‘Covering for Pedophiles’: Dem Senators Confront Mike Johnson Over Epstein Docs and Shutdown Standoff

Mike Johnson
Speaker Mike Johnson on Wednesday had a heated, face-to-face exchange Photo by FMT licensed under CC BY 4.0.

As the government shutdown stretched into its second week, tempers flared on Capitol Hill when Democratic Senators Ruben Gallego and Mark Kelly confronted House Speaker Mike Johnson in person, accusing him of stalling both the release of Jeffrey Epstein-related files and the swearing-in of a new lawmaker who could force the issue to a vote.

At the heart of the standoff is Arizona Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva, a Democrat whose induction into Congress has been delayed by House GOP leaders. Grijalva’s addition would mark the decisive 218th signature on a discharge petition demanding a floor vote to unseal the Epstein documents — records that could reveal the identities of influential figures connected to Epstein’s sex trafficking network.

Gallego didn’t hold back, accusing Johnson of attempting to “cover up for pedophiles on the Epstein list” and putting his members “in a brutal spot” when it comes to voting on extending ACA tax credits.

Johnson, stepping out of his office mid-press conference, insisted the holdup was purely procedural. He claimed Grijalva’s election took place after the House had already adjourned, noting that “unlike prior cases,” members cannot be sworn in during recess.

“I’m eager to administer the oath to her,” Johnson said, “as soon as you all vote to reopen the government,” referring to a clean funding bill to end the shutdown.

The senators dismissed his explanation, pointing out that just last year, two Florida Republicans were sworn in during a pro forma session — undermining Johnson’s argument entirely.

That’s when Gallego delivered his sharpest jab: “You don’t want to be on the Epstein discharge,” he told Johnson.

Johnson snapped back, calling the accusation “totally absurd” and blasting the senators as “experts in red herrings.”

The moment captured the political chaos perfectly: a shutdown grinding on, a new member kept on ice, and a speaker accused of shielding powerful interests as the battle over the Epstein files escalates.