How Arizona’s lawmakers voted on releasing the Epstein files

When push came to shove, every Arizona member of the House of Representatives voted to release the Epstein files.

On Tuesday, the House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly to compel the Department of Justice to release its investigative material on deceased convicted sex trafficker and New York financier Jeffrey Epstein. The measure passed 427-1, with only Louisiana Republican Rep. Clay Higgins voting against it. Five representatives did not vote.

The measure now goes to the Senate and, if it passes there, will go to President Donald Trump for a signature.

It’s quite the sea change for a measure whose fate once seemed very tenuous. In July, a bipartisan group of House representatives led by Reps. Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie — a Democrat and a Republican, respectively — introduced the “Epstein Files Transparency Act.” Arizona Democratic Rep. Yassamin Ansari co-sponsored the measure. The bill would require Attorney General Pam Bondi to make all DOJ documents related to Jeffrey Epstein and his co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell public in a “searchable and downloadable format.” Flight logs and travel records should also be included.

The Trump administration fought it hard. Only a few Republicans signed on to the measure, and Trump and members of his administration tried to write it off as a hoax. (Not-so-coincidentally, Trump is reportedly mentioned in the files.) The bill failed to get past the House Judiciary Committee, with Arizona Rep. Andy Biggs voting against it.

To circumvent that blockade, Massie sought to force a House floor vote with a discharge petition, which requires 218 signatures to take effect. Massie reached 217 signatures just days after moving for the discharge petition. The last vote he needed was likely to come from Tucson Democratic Rep. Adelita Grijalva, who won a special election to succeed her late father in representing Arizona’s 7th Congressional District. But with the government shutting down on Oct. 1, GOP Speaker of the House Mike Johnson refused to swear in Grijalva.

Last Wednesday, the government shutdown came to an end, though, and Grijalva was sworn in. She immediately added her name to the discharge petition. In her wake, many Republicans — in Arizona and elsewhere — suddenly decided they supported releasing the files.

Here’s how they voted, and what they had to say about it.

Rep. Abe Hamadeh (Republican): YES

The first-term West Valley Republican had been largely mum on the subject of the Epstein files leading up to Tuesday’s vote. He has not publicly commented on his vote.

Rep. Yassamin Ansari (Democrat): YES

Also a first-term representative, the Phoenix Democrat has long pushed to release the files.

“I voted YES to release the Epstein Files because the American people deserve the full truth and survivors deserve justice,” Ansari said in a statement after the vote. “For months, Donald Trump and his Department of Justice have refused to comply with a lawful subpoena led by Oversight Committee Democrats that requires the release of the full unredacted Epstein Files. They should have done this already. Instead, this has become an ongoing cover-up by the Trump White House and enabled by Republicans.

“Republicans can’t hide anymore. Donald Trump can’t hide anymore. Today’s vote is a crucial step forward. Trump could release the full Epstein Files today—but he is choosing not to. I will continue to push for full accountability. Not even the richest, the most well-connected, or powerful should be able to hide from the truth.”

Rep. Andy Biggs (Republican): YES

Biggs was once a big proponent of exposing Epstein’s connections…while Joe Biden was president. Once Trump regained office — and once Trump turned on the idea of releasing the files — Biggs did an about-face, voting against their release in committee.

Only recently, with pressure mounting — Biggs is running for governor, after all — did he change his tune. In a video he posted Tuesday, Biggs said, “For four years, it was myself and a handful of Republicans that were asking that the Epstein records be released. The Biden administration sat on its hands and did nothing.”

Rep. David Schweikert (Republican): YES

Schweikert is also running for governor, and also was a late convert to releasing the files.

“Transparency in government matters,” he tweeted on Monday. “I led the fight to release the JFK assassination files to the public and I will vote to release the Epstein files to the public.”

Rep. Greg Stanton (Democrat): YES

Stanton, who represents Phoenix and Tempe, has pushed for the files’ release all year.

“The survivors fought hard for this vote,” Stanton tweeted Wednesday. “Today is their day.”

Rep. Juan Ciscomani (Republican): YES

While Biggs and Schweikert publicly announced they’d vote yes, Ciscomani kept his cards close to his vest. The two-term Southern Arizona Republican is seen as one of the most vulnerable in the 2026 midterm elections.

“Today, I voted in favor of releasing the Epstein files because I support full transparency from the federal government to the American people,” he tweeted after the vote, “and my number one concern is making sure that victims are protected.”

Rep. Adelita Grijalva (Democrat): YES

As much as anyone, Grijalva deserves credit for making the vote happen. Her signature was the deciding one on the discharge petition to force the vote.

“Today’s vote is long overdue. Survivors deserve justice, the American people deserve transparency, and no one – no matter how powerful – should be protected by secrecy,” she said in a press release. “I’m proud to stand with the survivors whose courage and persistence made this possible. Their voices forced Washington to act, and their advocacy will continue to drive this fight until every file is released and justice can finally be served.”

Rep. Eli Crane (Republican): YES

Unlike Ciscomani, Crane isn’t particularly vulnerable in 2026. Unlike Biggs and Schweikert, he’s not running for statewide office. Yet he was also among the Republicans to come out in favor of releasing the files this past week.

In a press release, Crane raised potential privacy issues with releasing the files but expressed his support for the bill.

“A government of the people, by the people, and for the people must provide transparency and accountability,” he wrote. “By voting to release records related to Jeffrey Epstein, we are taking an important step toward justice for the victims and consequences for those responsible for these egregious crimes. At the same time, I believe we must protect the privacy of victims and avoid unfairly damaging the reputations of those who did nothing wrong. I urge the Senate to address these concerns and continue momentum toward transparency and fairness.”

Rep. Paul Gosar (Republican): YES

The western Arizona Republican has not publicly commented on his vote, but spokesperson Anthony Foti released this statement to Phoenix New Times:

“For years, Congressman Gosar has demanded full transparency concerning the investigation surrounding Epstein. The same cannot be said of the Democrats, who for years have refused to release any of the Epstein files or even bother to speak a word concerning the victims. In addition to today’s vote, the current investigation being conducted by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee on which Congressman Gosar serves continues to provide the most transparent and comprehensive release of relevant information on Epstein to the public. In fact, more than 65,000 pages of documentation have been released and made public by the Republicans on that committee. Sadly, Bill and Hillary Clinton are refusing to appear before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee to answer questions about their relationship with Epstein. Why haven’t Democrats shown the same transparency and what else are they hiding?”