Lauren Boebert Goes Scorched Earth On Trump For Putting Kibosh On Her Bill
'nothing says America First like denying clean water to 50,000 people'
'You're a piece of s**t': Nancy Mace and Cory Mills clash in heated exchange after failed censure
Florida Rep. Cory Mills (R) evaded another censure effort Wednesday night, but not without some heated criticism from a Republican colleague.
Republican Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina forced a censure vote on Mills Wednesday over "alleged stolen valor, arms deals he's under investigation for and alleged abuses toward women." Mace also went after Mills after a handful of Republicans blocked the censure of Democrat Delegate Stacey Plaskett of the Virgin Islands, who colluded with Jeffrey Epstein during a 2019 congressional hearing.
'The more we learn about this guy and his purported activities, the worse it is.'
Mace alleged that Plaskett's censure failed because Mills cut a "backroom deal" to suppress his own censure. Similar allegations were made toward Mills back in September when he was the deciding vote to protect Democratic Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar's censure for the insensitive comments she made following Charlie Kirk's assassination.
"Another backroom deal so Cory Mills can’t get censored [sic] for Stolen Valor," Mace said in a post on X. "I have the General who 'recommended' him for the Bronze Star on record saying he never wrote it, never read it and never personally signed it. This. Is. Washington."
The two Republicans reportedly had a heated exchange on the House floor Wednesday night, with Mace calling Mills a "disgrace" and mouthing the words, "You're a piece of s**t."
Mace later addressed these outbursts in a post on X, saying the real scandal is Mills' track record.
"While Rep. Cory Mills is worried about my 'mean' words on the Floor last night — I'm worried about our national security and what sort of arms deals he or his companies have with foreign countries. I'm worried about how court records show he abuses women and had to have a restraining order set against him for it. I'm worried about how stealing the stories of other soldiers constitutes STOLEN VALOR and spits in the faces of veterans who gave it all Hold your tongue and sit this one out Mr. Mills."
The censure vote ultimately failed 310-103, with 204 Republicans and 106 Democrats defending Mills.
Only eight Republicans — Reps. Anna Paulina Luna of Florida, Lauren Boebert of Colorado, Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, Harriet Hageman of Wyoming, Tim Burchett of Tennessee, Kat Cammack of Florida, Joe Wilson of South Carolina, and Mace — voted to advance the censure measure.
Although the censure failed, Mace still called the effort a win.
"Last night was a win with either outcome of the vote," Mace said in a post on X. "Now the Left can't do any more backroom deals with Mills or use Mills as a bargaining chip whenever a Republican moves to censure another. And his investigation has been formally referred to an Ethics Subcommittee."
"However, I pray leadership will remove Mills from his committees until Ethics is done with Mills. The more we learn about this guy and his purported activities, the worse it is."
Blaze News reached out to Mills' office for comment.
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With Trump's blessing, House approves resolution to release the Epstein files: 'We have nothing to hide'
After months of pushback, the House passed a resolution to release the highly anticipated Epstein files.
Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Democrat Rep. Ro Khanna of California co-authored the resolution to release the Epstein files and forced the House vote Tuesday using a discharge petition. Lawmakers forced the floor vote after the petition secured 218 signatories last week, including Republican Reps. Nancy Mace of South Carolina, Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, Lauren Boebert of Colorado, and Massie.
'Of course we're for maximum transparency.'
Republican Rep. Clay Higgins of Louisiana was the lone no vote.
Although only four Republicans signed onto the petition, initially bucking their party, President Donald Trump changed course and encouraged rank-and-file GOP members to vote in favor of the resolution. Republican leadership later followed suit, with Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) confirming Tuesday that he would vote in favor of the resolution.
RELATED: Mike Johnson changes course ahead of key Epstein vote
"As I said on Friday night aboard Air Force One to the Fake News Media, House Republicans should vote to release the Epstein files, because we have nothing to hide, and it’s time to move on from this Democrat Hoax perpetrated by Radical Left Lunatics in order to deflect from the Great Success of the Republican Party, including our recent Victory on the Democrat 'Shutdown,'" Trump said in a Truth Social Post Sunday.
Johnson echoed Trump's message for transparency but mentioned several "dangers" in the current resolution he hopes will be amended in the Senate, including concerns for victims' privacy and inadequate handling of child sexual abuse materials.
"There's a handful of Republicans, Judiciary Committee members, and a few others who are really struggling, as I have been, about whether or not they can even vote yes today because of this," Johnson said during a presser Tuesday. "Because we don't have an absolute guarantee that this will be fixed in the Senate."
RELATED: Democrat lawmaker faces censure for 'colluding' with Epstein during congressional hearing
Despite these concerns, Johnson urged the conference to "vote their conscience."
"Having now forced the vote, none of us want to go on record and in any way be accused of not being for maximum transparency," Johnson said. "So the only intellectually consistent position to have right now ... is to allow for everyone to vote their conscience and to go on record to say, 'Of course we're for maximum transparency.'"
