Who is Clay Higgins? The lone Republican who voted against releasing Epstein files in a 427–1 House vote

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. He argued that the current version of the bill “abandons two and a half centuries of American criminal justice principles,” because it does not protect the privacy of people who were part of the investigative record but not suspects themselves.


Higgins posted after his single vote on X: “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.”

Higgins said he would have supported the measure if the Senate added clearer protections for individuals who appear in the files only because they interacted with investigators. Those changes never came. The Senate approved the bill as is, leaving Higgins the lone holdout.

Furthermore, The Republican told CNN's Manu Raju that Trump didn’t have a “good relationship” with Epstein and denied that the POTUS was trying to curb the bill.

The far-right conservative told CNN: “It’s not the White House and the president, it’s people that stand for long-standing criminal justice procedures that this bill does not observe. If you support 200 years of criminal justice precedent on how this type of investigation moves forward, then you support what we’re doing in the Oversight Committee, not what’s being pushed in this petition."

Who is Higgins?

Higgins is a former police officer and Army veteran. The MAGA conservative represents Louisiana’s 3rd District and is known for his hard-right politics and fiery public persona. He is a member of the House Freedom Caucus and chairs a subcommittee under the House Oversight Committee, which has been examining aspects of the Epstein estate and the conduct of federal agencies involved in the case. His background in law enforcement shaped his argument for opposing the bill.