The Senate on this Tuesday quickly approved to legislation that will mandate the disclosure of case documents concerning the deceased pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, after a overwhelming vote in the lower house and a change of position by Donald Trump and his GOP allies. The White House relented after months of trying to block the bipartisan effort involving a controversy that has dogged the president since his return to the White House.
Swift Passage in Congress
Senators proceeded by general agreement, which needs acceptance from each senator but avoids a recorded vote, speeding up the process. Hours earlier, the House passed by a huge margin the bill on a near-unanimous vote.
“The American people have waited long enough. Those affected have suffered long enough,” the Senate Democratic leader declared in a Senate remarks on Tuesday, before requesting the Senate to adopt it by consent. “Uncover the facts. Allow openness to prevail.”
Presidential Signature
The measure next heads to the president for his endorsement. Trump signaled on Monday that he would endorse the legislation.
Even though Trump has for an extended period rejected the controversy over the official management of the scandal as a “false narrative”, he voiced approval for the House bill over the past few days, and announced he would sign the measure if it reaches his desk.
Response
The Democratic party, along with victims and their advocates who were watching from a viewing area, cheered after the bill was passed. The only opposition came from a GOP representative, who stated he worried the measure would disclose specific data of individuals involved, persons of interest and others implicated in the investigation.
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