Politics and views in the United States.

Speaker Johnson blasts effort to release more Epstein files. A bill advances in U.S. House to strip chemical regulations from EPA. Montana students join a lawsuit for Election Day voting rights, while a Mississippi court decision should lead to more transparency on public defender resources.

TRANSCRIPT

Welcome to 2025 Talks, where we're following our democracy in historic times.

It would require the DOJ and FBI to release information that they know is false, that is based on lies and rumors and was not even credible enough to be entered into the court proceedings.

That would be a dangerous thing.

On NBC, Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson criticizes a bipartisan move to force the DOJ to release more files on late financier and pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

Kentucky Republican Thomas Massey and California Democrat Ro Khanna are co-sponsoring a discharge petition that looks to have the votes to pass.

Johnson is also slamming Democrats on the House Rules Committee for forcing votes on making justice turnover investigation materials.

He says they're using hundreds of Epstein's victims for political gain, but refuses to comment on the possibility that President Donald Trump might pardon Epstein's imprisoned girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell.

The House Appropriations Committee has advanced a so-called "cancer gag bill" that would in effect limit pesticide makers' liability for possible carcinogens.

Rebecca Wolf with Food and Water Watch says similar relabeling legislation died in the Iowa legislature in spite of intense lobbying from chemical company Bayer.

So this is part of a nationwide effort that we've been seeing that is trying to block the ability for people to protect their health.

Bayer makes the herbicide roundup and has spent more than $11 billion to settle cancer lawsuits.

Montana young people are suing over voting rights.

In spite of the state's Supreme Court striking down a law banning same-day voter registration, lawmakers just passed another that cuts those hours and limits voting with student IDs.

Attorney Molly Danahy is representing youth groups, including Forward Montana, in a suit against the secretary of state.

"Young voters, especially new voters, are more likely to use or rely on election day registration because they may be becoming eligible or deciding to vote later in the process than regular voters."

Republicans back the measure, saying it'll ease the burden on election officials.

Opponents say there are better ways to cut their workload, including better equipment and more poll workers.

Mississippi is one of only a few states without some kind of statewide public defender system, relying instead on a county-level patchwork marked by inconsistency and poor transparency.

But the state Supreme Court has ordered counties to make their public defense plans publicly available.

Veteran civil rights lawyer Cliff Johnson says that's good news for low-income defendants who rely on public defenders across the Magnolia state.

I'm excited about what I expect we'll see.

I think it's going to be good news for courts, for the speedy resolution of cases, for defendants, for public safety.

I think it's going to be good news for people who are victims.

A new poll from Marquette shows promise for billionaire and former Trump advisor Elon Musk's pledge to form the new America Party. 40 percent of Republicans and a quarter of Democrats say they would consider supporting it.

Musk says the way the budget mega bill explodes the deficit and cuts renewable energy is motivating him to start the new party.

The US and the European Union have reached a trade deal, setting tariffs at 15 percent.

Trump says the EU will buy $750 billion of energy from the US and will invest $600 billion more here.

I'm Zimone Perez for Pacifica Network and Public News Service.

Find our trust indicators at publicnewsservice.org.