Who is Clay Higgins? Louisiana congressman casts sole “no” vote in overwhelming 427‑1 House approval of Epstein files

Republican Rep. Clay Higgins of Louisiana, currently serving his fifth term in Congress, recently drew national attention as the only House lawmaker to vote against the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which passed in an overwhelming 427‑1 vote. The bill compels the Justice Department to release investigative files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Higgins described himself as a “principled ‘NO’ on this bill from the beginning,” citing concerns that the legislation, as written, could expose “thousands of innocent people, witnesses, people who provided alibis, family members, etc.”

Higgins indicated he might support the bill if the Senate amended it to protect those “named but not criminally implicated”, but the Senate passed it unchanged by unanimous consent, leaving him as the lone dissenting voice. He warned that releasing the files broadly “to a rabid media” could harm innocent people.

Political career of Clay Higgins

Higgins represents a congressional district in southwest Louisiana and is a staunch supporter of President Donald Trump. He is a member of the ultra-conservative House Freedom Caucus and chairs the House Oversight subcommittee that oversaw the subpoena of Justice Department documents related to Epstein. Despite his leadership role, he opposed the subcommittee’s subpoena and also pushed to subpoena former President Bill Clinton.

Before entering Congress, Higgins served as a law enforcement officer in Louisiana. He gained viral fame for his bold Crime Stoppers videos, earning the media nickname “Cajun John Wayne,” a persona he reinforced by issuing challenges to fights on social media.

Higgins has frequently been a polarizing figure. He has faced multiple allegations of misconduct in his law enforcement career. In Congress, he has drawn criticism for racist social media posts, including one disparaging Haitians. He later deleted the post and partially walked back his remarks, stating they were aimed at gang members. Despite the backlash, House Speaker Mike Johnson defended him as “a very frank and outspoken person” and “very principled.”

Known for his outspoken, confrontational style, Higgins has built a reputation as a law-and-order politician who is unafraid to go against party or public pressure.