E-Paper
Who is Clay Higgins, the sole congressman to vote against releasing Epstein Files?
Clay Higgins, a Republican U.S. Congressman representing Louisiana's 3rd Congressional District, was the sole "no" vote in the House.
The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Epstein Files Transparency Act Act by a vote of 427-1, compelling the Department of Justice to release all unclassified materials related to the federal investigation of Jeffrey Epstein.
Clay Higgins, a Republican U.S. Congressman representing Louisiana's 3rd Congressional District, was the sole "no" vote in the House.
Why did he vote 'nay'?
In a statement posted on X, Clay Higgins wrote, "I have been a principled “NO” on this bill from the beginning. What was wrong with the bill three months ago is still wrong today. It abandons 250 years of criminal justice procedure in America. As written, this bill reveals and injures thousands of innocent people – witnesses, people who provided alibis, family members, etc. If enacted in its current form, this type of broad reveal of criminal investigative files, released to a rabid media, will absolutely result in innocent people being hurt. Not by my vote.
"The Oversight Committee is conducting a thorough investigation that has already released well over 60,000 pages of documents from the Epstein case. That effort will continue in a manner that provides all due protections for innocent Americans. If the Senate amends the bill to properly address privacy of victims and other Americans, who are named but not criminally implicated, then I will vote for that bill when it comes back to the House."
Also Read: Who is Catherine Lucey? Bloomberg reporter Trump called ‘piggy’ for asking about Epstein files
Who is Clay Higgins?
Clay Higgins is a Republican congressman representing Louisiana’s 3rd Congressional District, a seat he has held since January 2017 after winning a special runoff election.
Born August 24, 1961, in Port Arthur, Texas, Higgins is an Army veteran and former law enforcement officer. He previously served as a reserve deputy with the St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s Office in Louisiana until 2016, where he became known for his outspoken 'Crime Stoppers' videos.
In Congress, Higgins is a core member of the House Freedom Caucus, one of the chamber’s most conservative blocs. He serves on the House Oversight and Accountability Committee as well as the House Armed Services Committee.
