Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer moved on Wednesday to force a vote on releasing documents related to the Jeffrey Epstein case, putting the contentious issue front-and-center in the chamber.

Schumer took a brazen procedural step on the Senate floor in order to trigger the vote.

Traditionally, only the majority party takes the procedural step of “filing cloture” to set up a floor vote on a measure. In filing cloture himself and tying it to the must-pass annual defense policy package as an amendment, Schumer has guaranteed a full Senate vote.

A Republican source warned that this move will be seen as a hostile act, which could jeopardize bipartisan negotiations on the defense package. Another Republican source said that it is not viewed as a serious attempt to release the Epstein files

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