House Speaker Mike Johnson seems rather anxious in defending his decision to block any votes related to the Epstein files scandal before the chamber departs for its summer break.

On Wednesday, Johnson quickly cut off NOTUS reporter Reese Gorman, who suggested that he abruptly ended the House session on Tuesday for “fear of Epstein votes.”

”—No, we don’t have any fear. No, no. Hold on. No Reese. No. There’s no fear here. No, there’s no fear. There’s no fear,” Johnson said, before accusing Democrats of “political gamesmanship,” and dismissing the long-promised release of the files as a “political cudgel.”

The scandal continues to plague the Trump administration, and GOP lawmakers like Johnson have struggled mightily in their attempts to downplay the public’s growing concern.

Meanwhile, Democrats on the House Homeland Security Committee were far more direct in their response to Johnson’s spin.

“Mike Johnson: Getting justice for the victims of Jeffrey Epstein = political gamesmanship. Trumpworld is ALL OVER those files,” the committee Democrats wrote on their official X account.

The speaker doth protest too much, methinks.