November 29, 2018

"The eccentric hedge fund manager, whose friends included former President Bill Clinton, Donald Trump and Prince Andrew, was also suspected of trafficking minor girls..."

"... often from overseas, for sex parties at his other homes in Manhattan, New Mexico and the Caribbean, FBI and court records show. Facing a 53-page federal indictment, [Jeffrey] Epstein could have ended up in federal prison for the rest of his life. But on the morning of the breakfast meeting, a deal was struck — an extraordinary plea agreement that would conceal the full extent of Epstein’s crimes and the number of people involved. Not only would Epstein serve just 13 months in the county jail, but the deal — called a non-prosecution agreement — essentially shut down an ongoing FBI probe into whether there were more victims and other powerful people who took part in Epstein’s sex crimes, according to a Miami Herald examination of thousands of emails, court documents and FBI records.... As part of the arrangement, [Miami prosecutor Alexander] Acosta agreed, despite a federal law to the contrary, that the deal would be kept from the victims. As a result, the non-prosecution agreement was sealed until after it was approved by the judge, thereby averting any chance that the girls — or anyone else — might show up in court and try to derail it. This is the story of how Epstein, bolstered by unlimited funds and represented by a powerhouse legal team, was able to manipulate the criminal justice system, and how his accusers, still traumatized by their pasts, believe they were betrayed by the very prosecutors who pledged to protect them..."

From "How a future Trump Cabinet member gave a serial sex abuser the deal of a lifetime" by Julie K. Brown (Miami Herald). Acosta is now the Secretary of Labor. Acosta did not respond to inquiries about this article, but in 2011, he is said to have "explain[ed] that he was unduly pressured by Epstein’s heavy-hitting lawyers — [Jay] Lefkowitz, Harvard professor Alan Dershowitz, Jack Goldberger, Roy Black, former U.S. Attorney Guy Lewis, Gerald Lefcourt, and Kenneth Starr, the former Whitewater special prosecutor who investigated Bill Clinton’s sexual liaisons with Monica Lewinsky."

102 comments:

john mosby said...

So now that there’s some tie to Trump, it’s okay to put this story on the MSM front page. Got it.

JSM

Big Mike said...

Alan Dershowitz. Of course, Alan Dershowitz.

Dave Begley said...

"explain[ed] that he was unduly pressured by Epstein’s heavy-hitting lawyers...."

The United States Attorney is not EVER unduly pressured. The US Attorney has guns, jails, unlimited resources and search warrants on his side.

Given the right facts and law, the United States can jail any criminal. Even Hillary Clinton.

Total BS. Pathetic.

Temujin said...

This has been a major story which, until now, was completely ignored by the media for about 3 years. Because...at the time it would not have put the Clinton's in a good light. I mean, Trump may have said 'pussy', but if Bill was a regular at the Teenage Girls Island, well that would be a different level of creepy.

As Jim Treacher has said many time: Modern journalism is all about deciding which facts the public shouldn't know because they might reflect badly on Democrats.

How this one snuck back out can only make sense if you look at how it could affect Trump. Which in his case, I don't think it will.

Nonapod said...

explain[ed] that he was unduly pressured by Epstein’s heavy-hitting lawyers

That's more of a non-explaination. Were they blackmailing him or something? I certainly wouldn't be surprised.

CaroWalk said...

@john mosby...Ha! Excellent.
It wasn't so long ago that men like Epstein, Weinstein, Hefner were winked at as "swingers". It was the sexual revolution, baby, and you squares with your conventional bourgeois morality have no place in our world.

Rick.T. said...

And let's not lose sight of this:

"It was an unusual meeting for the then-38-year-old prosecutor, a rising Republican star who had served in several White House posts before being named U.S. attorney in Miami by President George W. Bush."

Infinite Monkeys said...

I can believe that Acosta thought the plea deal was the best he could get against someone that rich and powerful (and with powerful friends), but it's sad if that's true. I think the Miami Herald downplays the amount of influence that Epstein being a Clinton crony probably had on the case.

