Montana Congressmen Ryan Zinke and Troy Downing are keeping their cards close to the chest ahead of Tuesday's expected vote on the release of the Epstein files. 

The probe into the late millionaire Jeffrey Epstein's wrongdoings has been an ongoing source of political tension for President Donald Trump, a one-time friend of Epstein's, and the GOP. This summer, four Republican representatives joined House Democrats in signing a petition to force a vote on the Epstein Files Transparency Act. Many more Republicans are expected to vote in favor of the bill during a Nov. 18 vote in the House. 

Zinke did not respond to inquiries about how he planned to vote on Tuesday. He has previously expressed skepticism about the ongoing probe. 

“Everyone’s trying to find a nugget that doesn’t exist,” he said in a July interview on NewsNation’s “The Hill.” 

Zinke added that he supported President Donald Trump, who was until recently an outspoken opponent of releasing the documents associated with the Epstein investigation. Trump reversed his position on Nov. 16, telling House Republicans they should vote to release the files. 

In a separate NonStop Local interview that aired July 24, though, Zinke stated that the administration “should release files that are not sealed.” 

Questions about the Epstein files peppered “tele-Town Halls” that Rep. Troy Downing held over the past months. 

“We all want to see the perpetrators pay for their crimes. We want to make sure that people are held accountable, and I am all about making sure that every bit of information about the perpetrators is made public,” said Downing in a Nov. 5 town hall meeting. 

But the eastern Montana representative stopped short of vowing support for the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which mandates that the Department of Justice release all unclassified records from the investigation. 

In a Nov. 12 interview with NonStop Local, Downing referenced his affirmative vote on another bill that directed the House Oversight Committee to continue its investigation into the files. That legislation received near-unanimous support from Republicans in the House after it was tacked onto another bill involving the recension of Biden-era limitations on coal extraction. 

Downing said his staff would need to review the Epstein Files Transparency Act to “make sure it is not putting any victims in harm’s way.” Both bills include near-identical language that allows for the redaction of certain sensitive information, including the personal medical information of victims and any materials that depict child sexual abuse. 

If the act passes the House of Representatives, it will move to the Senate for another vote. If the legislation is enacted, the Department of Justice will have 30 days to publicize unclassified documents from the Epstein investigation. 

Reporter Hailey Smalley can be reached at 758-4433 or [email protected].