The resolution is now headed to the Senate. If it passes, Trump confirmed that he would sign the resolution into law.
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Mike Johnson changes course ahead of key Epstein vote
Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) is following in President Donald Trump's footsteps ahead of the House vote to release the Epstein files.
After months of pushing back on Kentucky Republican Rep. Thomas Massie's Epstein discharge petition, Trump changed course and encouraged House Republicans to vote in favor of the resolution Tuesday.
'We have nothing to do with Epstein.'
"As I said on Friday night aboard Air Force One to the Fake News Media, House Republicans should vote to release the Epstein files, because we have nothing to hide, and it’s time to move on from this Democrat Hoax perpetrated by Radical Left Lunatics in order to deflect from the Great Success of the Republican Party, including our recent Victory on the Democrat 'Shutdown,'" Trump said in a Truth Social Post Sunday.
Rank-and-file Republicans followed suit and began to embrace Massie's petition publicly, and Johnson, who previously expressed misgivings about the discharge petition, later announced that he will vote for the resolution.
However, there are a few caveats.
Johnson conceded that he would vote in favor of the resolution but maintained that there were several "dangers" regarding victim privacy, inadequate handling of child sexual abuse materials, and the lack of protections for whistleblowers.
"There's a handful of Republicans, Judiciary Committee members, and a few others who are really struggling, as I have been, about whether or not they can even vote yes today because of this," Johnson said during the presser. "Because we don't have an absolute guarantee that this will be fixed in the Senate."
Despite these "dangers," Johnson said he has a "high degree of confidence" that the Senate will implement the necessary changes, allowing him to vote yes on the resolution.
"Having now forced the vote, none of us want to go on record and in any way be accused of not being for maximum transparency," Johnson said. "So the only intellectually consistent position to have right now ... is to allow for everyone to vote their conscience and to go on record to say, 'Of course we're for maximum transparency.'"
RELATED: 'Temporary crumbs': Out-of-touch Democrat gives stunning rebuke of Trump's 'No Tax on Tips' policy
Massie and Democrat Rep. Ro Khanna of California co-led the discharge petition, securing 218 signatures Wednesday to force a vote on the House floor. All 214 Democrats signed on to the petition alongside four Republicans: Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, Lauren Boebert of Colorado, Nancy Mace of South Carolina, and Massie.
Although the petition received the support of only four Republicans, the vote is expected to pass with overwhelming GOP support after Trump gave the conference the green light on Sunday.
He also confirmed Monday that he would sign the resolution once it passes Congress.
“We have nothing to do with Epstein. The Democrats do," Trump said from the Oval Office. "All of his friends were Democrats."
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Effort to release Epstein files finally advances after newly sworn-in Democrat becomes final signatory
Kentucky Republican Rep. Thomas Massie's highly anticipated discharge petition to release the Epstein files received its final signatory on Wednesday, allowing lawmakers to force a vote in the House.
Democratic Rep. Adelita Grijalva of Arizona became the 218th signatory on the Epstein discharge petition just moments after being sworn into office on Wednesday. Grijalva joined the 213 Democrats who unanimously supported the discharge petition while just four Republicans — Reps. Lauren Boebert of Colorado, Nancy Mace of South Carolina, Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, and Massie — signed on.
'Only a very bad, or stupid, Republican would fall into that trap.'
With 218 signatures, lawmakers will be able to force a House vote on releasing the Epstein files.
Just hours before Grijalva's swearing in, the White House confirmed that members of President Donald Trump's administration met with Boebert in the Situation Room to address the discharge petition.
This meeting included a phone call from Trump as well as a face-to-face with Attorney General Pam Bondi, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, and FBI Director Kash Patel. Despite the apparent pressure campaign, Boebert did not rescind her support for the discharge petition.
Despite the bipartisan uproar over the administration's handling of the Epstein files, Trump maintains that the scandal is a Democrat "hoax" to distract from their disastrous shutdown.
"The Democrats are trying to bring up the Jeffrey Epstein Hoax again because they’ll do anything at all to deflect on how badly they’ve done on the Shutdown, and so many other subjects," Trump said in a Truth Social Post. "Only a very bad, or stupid, Republican would fall into that trap. The Democrats cost our Country $1.5 Trillion Dollars with their recent antics of viciously closing our Country, while at the same time putting many at risk — and they should pay a fair price."
RELATED: Supreme Court rejects Ghislaine Maxwell's appeal on first day of session
"There should be no deflections to Epstein or anything else, and any Republicans involved should be focused only on opening up our Country, and fixing the massive damage caused by the Democrats!"
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Trump bashes 'badly failing' Democrats for reigniting Epstein skepticism: 'Does anybody really believe that?'
President Donald Trump doubled down on the Epstein attacks, once again pointing the finger at the Democratic Party.
The outrage surrounding the administration's handling of the Epstein files subsided in recent weeks while Congress was out of session. Now that the Hill is back, lawmakers have reignited interest in the Epstein scandal, which Trump insists is a "Democrat hoax."