Ann Althouse said...

What's important now are the civil lawsuits, and they are going to trial:

"Now, more than a decade later, two unrelated civil lawsuits — one set for trial on Dec. 4 — could reveal more about Epstein’s crimes. The Dec. 4 case, in Palm Beach County state court, involves Epstein and Edwards, whom Epstein had accused of legal misdeeds in representing several victims. The case is noteworthy because it will mark the first time that Epstein’s victims will have their day in court, and several of them are scheduled to testify."

You'd think there would have been enough money to silence them all.

Ann Althouse said...

"A second lawsuit, known as the federal Crime Victims’ Rights suit, is still pending in South Florida after a decade of legal jousting. It seeks to invalidate the non-prosecution agreement in hopes of sending Epstein to federal prison. Wild, who has never spoken publicly until now, is Jane Doe No. 1 in “Jane Doe No. 1 and Jane Doe No. 2 vs. the United States of America,” a federal lawsuit that alleges Epstein’s federal non-prosecution agreement was illegal."

Sydney said...

the deal — called a non-prosecution agreement — essentially shut down an ongoing FBI probe into whether there were more victims and other powerful people who took part in Epstein’s sex crimes,

The "other powerful people" are the reason he got a sweet deal.

Nonapod said...

Imagine if we lived in a world where powerful people with lots of money could still be held accountable for their actions? ♫ Oh wouldn't it be niiice! ♫

robother said...

"When you're a billionaire, they [your lawyers] let you do it."

wendybar said...

Old news. James Patterson even wrote a book about it called Filthy Rich.

Ignorance is Bliss said...

Sydney said...

The "other powerful people" are the reason he got a sweet deal.

This happened toward the end of the G. W. Bush presidency. It also happened near the start of the first Hillary presidential campaign.

"Undue pressure" from the defense team should not have had an effect, short of actual, illegal blackmail. So what kind of pressure was there? Was there also pressure coming from higher up in the Justice Department? They certainly have the authority to say what kind of deal to offer. Especially if they put it in terms of getting cooperation for other high-profile cases.

cubanbob said...

I'm sure there is a lot more than the Miami Herald has exposed but considering there is a former President and a British Royal involved the leniency deal was to be expected. Still if this no prosecution deal can be undone then Comey's deal with Hillary may also be undone.

Ann Althouse said...

"Old news. James Patterson even wrote a book about it called Filthy Rich."

Things that seemed to have been processed through the media once have a way of coming back. This is particularly true since #MeToo flared up. And it's also true when lawsuits that have been in the works for a long time end up at trial. You've got 2 trials coming up. I'm sure Epstein and many others would like to see people dismiss this as old news, but why are you doing that?

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Did Trump fly to under-age island? or did Bill?

Mike (MJB Wolf) said...

“Future Trump Cabinet Member” is mainstream DNC media speak for “Obama DOJ official” in case anyone is curious.

Nothing about this story ties to Trump. But this is one of a series of devastating articles meant to sideline Hillary IMAO. Currently, there is The Clinton Affair playing on Reelz or some cable channel. The Ivanka email story came out, which drags out comparisons to Hillary’s server troubles. And now more exposure for Bill’s old underage girl supplier, Epstein. Gee one might wonder if the DNC-Media complex is tuning up to push the Clintons off the stage.

rhhardin said...

still traumatized by their pasts,

I doubt it.

gahrie said...

I've read that Trump barred Epstein from Mar-A-Lago because of his actions.

GatorNavy said...

First things first, Epstein is a long time FOB and moneyman for the Clinton criminal enterprise. So the deal he received was the norm, not at all unusual for a FOB. Second, any, and I mean any, Bush appointee within the justice system should be fired immediately. Acosta is not an outlier, he is the mean.

Amadeus 48 said...

