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Discharge petition for second Epstein files bill reaches 218 signatures

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Covered by 11 outlets across the spectrum.

13 articles in total. The spectrum counts each outlet once and leaves opinion out. How we measure bias

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Rep. Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican, said Wednesday that his discharge petition on the Epstein Files Transparency Act II had reached the 218 signatures needed to force a House floor vote. Four Republicans, Massie among them, joined all 214 House Democrats in signing, according to Newsweek, Raw Story and Just the News. Massie launched the petition over the summer to bypass House leadership, CBS News reports. The bill would allow lawsuits against the attorney general to force release of Justice Department records on Jeffrey Epstein that have not been made public, the Washington Times and ABC News report. Massie has accused the Justice Department of withholding more than three million files, according to Just the News.

Headline and summary written by Mantle’s AI from the coverage below, under published rules. Editors read every story. How this works

What happened

Key points

Each point shows who reports it, from Far Left to Far Right.

  1. Rep. Thomas Massie said the discharge petition on the Epstein Files Transparency Act II reached the 218 signatures needed to force a House floor vote.

    Across the spectrumReported byFar Left2Left2Center3Right2Far Right1See the outletsHide the outlets
    Far Left
    Raw Story, MeidasTouch
    Left
    ABC News, CBS News
    Center
    Newsweek, The Hill, Roll Call
    Right
    Washington Examiner, The Washington Times
    Far Right
    Just the News

  2. Four Republicans, including Massie, joined all House Democrats in signing the petition.

    Reported byFar Left2Center1Far Right1See the outletsHide the outlets
    Far Left
    Raw Story, MeidasTouch
    Center
    Newsweek
    Far Right
    Just the News

  3. The bill would allow lawsuits against the Justice Department to force release of Epstein records that have not been made public.

    Reported byFar Left1Right1Far Right1See the outletsHide the outlets
    Far Left
    Raw Story
    Right
    The Washington Times
    Far Right
    Just the News

  4. Massie launched the petition over the summer to bypass House leadership.

    Reported byLeft1Far Right1See the outletsHide the outlets
    Left
    CBS News
    Far Right
    Just the News

  5. Massie is leaving Congress at the end of his current term.

    Reported byFar Left1Center1Far Right1See the outletsHide the outlets
    Far Left
    Raw Story
    Center
    Roll Call
    Far Right
    Just the News

  6. Rep. John Garamendi added the final signature on Wednesday, according to House clerk records cited by Raw Story.

    Reported byFar Left1Right1See the outletsHide the outlets
    Far Left
    Raw Story
    Right
    Washington Examiner

How each side tells it

Compare views

Every side reports the discharge petition reached 218 signatures, forcing a House floor vote on a bill allowing lawsuits over withheld Epstein records. Left headlines stress Justice Department secrecy, center headlines name the Republican signers, and right headlines call it a procedural threshold.

  • the left

    4 outlets

    Left headlines report the 218 signatures in procedural terms, while Raw Story frames the bill as a threat to Justice Department secrecy and calls Massie an outgoing Trump foe.

    Discharge petition on 2nd Epstein files bill secures 218 signatures
    ABC NewsLeftAll left-leaning headlines

  • the center

    3 outlets

    Center headlines focus on the vote and Massie's role, with Newsweek naming the Republican signers and Roll Call framing it as another bill headed to the floor.

    Short List of Republicans Joining Thomas Massie to Force Epstein Files Vote
    NewsweekCenterAll center headlines

  • the right

    4 outlets

    Right headlines present the 218 signatures as a procedural threshold, but Just the News, rated Far Right, frames it as a push for a full files release and a bypass of GOP leadership.

    Massie’s Epstein files discharge petition gathers enough support to force vote on bill
    Washington ExaminerRightAll right-leaning headlines

The words they chose

Language to notice

Words that carry a judgement beyond the facts. Tap a highlighted word anywhere on the page to see why.

  • Left4

    didn't helpthreatensEpstein secretsTrump foe

  • Center1

    disgraced

  • Right1

    disgraced

In the outlets’ own words

  • Loaded modifier

    disgracedMore neutral: former or who resigned after

    Verdict as adjective; say what happened.

    …the Justice Department to release the files it's still withholding related to the disgraced sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

    Used byJust the News (Far Right)The Hill (Center)

  • Loaded verb

    didn't helpMore neutral: The petition took several weeks to reach the threshold during the House recess.

    The phrase implies without evidence that the House recess obstructed the petition, which the facts reported do not establish.

    …petition took a while to reach the threshold and Mike Johnson’s midterms recess didn’t help.

    Used byMeidasTouch (Far Left)

  • Loaded verb

    threatensMore neutral: would authorize lawsuits over

    Saying the vote threatens the Justice Department adds a judgement about its effect that the article does not support with evidence.

    A Republican on his way out of Congress just teed up a vote that threatens the Justice Department's Epstein secrets.

    Used byRaw Story (Far Left)

  • Sensational language

    Epstein secretsMore neutral: Epstein records

    Calling withheld records secrets presents them as wrongdoing before the facts are established.

