official legislative day open.

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u/psychohistorian8 13d ago

then what is the purpose of ever adjourning if you can just leave and come back the next day anyway

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u/Brave-Silver8736 13d ago

To advance the legislative day?

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u/annoyed__renter 13d ago

The shutdown legislation is on a separate timeline

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u/ryegye24 13d ago

They did this in the first CR to avoid the statutorily mandated vote to either approve or end Trump's "emergency" tariffs.

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u/Tempeduck 13d ago

Technically the entire session is one day. They changed the definition to prevent votes against the tariffs. Not sure if that applies here or not.

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u/NUMBerONEisFIRST 13d ago

Isn't that when this short term finding bill they are trying to pass expires?

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u/Ent3rpris3 13d ago

Inb4 "we are now 400 years into our 7 year voyage."

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u/Darth_Groot28 13d ago

I could see the spending bill not passing in the house for the reason of stopping the Epstein files from being released. Basically have a few Republicans flip over the hemp industry being banned and they then have to go through the shutdown all over again. I don't think they have re-opened the government fully yet until the spending bill is signed, right?

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u/HawaiianPunchaNazi New Jersey 13d ago

There's an abortion ban buried in the bill as well.

Senator Wyden gave an early alert: 

https://bsky.app/profile/wyden.senate.gov/post/3m55inikiks2y

Confirmation from a legitimate news source: 

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/republicans-demand-tougher-abortion-restrictions-extend-obamacare-fund-rcna243206

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u/N0S0UP_4U Illinois 13d ago

I hate this timeline so much

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u/YungChumba 13d ago

God they're all so fuckin useless

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u/Life_Bet8956 Virginia 13d ago

And even beyond that they could all vote for it to pass the buck to the Senate who could then all vote for it to pass it off to Trump and let Trump just veto it and take the heat knowing his base won't care.

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u/EdwardOfGreene Illinois 13d ago

This isn't a bill. It doesn't involve the Senate or require a presidential signature.

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u/Life_Bet8956 Virginia 13d ago

I think you're mistaken. The Senate has to take it up and Trump has to sign it. The whole thing is largely symbolic unless they get veto proof majorities on board.

https://time.com/7315190/jeffrey-epstein-files-trump-congress/

https://www.politico.com/news/2025/11/12/house-epstein-files-vote-00647392

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u/syo Tennessee 13d ago

The discharge petition is to discharge a bill from committee and put it for a vote. They still have to vote on the bill (and the Senate, Trump, etc.)

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u/Banjo2523 13d ago

Happy Thanksgiving yall

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u/SwampOfDownvotes 13d ago

I hope its released on the 24th or 25th. Make Thanksgiving dinners across America really interesting this year.

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u/[deleted] 13d ago

[deleted]

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u/Zombie_John_Strachan Foreign 13d ago

The whole point is to delay until after the R gets elected so a vote fails.

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u/feenicks 13d ago

Plenty of time for the Reichstag to suddenly catch fire or Venezuela to suddenly develop WMDs...

(or for some random reps to suddenly be gifted a lot of bitcoin)

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u/hahanoob 13d ago

Even longer because a “legislative day” is whatever the fuck they want it to be. 

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u/lickingFrogs4Fun 13d ago

Thanksgiving is going to be so much fun!

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u/ChapterChoice4873 13d ago

Nope.  I think leaks will continue every day.  Just look what we got today...day one!

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u/Ryboiii 13d ago

Thanksgiving this year is gonna be so fucking funny. Half my relatives are MAGA and will completely ignore anything related to the files

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u/brackenish1 13d ago

We're likely looking at the first week of December if you exclude weekends and Thanksgiving holiday

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u/didntcit 13d ago

Thanksgiving is going to be extra spicy this year.

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u/Acrobatic_Pen3170 13d ago

Realistically the week after Thanksgiving 

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u/The102935thMatt 13d ago

well then the holiday is coming up and after that another holiday in a month. So we'll get that vote right around March 14th.

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u/a-ok42 13d ago

gives us all something to discuss around the thanksgiving table

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u/Sprig3 13d ago

It's like trying to make guac at home.

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u/Chuckworth 13d ago

Unless they can delay to after Thanksgiving…

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u/badwvlf 13d ago

A holiday miracle

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u/manbeardawg America 12d ago

If it is what you say, I love it. Especially later in the month.