Hmmm...
I was sure that the Lolita Express would figure large in the 2016 campaign with WJC's repeated travel with the "eccentric hedge fund manager", but I was a fool. There was no interest in this. Trump's connection is almost non-existent--he, a NYC rich guy, shows up in another NYC rich guy's address book--but WJC was in up to his whatever. Who cared about that?

Acosta was a terrible choice for Secretary of Labor, but Trump named him, and he was confirmed without a squawk. Now Trump gets the benefit of Acosta's past performance.

Robert Catesby said...

I'm surprised he went to jail at all. Epstein is a member of the Ruling Class, with powerful friends. The laws of the United States to not apply to people like him.

rehajm said...

I'm sure now that it's out in the open #MeToo and the associated special interest groups will apply enough public pressure to expose the guilty parties. Get that law firm that pro bono-ed Kavanaugh 's accuser what's her name to participate. Sounds right up their alle...wait. What? They all work for the Clintons?

Never mind.

wendybar said...

You've got 2 trials coming up. I'm sure Epstein and many others would like to see people dismiss this as old news, but why are you doing that?

Because I have been waiting years for these trials. It's about damn time the media caught up with reality!

Amadeus 48 said...

By the way, how does James Patterson treat his buddy and co-author WJC in "Filthy Rich"? I bet it is a real expose'. Patterson must really lay the heavy timber to Clinton. Or maybe they got to know each other while Clinton was explaining how no one could have known what Epstein was up to, and all those girls on the island really were Epstein's nieces.

eric said...

I can imagine the reporter trying to pitch this story to the boss.

Reporter: "I've got this great story about rich men taking advantage of underage women. About victims and the wealthy and escaping justice!"

Boss: "Im listening, tell me more."

Reporter: "Billionaire with powerful friends. Epstein raped underage women. He is friends with Bill Clinton. So many young girls came forward! And he got off with just a slap on the wrist!"

Boss: "This sounds tired and boring. No one is going to want to read this. Yawn."

Reporter: "But! It's got sex, and billionaires and corruption at the highest levels of government!"

Boss: "Snoozer!"

Reporter: "We can run this headline, "Future Trump administration official."

Boss: "Now you're talking! Run with it."

Jupiter said...

Infinite Monkeys said...
"I can believe that Acosta thought the plea deal was the best he could get against someone that rich and powerful (and with powerful friends), but it's sad if that's true."

Don't you believe it. If this case had been brought into a courtroom, it would have been national news. The prosecutors were in a position to make things very hot for Epstein. He could have been charged with prostituting underage girls, and made to roll over on the "friends" he had them do "favors" for. Instead, they conspired with his defense to keep things as quiet as possible. They also could have charged his accomplices, to make them roll over on him. Instead, they granted them immunity, as part of Epstein's deal. Just like all of Hillary's accomplices.

Big Mike said...

Don't you believe it. If this case had been brought into a courtroom, it would have been national news.

@Jupiter, it would have been national news only if national news agencies covered it. They'd have covered it, all right. With a pillow. Until it stopped twitching.

Nonapod said...

I agree it's pretty ridiculous that the second some bad actor can be even orthogonally linked to Trump suddenly it's a story.

I do find it somewhat odd that a person who trafficked and raped little girls is assigned the descriptor "eccentric".

Leslie Graves said...

I particularly appreciate the aspect of this story that has to do with the fact that these girls had pretty tough lives. I love the way they look and talk in the video, now as adults. Good for them.


narayanan said...

Will Trump be garnished with or garner any moral credit if he fires Acosta.?!

Amadeus 48 said...

Jupiter--what we don't know is how much Team Epstein had done to control the damage by buying off the victims or compromising them in some way. We know the DJT had a team running around to settle with and shut up Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal. Don't you think Epstein had done the same thing with these girls? It is hard to prosecute a case without complainants.

narayanan said...

if WJC was on the addressbook names list - every law enforcement IN THE COUNTRY knows about ARKANCIDES

gilbar said...

call me Incredibly Naive, but WHY?
WHY Underaged girls? If you're THAT RICH it seems like you could stock your island with barely legal 18.00274 year olds (eighteen and a day).
WHY bother with 17 year old? why bother 16 year olds?

