US House speaker shuts down chamber to block Epstein vote
US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi shut down the chamber to block a vote on a bill to release wealthy sex offender Jeffrey Epstein after his alleged suicide in prison. According to multiple sources, Pelosi stated that the bill would violate congressional rules, citing the fact that the bill was not introduced by any of the House's steering committees and that releasing prisoners is inherently beyond the scope of congressional authority. The bill's sponsor, Representative Karen Bass of California, argued that the chamber has precedent for such an action, citing the impeachment of President Bill Clinton.
