Iowa’s congressional delegation votes to release Epstein files

All four of Iowa’s Republican U.S. representatives voted for legislation forcing the U.S. Department of Justice to release files related to the investigation into the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein after facing mounting political pressure.

The bill passed the House 427-1, with Rep. Clay Higgins, a Republican from Louisiana, being the lone dissenter. The nearly unanimous support followed President Donald Trump’s recent pivot to backing the legislation after attempting to halt its path to the House floor for months and calling the files a “hoax,” according to the Associated Press.

Republican Iowa U.S. Reps. Marianette Miller-Meeks, Ashley Hinson, Zach Nunn and Randy Feenstra all voted to release the files Tuesday, but did not sign onto a bipartisan discharge petition forcing the chamber to take a vote on the bill.

Later Tuesday afternoon, lawmakers in the U.S. Senate, including Iowa Republican U.S. Sens. Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst, sent the bill to Trump's desk after they approved the legislation with unanimous consent, which needs approval from all senators but does not require them to take a roll call vote.

Epstein, the disgraced financier, died by suicide in 2019 while in jail awaiting trial on federal sex-trafficking charges.

On a call with reporters Tuesday ahead of the Senate vote, Grassley said he would support a “clean Epstein file release."

“Speaker (Mike) Johnson has asked us just to pass what you would call a clean Epstein file reversal, and I've supported full transparency on the Epstein file since I first asked for it in 2019 and I'll continue that pushing if it comes to a vote in the United States Senate,” Grassley told reporters. “Don't forget, before you finalize my statements, there's some amendments that Speaker Johnson feels the Senate ought to take out that are unrelated to the Epstein files being released, and that (will) be an important consideration on my part, to vote, but let's say it's clean, what I want to call a clean Epstein file release. I'm going to vote for that.”

In response to a request for comment Tuesday before the Senate vote, a spokesperson for Ernst gave a statement to the Quad-City Times that said, in its entirety, “Senator Ernst is supportive of transparency.”

Here’s what Iowa’s U.S representatives said about their votes to release the files Tuesday.

1st District: Marianette Miller-Meeks

Ahead of Tuesday’s vote, Miller-Meeks confirmed she would vote to release the files during an in-person town hall Nov. 10 in Keosauqua, where she said she “fully supports releasing the Epstein files,” while emphasizing that victims’ privacy should be protected.

On Tuesday, Miller-Meeks said she “voted for full transparency with the release of the Epstein Files.”

“The American people deserve to know the truth, and the victims deserve accountability, no matter the power, status, or political connections of those involved,” Miller-Meeks said in a statement shortly after the vote Tuesday. “Releasing these files is an important step toward ensuring every victim is heard, every predator is exposed, and no one is ever shielded from responsibility again."

2nd District: Ashley Hinson

On Monday, Hinson said she supports continuing investigative efforts into Epstein.

“Jeffrey Epstein was a disgusting pedophile. I've always been for full transparency and accountability for anyone who was involved in his exploitation ring,” Hinson wrote on X Tuesday afternoon. “We must protect the victims and seek the full truth and justice. I am 100% committed to that, voted in favor of releasing all of the files, and support continuing all investigative efforts.”

3rd District: Rep. Zach Nunn

Shortly after the vote on Tuesday, Nunn posted a statement on X calling Epstein a “disgusting human being.”

“Transparency and accountability from our government isn’t optional, it’s a duty,” Nunn wrote. “Jeffrey Epstein is a disgusting human being who committed horrific crimes. Iowans deserve the truth, victims deserve justice, and full transparency is how we deliver both.”

4th District: Randy Feenstra

Feenstra’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on his vote Tuesday.

Iowa Democrats react to Epstein file vote

After the House’s vote, Iowa Democrats were quick to slam the state’s congressional delegation for not signing onto the discharge petition to force the U.S. House to vote on the Epstein file release last week.

Three Democrats who are seeking their party's nomination for the open U.S. Senate seat next year criticized Hinson for not signing onto the discharge petition.

“I called on Ashley Hinson to become the 218th and deciding vote to release the Epstein Files months ago. She's had every opportunity to stand with the victims and American people, instead she chose to protect the rich and powerful as long as possible," Iowa state senator and Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Zach Wahls, of Coralville, said in a statement.

Iowa state Rep. Josh Turek, of Council Bluffs, another of the Democratic Senate candidates, said Hinson "refuses to support transparency and bring justice to survivors" by not signing the petition.

Former Chamber of Commerce leader and Iowa Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Nathan Sage, of Indianola, called Hinson “spineless” for not signing onto the discharge petition.

“If you have to wait for Trump or any party boss to tell you it’s okay before you vote to protect victims against pedophiles, then you are spineless plain and simple,” Sage wrote on X Tuesday.

Democratic state Sen. Sarah Trone Gariott, of West Des Moines, who is seeking Nunn’s 3rd Congressional District seat, criticized Nunn for “delays and political games” in releasing the Epstein files.

“Today’s vote to release the Epstein files was long overdue. Survivors and the American people deserve the full truth — not more delays and political games from Washington insiders like Zach Nunn, who only acts when his party leaders give him cover,” Trone Gariott said in a statement. “Nunn has used his power to protect the rich and powerful, not the victims or the American people. In Congress, I’ll stand up for transparency, accountability, and the people of Iowa.”

Quad-City Times reporter Sarah Watson and Gazette Deputy Des Moines Bureau Chief Tom Barton contributed to this report.