A sitting congressman has publicly accused a list of named men and one woman of sex crimes tied to Jeffrey Epstein, escalating a fight with the Justice Department that is bad news for the DOJ and for anyone hoping the case stays closed.

• Thomas Massie used the House floor — where he cannot be sued for what he says — to name people he believes are guilty, including Les Wexner, Leon Black, Jes Staley, David Copperfield and Prince Andrew.
• He says the accusations come from his own sources and victim conversations, not just the released files, and that no new investigations have followed.
• The DOJ is still holding back roughly half the Epstein files, citing an internal privilege that lets it hide how prosecution decisions were made.
• A second transparency bill would let state attorneys general prosecute under state laws with no time limits, and give victims access to their own files.
• The discharge petition to force a vote needs 218 signatures; it sits at 49, and Massie needs every Democrat plus two more Republicans.

Outlook: If the vote is not forced before the midterms, Democrats are expected to bring the same bill in January, putting Republicans on the record either way.