    DOJ’s Epstein secrets in jeopardy after new threat from outgoing Trump foe: report

    Used byRaw Story (Far Left)

Show 1 more phrasesShow fewer

  • Loaded modifier

    Trump foeMore neutral: Republican lawmaker

    Describing Massie mainly by his opposition to the president pre-judges his motives in a way the facts do not establish.

    DOJ’s Epstein secrets in jeopardy after new threat from outgoing Trump foe: report

    Used byRaw Story (Far Left)

See the full language guide

See for yourself

Side by side

What each side leads with and what it leaves out. Open a side to read its headlines.

From the left

4 outlets

Leads with

  • the 218-signature milestone
  • threat to Justice Department secrecy
  • Massie as an outgoing Trump critic
See the 4 headlines from the leftHide the headlines
  • Raw StoryFar Left

    DOJ’s Sensational language“Epstein secrets”Calling withheld records secrets presents them as wrongdoing before the facts are established.More neutral: Epstein recordsDisagree with this highlight? in jeopardy after new threat from outgoing Loaded modifier“Trump foe”Describing Massie mainly by his opposition to the president pre-judges his motives in a way the facts do not establish.More neutral: Republican lawmakerDisagree with this highlight?: report

    A Republican on his way out of Congress just teed up a vote that threatens the Justice Department's Epstein secrets. Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) secured the 218 signatures his discharge petition needed to force a House vote on the Epstein Files Transparency Act II, Axios reported …

    Read at Raw Story (opens in a new tab)
  • ABC NewsLeft

    Discharge petition on 2nd Epstein files bill secures 218 signatures

    A discharge petition to force a vote on the Epstein Files Transparency Act II has amassed 218 signatures, teeing up additional floor action on the prospective bill.

    Read at ABC News (opens in a new tab)
  • MeidasTouchFar Left

    Epstein Files Transparency Act II Discharge Petition Reaches 218 Signatures

    Four Republicans joined all 214 House Democrats to force a floor vote on more transparency.

    Read at MeidasTouch (opens in a new tab)
    1 more from MeidasTouch
  • CBS NewsLeft

    Petition for new Epstein files bill gets enough support for vote

    GOP Rep. Thomas Massie launched a discharge petition over the summer to circumvent leadership and force a vote on the Epstein Files Transparency Act II.

    Read at CBS News (opens in a new tab)

From the center

3 outlets

Leads with

  • the Republican signers
  • Massie's role in forcing the vote
  • bipartisan support
See the 3 headlines from the centerHide the headlines
  • NewsweekCenter

    Short List of Republicans Joining Thomas Massie to Force Epstein Files Vote

    Massie and three Republicans joined Democrats to force another House vote aimed at releasing more Epstein files.

    Read at Newsweek (opens in a new tab)
  • The HillCenter

    Massie secures signatures to force vote on second Epstein files petition

    Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) announced he received enough signatures from lawmakers to force a vote on his discharge petition related to files of Loaded modifier“disgraced”Verdict as adjective; say what happened.More neutral: former, who resigned after, who was convicted ofDisagree with this highlight? financier and convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein. …

    Read at The Hill (opens in a new tab)
  • Roll CallCenter

    Another bill to release Epstein files headed to House floor

    As Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., enters his final weeks in Congress, he is one step closer to another vote on legislation related to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. …

    Read at Roll Call (opens in a new tab)

From the right

4 outlets

Leads with

  • the procedural threshold
  • bypassing GOP leadership
  • full release of Epstein files
See the 4 headlines from the rightHide the headlines

The stories you read build My Mix, a private picture of which sides cover the stories you choose, kept on this device. What is My Mix?

The left is Far Left and Left together. The right is Right and Far Right together. Every outlet keeps its own five-point rating.

Who reported it when

How the coverage built up

  • Left

    First to report

    MeidasTouch, Nov 10, 10:34 PM EST

  • Center

    11 hr 18 min later

    Its first report, Nov 11, 9:52 AM EST

  • Right

    16 hr 30 min later

    Its first report, Nov 11, 3:04 PM EST

See the order the outlets reported inHide the order
  1. MeidasTouchFar LeftNov 10, 10:34 PM EST
  2. Roll CallCenterNov 11, 9:52 AM EST
  3. CBS NewsLeftNov 11, 2:10 PM EST
  4. The Washington TimesRightNov 11, 3:04 PM EST
  5. The HillCenterNov 11, 4:25 PM EST
  6. Washington ExaminerRightNov 11, 4:27 PM EST
  7. ABC NewsLeftNov 11, 4:37 PM EST
  8. Raw StoryFar LeftNov 11, 4:50 PM EST
  9. NewsweekCenterNov 11, 6:04 PM EST
  10. The Epoch TimesFar RightNov 12, 5:07 AM EST

Times are the ones the outlets published in their own feeds, in Eastern time. Opinion is left out. Just the News gave only a date, so it is not placed.

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