Senate GOP blocks push for legal action over Epstein law

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: Roll Call

Posted February 5, 2026 at 4:22pm


Senate Republican leadership blocked a Democrat-backed measure Thursday that would direct the chamber to take legal action over the Justice Department’s much-criticized handling of the Jeffrey Epstein documents. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer, on the floor, criticized the Trump administration’s response to the law Congress passed last year that required the release of documents tied to the deceased sex offender.

The New York Democrat said millions of pages of documents that have not been released could contain financial records, letters, emails and the names of conspirators. “These are things the public deserves to see and they are shrouded in darkness,” he said. And, Schumer said, the documents that have been released have often been redacted to an “absurd degree.” “Look at this,” he said, holding up a completely blacked out document. “There are hundreds of pages that look just like this. This is not transparency. This is not what the law requires. This is a mockery of the truth, and an insult to the survivors.”

Schumer sought unanimous consent to pass a resolution that would direct Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., to initiate or intervene in civil lawsuits in the name of the Senate to seek “appropriate relief” for the “failure of the Department of Justice to act in a manner consistent” with the Epstein files law.

“If the administration will not follow the law, which it isn’t, the Senate must act. No one — not even the president — is above the law,” Schumer said. He said 15 of his Democratic colleagues were co-sponsors. Majority Whip John Barrasso, R-Wyo., objected and blocked the effort.

Read more: https://rollcall.com/2026/02/05/senate-gop-blocks-push-for-legal-action-over-epstein-law/

[Buddyzbuddy]

1. REPUBLICANS once again on the record as PRO CHILD RAPE.

[Scrivener7]

2. People here talk a lot about how dumb it is to press for

legislation that won't pass. When it is for grandstanding purposes, I agree.

But here, finally, we are using such moves for a purpose. This forced republicans to show their asses.

It is small, but it is something we could do and we did it. It cost us nothing and it pushes our message.

To those who say we have no power, you are wrong. We have the power and the responsibility to be the party of opposition.

This was a good move by Chuck. Hope to see more.

[OldBaldy1701E]

3. "This forced republicans to show their asses."

SO, the last sixty or so years did not count?

We don't need to see their asses. We see them every single day, and have been for a long time.

We need them to be gone. Now. Not in two years. Not when we finally introduce articles of impeachment that will actually happen. Not when we decide that maybe we need to actually start pushing these thugs out of our lives. They need to be gone now.

Let me reiterate that point.

NOW.

(Actually, I was responding to the reply and referring to the entire regime. Not just a particular part of what is going on. I suppose there was some confusion there, which I apologize for.)

[Scrivener7]

4. Yes. But we both know that can't happen. So right now

what we can do is take every opportunity, like this one, to rub their constituents' faces into what they have done.

Republican voters are pedophile protectors, and we can't let them forget that. You and I have seen the past 60 years, but they haven't. Because we haven't rubbed their noses in it.

ETA: but on rereading your post, I think you are talking about ICE while the OP is about the Epstein files. I completely agree with you that ICE needs to go. But again, we need to watch the message. We need to kneecap them while we say we are "reforming" them. Then, when we get Congress back, we can ditch them.

[OldBaldy1701E]

5. "Because we haven't rubbed their noses in it"

And, we won't.

That is one of may main complaints about this situation.

Also, your wording is incorrect. It is not that it 'can't happen'.

It is that we don't want it to happen.

Which is VERY interesting to me.

"We need to kneecap them while we say we are "reforming" them."

That denotes a level of interactive effort that I do not find worthwhile. They are not worth such behavior. They need to be treated like the invasive species that they are. One does not negotiate and play nice with an invasion.

But, that is just me, I guess.

[riversedge]

10. ++++

[Clouds Passing]

6. Keep trying Chuck!!!!! GQP never gives up. Don't you!!!!!

[DallasNE]

7. The Scale Of The Epstein Scandal Is Mind Boggling

And the conclusion is that money corrupts absolutely. When you are filthy rich there are no guardrails because you can buy your way out of everything - case in point, Bill Gates. Money clouds judgment. He ruined a very good marriage, picked up a STD along the way, and ended up a shell of his former self.

It is time to put the guardrails back in place, but to reinforce them with public accountability. And the dismantling that began with the repeal of the Fairness Doctrine under Ronald Reagan. We all knew what the result would be in the form the rot would develop. Rot, yes, but not necessarily in the form of pedophilia. That same rot is now destroying the entire economy and will take down everybody before Republicans can come to grips with the reality that it is all about America rather than the super-rich at the top. Trust women rather than abusing women. Voting Trump over women twice tells you all you need to know.

[OGBuzz]

8. Sorry Senator Schumer....

but Donald Trump is above the law. Courtesy of SCOTUS, democracy hating MAGAts in Congress, and a 77 million strong cult. Soon he will extract $10 billion from the American taxpayers, with blessings from the IRS and DoJ, in what will be the largest heist in history. And you will not stop him because he IS above the law. All that will remain will be his coronation and a change in titles from President to Emperor.

[Fil1957]

9. GOP stands for Guardians Of Pedophiles -- what else can you say?

[patphil]

11. This ia all part of the republican process of pretending to care, but then not really giving a shit.

They all want to see the Epstein files released until they have to go on record of demanding they be released.
Voting to protect pedophiles is pretty outrageous. Even the MAGA base wants to see those files.
Me, I prefer full disclosure of all 6 million + files with a non-political, non-governmental group doing minimal redaction to protect the victims only.
I want accountability of all those who financially supported Epstein and sexually abused those girls.

[NoMoreRepugs]

12. Dems go into the midterms with the the Big 3 of crappy economy/Epstein Files/Ice debacle - if Independents

don't come out of the woodwork and join us all is lost the 2-3 generations minimum IMO.

[sakabatou]

13. GOP protects people like Epstein

[Martin68]

14. As usual, the GOP completely supports Trump's criminal and impeachable behavior.

[Botany]

15. '26 Campaign meme. A vote for senator ________ is a vote to protect child sex predators.

Trump is a child rapist end of story. I guarantee you that the next batch from the Epstein files has
some really horrifying details. The recent batch had Trump punching a 13 year old girl as he was
forcing her to give him a blow job. He is a monster.