Massie: Congress Recessing Until After Election to Block Epstein Bill II

Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) is claiming vindication after Speaker Mike Johnson announced the House will recess on September 17 until after the election, a move Massie says is designed to kill his second Epstein disclosure bill before it can hit the floor.

What Massie is alleging

Massie posted that he had tweeted earlier in the week that Johnson would recess Congress until after the election in an attempt to stymie the latest Epstein bill, and that Johnson went on TV calling that prediction stupid and insisting the House would work every day, only to announce a September 17 recess through the election.

The fight centers on the Epstein Files Transparency Act II. Massie says over three million files are still being withheld a year after the original act was signed, and the new bill is aimed at bringing the fight to state courts and forcing accountability at the Department of Justice.

The legislative maneuver in play

Massie and Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) got the first bill through last November using a discharge petition, which allows a bill to reach the floor over the Speaker’s objections if enough lawmakers sign on.

Massie has again launched a discharge petition to force a House vote on the Epstein Files Transparency Act II, which would expand access to federal Epstein records for victims, state prosecutors and members of Congress and allow new court challenges over withheld or redacted material.

Do you want to see how to make more plays? Do you want to find gains yourself?

Unusual Whales helps you find market opportunities through our market tide, historical options flow, GEX, and much, much more.

Create a free account here to start conquering the market with Unusual Whales.

The political backdrop

The first bill passed the House 427-1 in November after months of pressure. Massie framed it as a vote for justice and transparency, and it made him a target, with President Trump repeatedly calling the matter a Democrat hoax and endorsing a primary challenger against him.

During an August 31 floor speech, Massie named 14 individuals including Jes Staley, Leon Black, Les Wexner, Tom Pritzker, Glenn Dubin, Jean-Luc Brunel and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor as people who should face investigation and possible prosecution over alleged connections to Epstein’s network.

Why traders should care

A congressional recess through the midterms means legislative risk gets pushed out, but headline risk for names tied to Epstein via subpoenas and depositions does not. Billionaire Leon Black already refused to appear for a sworn congressional deposition and sued the House Oversight Committee to block subpoenas.

For markets, the read-through is limited but real for individual names and financials with Epstein-era exposure. Watch for headline-driven volatility in names repeatedly surfaced in filings and floor speeches, plus any read-through to funds and estates connected to those individuals.

Options market and stocks to watch

JPM: Watch for renewed attention on JPMorgan’s historical Epstein banking relationship if further documents get released or litigation expands.

APO: Watch Apollo Global for any incremental headline risk tied to founder Leon Black, who has been named and subpoenaed in the ongoing House probe.

LB / BBWI: Watch for Les Wexner-linked headlines, which have historically driven flow into the former L Brands complex.

For broader political and legislative catalysts, watch other news as the discharge petition count moves toward 218.

Want more market intelligence? Create your free Unusual Whales account for options flow, market tide, GEX, and the full toolkit.