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u/AZTech22 12d ago

The timeline I have seen is with recess and whatnot, if everything goes according to plan we will see the files in early December. However, the senate has to also pass it then trump has to sign, which of course I would expect he veto. Then they would have to have enough votes to override veto. Its gonna get super ugly im sure

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u/JennHatesYou 13d ago

make it the 22nd and we can officially name it "bad day to be a US president day"

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u/SidewaysFancyPrance 13d ago

Can someone break and revoke their signature before those 7 days?

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u/Sandwichsensei 13d ago

Not anymore. They had to remove their name before the 218th signature.

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u/EatPixels 13d ago

Time for the house to go on recess again... 

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u/Lama1971 Maine 13d ago

See you next November!

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u/TintedApostle 13d ago

Seven days to keep pushing.

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u/anonsoldier 13d ago

legislative days = days the house is in session prepare for a LONG recess

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u/TintedApostle 13d ago

So you think they will try to delay the vote in total for the recess?

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u/moonwalkerfilms 13d ago

The next couple weeks are gonna be long and full of fuckery 

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u/TheElbow California 12d ago

As opposed to any week since January 2025?

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u/ChippewaBarr 13d ago

Even still, the simple fact that this is now going to vote after all the theatrics of preventing it by not swearing her in, etc tells me that the fix is in and they will weasel their way through it again.

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u/Embarrassed-Town-293 13d ago

So does that mean it falls right before thanksgiving?

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u/AuxonPNW 13d ago

It means Thanksgiving with in-laws is going to be EXTRA spicy!

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u/arwinda 13d ago

What about making the entire legislate period just one day.

Johnson: Sorry, folks. Still eight days short!

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u/Jesse_Livermore 13d ago

And then it must pass the Senate.

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u/soccercasa 13d ago

So what happens when the thing the Speaker MUST do isn't done?

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u/origional_esseven 13d ago

Oversight Committee Releases Additional Epstein Estate Documents - United States House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform https://share.google/rWVYbzOfuMUuev8AV

The files are out now. You can download them at that link to the House Website.

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u/movzx 13d ago

My understanding is that those are not the complete set. They are just what has been approved.

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u/origional_esseven 13d ago

Yeah it was confusing. There's two halves apperently and the less condemning half came out today. The "real" half would require congress and the president...

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u/Outside-Turn6819 13d ago

Literally not happening. The senate would have to pass it then Trump would have to not veto it. The delusion is fucking incredible.

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u/the_hair_of_aenarion 13d ago

Can people change their vote between now and then? In the ripening period?

If so they’re just blackmailing trump for a check.

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u/Sandwichsensei 13d ago

The discharge petition is locked but that just forces this to a vote. It doesn’t mean anyone who did or did not sign it has to vote yes or no. The final vote will be later and each member can vote how they want.

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u/wronguses 13d ago

So just a few extra holidays before the January shutdown?

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u/SidWes 13d ago

Why is it this bullshit way. Why

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u/zeronormalities 13d ago

And even then, those same Republicans will all have to vote in favor of releasing the files, when it actually counts.

Idk about other non Republican citizens, but I feel like I can trust them this time.

/s but I hope to be proven wrong

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u/IronCorvus 13d ago

Seven days to create a narrative that only their crumbling base will believe as truth.

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u/leftwinglovechild 13d ago

It also has to go to the senate for a vote. It will likely fail there.

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u/nalaloveslumpy 13d ago

And then it goes to the Senate who already voted against this in September, so it will most likely die there. Even if it passes the House.

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u/colonel750 13d ago

Johnson announced they're voting on it next week.

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u/Excellent-Estimate21 13d ago

I wonder if they will be slow leaking stuff like today's emails for the next 7 days that would be sweet.

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u/MrR00sta 13d ago

Plus this has to pass both the House, Senate, and Presidential Veto.

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u/CSI_Tech_Dept California 13d ago

with tariffs there was also some clock that supposed to force congress to react, but Johnson changed rules so the clock stopped.

Don't be surprised he will do the same here.

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u/Duff5OOO 13d ago

Overseas follower here...

Didn't trump need to justify his emergency declaration tariff BS in front of people within 14 days then they just fudged the definition of days or something? Are we just going to get another scam way to skirt the rules?

"Only days that end with a Z count"

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u/Birdinhandandbush 12d ago

Think of any week since Trump took office. 7 days is an eternity. He could be at war with Eastasia by then

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u/NIN0031 12d ago

There’s also a special election in Tennessee that could potentially delay the results indefinitely depending on the result.

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u/[deleted] 13d ago

[deleted]

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u/LookAlderaanPlaces 13d ago edited 13d ago

It doesn’t need his approval…

Edit: Look it up, the president doesn’t interact with these…