US House calls early summer recess amid turmoil over Epstein files

Republicans say last votes will take place on Wednesday, a day earlier than scheduled

Republicans announced Tuesday that the House of Representatives will call it quits a day early and head home in the face of persistent Democratic efforts to force Republicans into voting on the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files.

The chamber was scheduled be in session through Thursday ahead of the annual five-week summer recess, but on Tuesday, the Republican majority announced that the last votes of the week would take place the following day. Democrats in turn accused the GOP of leaving town rather than dealing with the outcry over Donald Trump's handling of the investigation into the alleged sex trafficker.