In a 427–1 House vote on releasing the Epstein files, there was one lone holdout. It was none other than Congressman Clay Higgins, a Republican from Louisiana. His disapproval of the move to unravel one of the biggest sex scandals in the United States came as a surprise, especially since the outcome of the vote was already assured. All Democrats and nearly the entire Republican conference backed the measure, Higgins stood apart. Explaining his vote, Higgins said the legislation posed serious risks to people who were mentioned in the files but never accused of wrongdoing. He warned that releasing emails, notes, and investigative material without filters could expose witnesses, alibi providers, or uninvolved family members to harassment once the documents are public to the national press.

See Full Page