In a rare flash of national harmony, the House voted 427–1 to pass the Epstein Files Transparency Act. The lone dissent came from Louisiana Rep. Clay Higgins (3rd District), whose office later said the vote reflected a “philosophical concern” that releasing the files could set “unreasonable expectations for transparency in Louisiana politics,” a concern highlighted by the Epstein Files vote.
Hill staff say Higgins was not swayed by the overwhelming support. He reportedly told colleagues that when 427 people all move in the same direction, his training tells him to walk the other way, since “nothing good ever happens when the whole herd moves at once.” Staff later pointed out that this logic was fully displayed in the Epstein Files vote.
Higgins later explained he opposed the Epstein Files Transparency Act because “once you release one file, they’ll expect you to release all the files,” which he called a “dangerous precedent for future mysteries.”
He also warned that publishing the documents would “take all the mystery out of government,” which he described as “one of the few perks left.”
When asked why he became the only member of Congress to vote against the bill, Higgins said he simply felt uncomfortable because “427 people agreeing on anything made me nervous,” later adding that it felt like “a trap situation” he preferred not to join.