Flotsam and Jetsam - Congress Votes to Release Epstein "Files" Kraken

Matt Margolis at PJM, The House Votes on the Epstein Files Transparency Act. "The House voted 427-1 to release the files on Tuesday afternoon. According to Fox News, the one nay vote came from Rep. Clay Higgins (R-La.)." Capt. Ed at Hat Hair, House Votes to Release Epstein Files, 427-1; UPDATE: Senate Unanimously Approves. Sundance at CTH, Senate Passes Epstein “Shiny Thing” Bill, Sends it to President Trump’s Desk. So what's the catch? "The House version of the Thomas Massie ‘pay attention to me bill’ telling the DOJ to release the information about Jeffrey Epstein, unless it contains material related to national security of investigations, has now passed the Senate by unanimous consent and will now head to President Trump’s desk for his signature. Trump will sign it and the Epstein ‘shiny thing’ law will go into effect, and the politicians will continue arguing about it and trying to attack the White House because they put the perpetual argument component into THE BILL." Shipwreckedcrew, Only 4 Republicans -- the GOP Squad -- Wanted To Vote On Releasing The Epstein Files and 214 Democrats Joined Them. "If Nancy Pelosi votes "Yes" will she be asked why she waited 6 years since she was Speaker beginning back in 2019 -- the same year Epstein was charged," and House and Senate Pass Massie's Bill on Releasing Epstein Files With No Amendments -- What Might Happen Next?, "The President's signature is NOT a waiver of his authority to challenge the constitutionality or enforceability of certain provisions." Althouse, The Epstein Files Transparency Act "requires the Department of Justice (DOJ) to publish (in a searchable and downloadable format) all unclassified records, documents, communications..." ""... and investigative materials in DOJ's possession that relate to the investigation and prosecution of Jeffrey Epstein. This includes (1) materials that relate to Ghislaine Maxwell, (2) flight logs and travel records, and (3) individuals named or referenced (including government officials) in connection with the investigation and prosecution of Jeffrey Epstein. DOJ is permitted to withhold certain information such as the personal information of victims and materials that would jeopardize an active federal investigation." Says the summary of the bill the House passed today, 427-1. . . . I suspect that today's seeming breakthrough will soon look like no progress at all. But it is a little show. A sop." Me too. The Babylon Bee @TheBabylonBee, "In Devastating Blow, Newly Released Emails Reveal Trump Not Well-Liked By Pedophile https://buff.ly/qlL0GA4."

At Da Hahvahd Crimson, As Summers Sought Clandestine Relationship With Woman He Called a Mentee, Epstein Was His ‘Wing Man’ "When former Harvard President Lawrence H. Summers was pursuing a romantic relationship with a woman he described as a mentee, he turned to a longtime associate for guidance: convicted sex offender Jeffrey E. Epstein." NYT, Larry Summers, ‘Ashamed’ Over Epstein Ties, Steps Back From Public Commitments, "New emails showed that Mr. Summers, a former Harvard president, had stayed in touch with Jeffrey Epstein for years after Mr. Epstein faced sex trafficking charges." Sister Toldja at RedState, James Comer Drops an Eye-Opening Surprise on Hakeem Jeffries During House Debate on Epstein Legislation. Townhall.com@townhallcom, "Hakeem Jeffries EXPOSED for requesting a MEETING & donations from Epstein AFTER he was a known s*x predator. “DEMOCRAT fundraisers invited Epstein to an event or to meet privately with Hakeem Jeffries as part of their 2013 effort to win a majority”" Matt Taibbi at Racket hopes The Epstein Circus Will Shatter Our Last Delusions. "Do we want to know how the world really works, or is it too disgusting to countenance?" I think I have a pretty good idea. Libs of TikTok @libsoftiktok, "The new governor of New Jersey Mikie Sherill endorsed Andrew LaBruno for state assembly. He was just arrested for child s*x crimes. Any comment @MikieSherrill??"

Chris Jacobs at Da Fed says Republicans Tempted To Bail Out Obamacare Should Remember Democrats’ Shutdown Implosion And Just Say No. A Chloe video at Hat Hair, Hakeem Jeffries Admits Obamacare FAILED...live on MSNBC. "What this means for Americans, and How Republicans can fix it." PJM's Stephen Kruiser wants to know when Can We Get Back to Nuking the Department of Education? unseen1 @unseen1 _unseen, "As I've been warning for months. Trump is fighting the deflationary war not the previous war on inflation. We do not want runaway deflation anymore than we want runaway inflation. Both are economy killers if allowed to get out of control. The best would be 0% but a target of 1% gives you some cushion if you overshoot to the downside. Tariffs are protecting us from the massive deflationary event going on in china by soaking up some of the deflation." Quote zerohedge @zerohedge "*TRUMP: WANT 1% INFLATION." Shipwreckedcrew is trying to Make Sense of the SCOTUS Argument on President Trump's Tariff Policies: "The Statute Can't Really Mean That -- Can It?" "A poorly written statute subject to expansive reading, or a clear case of Executive overreach by the Trump Administration -- pull out the Rorschach Cards."

Sundance notices EU Proposes Suspending Customs and Duty Enforcement During War Preparations Against Russia. "Tanks, missiles, artillery and most combat weapons could be exempt from EU customs declarations if the plan by Brussels moves forward." At Foreign Affairs, A Grand Bargain With Venezuela "American Force Won’t Dislodge Maduro, but American Diplomacy Might."

