Monday, November 17, 2025

How Thomas Massie Outmaneuvered Trump on Epstein

He got tired of me winning' The president's Sunday capitulation handed his biggest GOP foe in Congress a major victory.

Posted by Corky at 09:32 PM | 13 COMMENTS | permalink

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NEWS: Ro Khanna tells us *50 Republicans* may be set to join him, Thomas Massie, and Democrats in voting to release the Epstein files. Perhaps explains why Trump is now spinning out of control, attacking Republicans like Massie and MTG who are joining Democrats in responding to the public demand.

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-- Prem Thakker ツ (@premthakker.bsky.social) Nov 15, 2025 at 11:28 AM

Comments

"Insisting "I DON'T CARE!" in a late-night Truth Social post, Trump was bowing to the inevitable " a broad House Republican mutiny on a vote that was only scheduled because Massie forced it.

It was the result of Massie and Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) launching a discharge petition aimed at sidestepping senior GOP leaders who desperately wanted to avoid bringing the issue to the House floor.

The campaign to avoid the vote got remarkably ugly in the days before Trump finally conceded, with the president personally attacking Massie for recently remarrying after the sudden death last summer of his wife of more than 30 years."

;;

Much more at the thread link... Trump is funding a replacement for Massie in his Red District, but that's not going well either.

#1 | Posted by Corky at 2025-11-17 01:19 PM

@#1 ... It was the result of Massie and Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) launching a discharge petition aimed at sidestepping senior GOP leaders who desperately wanted to avoid bringing the issue to the House floor. ...

So, .. bi-partisan.

#2 | Posted by LampLighter at 2025-11-17 10:12 PM

MAGA splitting. They were all in on the Pedo Pizza Ring run by Hillary, and they are all pumped up to be anti-Pedo, because that's an easy call.

No way they can fold now... ok, maybe way. They are still in a Cult.

#3 | Posted by Corky at 2025-11-17 10:31 PM

@#3 ... No way they can fold now... ok, maybe way. They are still in a Cult. ...

One thing I will be watching going forward is...

Will the cult hold together?

Or is this vote just the first of future bipartisan initiates in Congress, indicative of how Congress should server the people who elect them?


#4 | Posted by LampLighter at 2025-11-17 10:44 PM

- Congress should server the people who elect them?

Congress now serves the Billionaires and Corporations that buy elections for them.

Until that changes, Corrupt Gov biased towards the Bosses is our future.

#5 | Posted by Corky at 2025-11-17 11:09 PM

I can't believe the GOP majority cult members have suddenly grown a conscience.

Chances are their motive, all or in part, is about getting re-elected. They can read the poll numbers for themselves and it doesn't look good for the midterms.

However, they may be a little late for the party. Their past ugliness on behalf of Donald Trump has already taken hold.

#6 | Posted by Twinpac at 2025-11-18 12:10 AM

@#6 ... I can't believe the GOP majority cult members have suddenly grown a conscience. ...

My guess is that Pres Trump is wondering something similar.

... Chances are their motive, all or in part, is about getting re-elected. ...

Possibly, because Trump endorsements may not been working of late.

#7 | Posted by LampLighter at 2025-11-18 12:32 AM

LAMP

You could call Trump's endorsements of late an albatross of doom.

But I think there's more to it than that. Congress desperately needs to go on record for sure to protect themselves, all the while knowing that Mike Johnson's 8-week stall has given Trump plenty of time to render the Epstein files

1) nearly useless for indictments, or

2) Trump will find some lame excuse to veto.

Trump didn't do an about face for no reason. Knowing him, "the fix" (whatever that may be) is in.

#8 | Posted by Twinpac at 2025-11-18 01:17 AM

@#8

Excellent points.

thx.

#9 | Posted by LampLighter at 2025-11-18 01:34 AM

Chances are their motive, all or in part, is about getting re-elected.

via GIPHY

#10 | Posted by Nixon at 2025-11-18 08:05 AM

Trump didn't do an about face for no reason. Knowing him, "the fix" (whatever that may be) is in.

My guess is that he will use the "investigation" of Clinton as cover for not releasing 90% of the documents.

He never needed Congress to force the release.

He can still release every single one right now. No vote needed.

#11 | Posted by Nixon at 2025-11-18 08:07 AM

I don't think that Trump will ravage the Epstein files the way some think.

There exists at least one other large data base, that what he gives to us can be compared against.

As many have suggested, he will continue to block release of Epstein using a "legal" pretense.

The problem with that is that the pretense is vicible as such to everyone, and will simply keep the scandal going.

Everyone wants to see those files now. Human curiosity has kicked in. The matter has transcended mere politics.

#12 | Posted by Zed at 2025-11-18 08:31 AM

Trump's gonna get Boxed in, and Start a War to Corral his Detractors.

War Time Powers.

He's already trying out ICE as his personal Security Force against an Amorphous "Enemy Within".

The Act of Starting the New War will bring All True Americans into the fold and unify this divided nation under Trump.

Those Not with the Program will be Silenced or Worse.

Trump's Dream of American Domination under Him will be Achieved...

Then What?

#13 | Posted by Effeteposer at 2025-11-18 12:57 PM

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