'The Dems don't care about the victims.'
"The confused and badly failing Democrat Party did nothing about Jeffrey Epstein while he was alive except befriend him, socialize with him, travel to his Island, and take his money!" Trump said in a Truth Social post Friday.
"They knew everything there was to know about Epstein, but now, years after his death, they, out of nowhere, are seeming to show such love and heartfelt concern for his victims," Trump added. "Does anybody really believe that?"
RELATED: White House slams Massie's Epstein bill as a 'very hostile act' — some Republicans sign on anyway
Trump insisted Democrats don't actually care about Epstein's victims, saying if they did, they would have taken action in years prior. Instead, Trump argued that Democrats have resurrected the scandal because of their low approval ratings.
"The now dying (after the DOJ gave thousands of pages of documents in full compliance with a very comprehensive and exacting Subpoena from Congress!) Epstein case was only brought back to life by the Radical Left Democrats because they are doing so poorly, with the lowest poll numbers in the history of the Party (16%), while the Republicans are doing so well, among the highest approval numbers the Party has ever had!" Trump said. "The Dems don't care about the victims, as proven by the fact that they never did before."
"This is merely another Democrat HOAX, just like Russia, Russia, Russia, and all of the others, in order to deflect and distract from the great success of a Republican President, and the record setting failure of the previous Administration, and the Democrat Party," Trump added.
RELATED: Thomas Massie leads pressure campaign, forcing Congress to address Epstein
Although Trump has repeatedly framed the Epstein scandal as a Democratic talking point, there has consistently been bipartisan support for transparency.
The moment Congress came back in session on Monday, Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky filed a discharge petition, which would force a vote on the House floor to release the Epstein files. In order to force the vote, Massie would need signatures from at least 218 members of Congress.
As of Thursday, the petition has secured 215 signatures, including four from Republicans: Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, Nancy Mace of South Carolina, Lauren Boebert of Colorado, and Massie. Rep. Eric Swalwell of California is the only Democrat who has not yet signed but intends to, meaning signatures from at least two more Republicans are needed to force the vote.
Notably, the White House slammed Massie's petition, calling it a "very hostile act" to deter other Republicans from signing on.
RELATED: FBI, DOJ Epstein memo sparks right-wing outrage: 'Nobody is believing this'
"Helping Thomas Massie and liberal Democrats with their attention-seeking, while the DOJ is fully supporting a more comprehensive file release effort from the Oversight Committee, would be viewed as a very hostile act to the administration," one White House official said in an email to NBC.
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White House slams Massie's Epstein bill as a 'very hostile act' — some Republicans sign on anyway
While the White House has tried to move past the Epstein files, some Republicans are reigniting the pressure campaign for transparency.
The commotion surrounding the Epstein files largely subsided in early August after Congress left Washington, D.C., for its annual five-week recess. Now that the Hill is back in full force, Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky is once again leading the charge to release the Epstein files.
'They’re threatening anyone who helps bring true transparency.'
Massie filed a discharge petition on Tuesday as soon as Congress came back into session. The discharge petition, should it reach at least 218 signatures, would force a vote on his bill to make public all Epstein-related materials with minimal redactions.
Although Massie's petition has gained traction with Democrats, a White House official warned Republicans that signing on to the petition would be viewed as a "hostile act" by the administration.
RELATED: Thomas Massie leads pressure campaign, forcing Congress to address Epstein
"Helping Thomas Massie and liberal Democrats with their attention-seeking, while the DOJ is fully supporting a more comprehensive file release effort from the Oversight Committee, would be viewed as a very hostile act to the administration," the official said in an email to NBC.
Within two hours of Massie's filing, the petition secured the backing of 131 Democrats and three Republicans: Reps. Nancy Mace of South Carolina, Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, and Lauren Boebert of Colorado. Assuming all 212 Democrats back Massie's petition, he will need six Republicans besides himself to meet the 218 signature threshold.
"I’m committed to doing everything possible for the victims of Jeffrey Epstein," Greene said in a post on X. "Including exposing the cabal of rich and powerful elites that enabled this."
RELATED: FBI, DOJ Epstein memo sparks right-wing outrage: 'Nobody is believing this'
"They’re threatening anyone who helps bring true transparency and justice for the survivors," Massie said in a post on X. "This is a tacit admission the Oversight Committee data release is woefully incomplete."
The data release Massie is referring to came from the House Oversight Committee Tuesday afternoon and includes over 33,000 Epstein-related documents that were made publicly available.
"As a survivor, I stand with victims demanding justice and full transparency," Mace said in a post on X. "I also just signed the discharge petition to ensure the full truth comes out."
House Republicans also scheduled a vote later in the week to allow the House Oversight Committee to "continue its ongoing investigation" into the government's "possible mismanagement" of the Epstein case. Massie pushed back, calling it a "meaningless vote" meant to provide "political cover" for politicians who don't want to support his bill.
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