CJ Pearson @Cjpearson, "HOLY CRAP: Democrat members of Congress-- including Senators Elissa Slotkin and Mark Kelly-- just released a video encouraging members of the military to defy orders from President Trump. The party of "NO KINGS" is now encouraging a military coup." Cynical Publius @CynicalPublius, "Trump is the only "authoritarian" in human history whose ruling philosophy is to actively reduce the size, scope and power of the government that he leads." Quote "Ahmed Baba @AhmedBaba, "I documented every day of Trump’s first term and I’ve covered Project 2025 since 2023. The threat of Trump’s authoritarianism has been the focal point of my journalism for a decade." Insurrection Barbie @DefiyantlyFree, "For eight years under Obama and four Obama lite years the same people now shrieking about “the sanctity of civilian control” and “the military can’t be political” treated the Pentagon like their personal progressive playground. . . . The minute a Republican wins again suddenly the military has a sacred duty to “refuse unlawful orders,” retired admirals flood cable news warning of “fascism,” and blue-check think-tankers write op-eds about how maybe, just maybe, the Pentagon should “stand with the Constitution” instead of the commander-in-chief they don’t like. Translation: “The military must remain apolitical… unless our side is using it to indoctrinate troops, in which case carry on. But if the wrong guy wins a free and fair election, generals have a moral obligation to mutiny.” That’s not principle. That’s a confession that they spent a decade turning the most lethal fighting force in history into a partisan praetorian guard and now they’re terrified someone might finally hold them accountable for it. . . ." Read the whole thing.

Amy Curtis at TownHall, Zohran Mamdani Just Declared NYC a City of...What?. "International Law" or at least the parts of it we like. Greg Price @greg_price11, "This is one of the most insane things I've ever heard a politician say. Zohran Mamdani declares that New York is a "city of international law." Last time I checked, I was pretty sure New York is an American city under U.S. law." FAFO. Guy Benson @guypbenson, "He is very eager to enforce illegitimate “international law” against the elected leader of the Jewish state, but is explicitly opposed to the enforcement of actual, binding federal immigration law in his city." VodkaPundit at PJM hears Mamdani Just Said He's a Commie in a Whole New Way. Matt Vespa at TownHall, Bill Maher's Latest New Rules Commentary Is Directly Aimed at Zohran Mamdani. Hat Hair's Dave Strom notices Hakeem Jeffries Gets a Mamdani Ally as Primary Opponent and says Liberals Need to Take What Lefties Say Seriously. Bob Hoge at RedState worries Will Los Angeles Be the Latest City to Elect a Democratic Socialist Mayor? Karen Bass Gets a Challenger. At NYPo, Centrist Democrats can beat the socialists at their own game — and win their party back. Frank Miele at RedState, wonders When Did I Become a Fetterman Republican?

Althouse finds "How do we squash the prejudice against female presidential nominees, which has always been with us, but became even worse after Kamala Harris got whomped by Donald Trump?". "Asks Gail Collins in a column with a title that asks a different question, "Where, oh Where, Will the First Female President Come From?" Maybe it would be better to ask this other question, my question: When will we ever get to evaluate a female presidential candidate as just another presidential candidate? We've been nudged too many times to pick the woman because she is a woman. It makes people wary. I mean, really, why was Kamala Harris foisted on us?"

Glenn Greenwald @ggreenwald, "Very shortly, you're going to hear this from Democrats in media: Look, I had disagreements with Trump, but he kept the crazies on the fringes. The really dangerous extremist is JD Vance. Trump, by comparison, is a responsible patriot (that's the Bush/Cheney trajectory):"

Dave Catron at Am Spec, SCOTUS Must Stop Mail-In Voting Madness "At least 30 states continue to count votes long after Election Day has come and gone."

Dave Strom says You Have No Idea Just How Much Money Government Pours Into Nonprofits. I think I do.

John Sexton at Hat Hair VIP, Federal Court: Texas Cannot Use Redrawn Congressional Maps. Of course it will be appealed. But I'm sure the same panel of judges would approve of California's gerrymander. At the Misrule of Law, Are Blue States (and Rogue Judges) Itching for a Civil War?

At PJM, Cathy Salgado reports Duckworth Fires Staffer Who Helped Illegal by Impersonating a Lawyer and Mike Cantrell sees Trump's Catholic Border Czar Sets Bishops Straight on Immigration. VodkaPundit at Insty, THEY’RE JUST DOING THE TRAFFICKING JOBS AMERICANS WON’T DO: Deported Couple Accused Of Running ‘Barbaric’ Sex Ring After Sneaking Back Into US. "A husband and wife duo accused of running a sophisticated sex ring in Louisiana are previously deported illegal migrants with lengthy rap sheets. Murillo Lazano-Vargas and Zabdi Danea Guzman-Diaz were apprehended by the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office earlier in November on charges related to the promotion of prostitution, human trafficking by force and pandering, according to local outlet WAFB. The married couple are Mexican nationals who are not only living in the U.S. unlawfully, but had already been deported from the country before returning to allegedly launch their illicit brothel enterprise, according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). . . ."

More from the Wombat at In The Mailbox: 11.17.25 and In The Mailbox: 11.18.25. The Wombat has FMJRA 2.0: Curse of the Gopherball up on time and under budget at The Other McCain.