Senate agrees to pass Epstein files bill after near-unanimous House vote | First Thing
The bill's support in the House and Senate is a rare moment of bipartisan agreement. Plus, Trump shrugs off Khashoggi murder during Saudi prince's visit
Good morning.
The Senate moved swiftly yesterday to approve legislation that would force the release of investigative files related to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, hours after a near-unanimous vote in the House, almost wrapping up a bipartisan effort Donald Trump had fought for months.
How did we get here? The Epstein case returned dramatically to the public eye in July, when the justice department and FBI released a memo saying they had nothing further to disclose about the investigation. That contradicted statements that the administration would release more information about Epstein in office.
Why has Trump been unable to escape this case? The Epstein scandal is a core issue for a swathe of Trump's rightwing base, some of whom believe in conspiracy theories that surround Epstein and his coterie of powerful friends. Unlike many other issues, the Epstein files have prompted rebellions from Trump's supporters.
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