House legislators are not slowing down as they set the stage for a potential clash with GOP leadership about the disclosure of the Jeffrey Epstein files. After returning from the August recess, Representative Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) is poised to initiate a discharge petition at 2 p.m. today—a necessary step to circumvent party leaders and bring his resolution to a vote, which demands the Department of Justice to unseal records tied to the disgraced financier and convicted sex offender.

Massie revealed in a social media post on Tuesday that once the petition is filed, he will start collecting the 218 signatures needed to move the resolution to the House floor. He expressed confidence last week in an interview that he would quickly gather the required support. With backing from both sides of the aisle, including co-sponsorship from Representative Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), the resolution appears likely to reach the House floor. The bipartisan nature of the support suggests that nearly all Democrats and a significant number of Republicans are on board.

In a further development, a bipartisan ensemble of House members, including leaders from the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, are scheduled to meet privately with some of Epstein's victims this Tuesday afternoon. The details of this meeting were shared by an anonymous source privy to the event.

A separate rally organized by a group of Epstein’s victims is set for Wednesday morning on Capitol Hill. This event is planned just before a press conference that Khanna and Massie are hosting, which will also feature victims. This press conference aims to draw attention to their efforts with the discharge petition.

Despite attempts by GOP leaders to mitigate the situation during the recess, the issue remains prominent. “This has not gone away like the speaker had hoped,” stated Massie, signaling a continued push for transparency and accountability in the Epstein case. This week could prove pivotal in determining whether the public will gain access to the sealed files, shedding light on one of the most notorious criminal cases in recent history.