Texas Democrats' plot to stall redistricting until Epstein files released fails

Catch up quick: The disgraced financier died by suicide in 2019, but conspiracy theories have swirled about his relationships with powerful people — and what they knew about his sex trafficking.

• Earlier this month, a legal nonprofit sued the Trump administration for not releasing Epstein-related documents and requested them in an expedited manner.

The big picture: The proposed redistricting was drawn at President Trump's urging and is an effort to boost GOP chances of retaining control of the U.S. House in the midterm elections.

Driving the news: Texas Rep. Gene Wu, a Democrat from Houston who led a group of more than 50 members who left the state to stall the vote, introduced an amendment to the redistricting bill Wednesday.

What they're saying: "This amendment forces Republicans to choose between their loyalty to Trump and their obligation to expose sexual predators," Wu said in a statement.

What happened: The amendment never got debated — let alone a vote — after Republicans killed it in a procedural move.

• Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows, a Republican from Lubbock, determined Wu's amendment would have made redistricting "contingent on a matter that is not even remotely related to the congressional redistricting."
• The redistricting map, which will likely give Republicans five more congressional seats, passed hours later.

The other side: Trump's Justice Department and FBI have concluded they have no evidence that Epstein blackmailed powerful figures, kept a "client list" or was murdered, according to a memo detailing the findings obtained by Axios.

Editor's note: This story has been updated with new information.