The fix was in on the Epstein files bill. What was supposed to happen was that Speaker Mike Johnson would pass the bill compelling the release through the House, and then Majority Leader John Thune was supposed to bog down the bill in the Senate by claiming that the legislation needed corrections and rewrites.
The bill was apparently supposed to get stuck in an endless loop of Senate process, and the files would not be released.
What ended up happening was that Chuck Schumer immediately moved to pass the legislation via consent. For some reason, zero Republicans objected, so the bill passed the Senate and went to Trump’s desk.
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According to Politico, this development left Trump and the White House frustrated and vowing revenge:
The administration’s offensive comes amid intense frustration from the president and his top staffers who say a few wayward Republicans worked with Democrats to push a “distraction” to the forefront. In addition, White House officials fear no amount of disclosure will be enough to satisfy a significant part of their base.
…
The plan to attack – a well-worn tactic for the president – will test whether Trump still has the political muscle to cow people into submission and make those who challenge him pay a political price. It comes as questions swirl over whether the president has lost his iron grip on the GOP and is entering his lame duck period.
Speaker Mike Johnson convinced himself that the Senate was going to bury this bill, but he was wrong.
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