Republican leaders in the US House of Representatives are sending lawmakers on summer recess early amid an ongoing impasse over votes related to Jeffrey Epstein.
The move to end the legislative session after Wednesday, a day early, reflected the deepening division on the right over how to handle the controversy surrounding the late accused sex trafficker: Republicans are divided over whether to push harder for the release of more information related to Epstein, following the Department of Justice’s bid to declare the matter closed as well as new reporting about Epstein’s past friendship with President Donald Trump.
Democrats have sought to force votes on Epstein measures that further divide the GOP.
The White House’s approach to the saga has the potential to dent Trump’s favorability rating, possibly shifting the broader narrative around his second term, a pollster argued in Politico.