Rep. Adelita Grijalva signs discharge petition forcing House vote on Epstein files

Rep. Adelita Grijalva became the 218th House member to sign a discharge petition on Nov. 12, 2025, just minutes after being sworn into office. The petition, initiated by Reps. Thomas Massie (R-KY) and Ro Khanna (D-CA), forces a House floor vote on legislation compelling the Justice Department to release all files related to its Jeffrey Epstein investigation. Under House rules, 218 signatures—a simple majority of the 435-member chamber—are required to bypass committee review and leadership control, triggering a mandatory vote within seven legislative days.

Grijalva won a special election in Sep. 2025 to succeed her late father, longtime Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-AZ), who died in Mar. 2025. Speaker Mike Johnson delayed her swearing-in for seven weeks despite her election victory. Democrats accused Johnson of stalling to prevent the discharge petition from reaching 218 signatures before the government shutdown ended. Johnson rejected the claim, saying her oath wouldn't be taken until the shutdown fight was resolved.

The discharge petition included all 214 House Democrats and four Republicans: Marjorie Taylor Greene (GA), Lauren Boebert (CO), Nancy Mace (SC), and Thomas Massie (KY). Once a petition reaches 218 signatures, the list is frozen—no names can be added or removed. Rep. Lauren Boebert met with White House officials on Nov. 12 to discuss the petition, but kept her name on it despite administration pressure to withdraw support.

President Trump attacked Republicans supporting the petition in a Truth Social post on Nov. 12, calling it a Democratic deflection strategy and warning that only a very bad or stupid Republican would fall into that trap. Trump said Republicans should focus on opening up the country and fixing damage caused by Democrats, not on Epstein files. White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt confirmed Boebert's White House meeting, calling it transparency that administration officials brief members of Congress.

Speaker Johnson announced on Nov. 12 that he would expedite the process and bring the Epstein measure to the House floor the following week, despite opposing the effort. Under normal discharge petition rules, seven legislative days must pass after reaching 218 signatures before a vote can be called. Johnson's decision to fast-track the vote avoided prolonging the political fight during the ongoing government shutdown.

The Justice Department and FBI published a memo in Jul. 2025 stating that Epstein records contained no incriminating client list or evidence that would lead to additional prosecution of third parties. This contradicted statements FBI Director Kash Patel made in 2024 before becoming director, when he told conservative media that House Republicans should release the files. The discrepancy fueled suspicion among Trump's MAGA base that the administration was covering up information about Epstein's connections.

The discharge petition fight exposed rare divisions within the Republican caucus, with Trump calling supporters of the petition traitors while Massie and other backers insisted on transparency. Rep. Thomas Massie warned fellow Republicans that voting against the files' release would stain their long-term political futures, saying in 2030, he's not going to be the president, and you will have voted to protect pedophiles.