I'm assuming that he just knew he was immune to the law, and thought it was 'neat'

rcocean said...

Committing statutory rape on underage girls = eccentric.

Well, Okey-dokey

Big Mike said...

I’m with Nonapod. If you’re on the right and you date teenaged girls that are nevertheless above the age of consent then you’re a pervert, as for instance Judge Moore. If you’re a well-connected donor to lefty politicians and lefty causes and you rape 14 year old girls then you’re just “eccentric.”

Bay Area Guy said...

It's a very good article -- what good journalism used to be like. It's a pity it didn't come out until a minor player, Acosta, became tangentially connected to Trump.

But better late than never. Sweetheart deal for rich, well-connected, Democrat pervert. What a surprise.

rcocean said...

I'm sure that if we could find a Republican Billionaire fucking 15 y/o girls - the MSM would bury it, and then label him "eccentric".

rcocean said...

This reminds me of the Rotherham rape gangs - which the law and press were also weirdly uninterested in.

In UK it was because of Left-wing PC. In this case, its because the "eccentric" billionaire was a big donor.

The Campaign fiance laws have more or less legalized bribery. Its just more indirect.

ga6 said...

Nothing unusual, only thing that is unusual is that Acosta got a conviction of any kind with the connections Epstein had/has. You must remember Bill Ayers, daddy Chairman of Commonwealth Edison, best buds with Rich Daly the First. Young Bill walks,,"guilt as sin, free as a bird"; "we may have to kill 25 million" Ayers..

Yancey Ward said...

Acosta's 2011 explanation is bullshit, and I think everyone knows it. The assembly of lawyers is simply the result of the influence Epstein had with people much higher up the political food chain than even lawyers like Starr and Dershowitz. Acosta helped settle the case because he was ordered to do so by the people he reported to in 2007- the Bush DoJ. I think the AG position was filled by temporary at the time, but will have to check- I know Mukasey wasn't confirmed until just before Thanksgiving in 2007 to replace Gonzales.

Virgil Hilts said...

It really is weird that almost none of this is news; it all came out several years ago. I agree that the "other powerful people who took part in Epstein’s sex crimes" is the key. Reminder that after the S&L melt down in the late 1980s, some 250 or so executives served time in prison. After the subprime meltdown only one (not very important) person did. Check out criminal sentences for embezzlement. You can steal several $M and only serve a year in prison. We're becoming like German - per an evolving gentlemen's agreement, white collar crime and crimes committed by the extremely rich - are simply not subject to jail time.

azbadger said...

Disgraceful actions by Acosta. But since when does a state prosecutor have the ability to shut down a federal prosecution? AUSAs have grand juries too.

Lewis Wetzel said...

I don't think that conservatives would be unhappy to see Acosta go.

Fernandinande said...

How a future Trump Cabinet member gave a serial sex abuser the deal of a lifetime

The judge - the person who actually gives "deals" - is a cabinet member but they don't even mention his/her name?

n.n said...

A close association on the charges between the alleged perpetrator and Clinton, Trump, and Andrew. This is standard fare for the prejudiced press to attack a target while retaining an air of plausible deniability (see NYT vs Palin). I guess this means that the Clintons are no longer politically congruent (e.g. profit, leverage).

Sebastian said...

OK, so the story could help to block Hill.

Sure, starting with the headline, they can smear Trump by association.

But let's look at the primary target, Acosta.

Who wants him gone?

Conservatives and Trump die-hards.

If a right-wing version of Fusion GPS planted the story: way to go.

Craig said...

Blogger Temujin said...
This has been a major story which, until now, was completely ignored by the media for about 3 years.

---

Wrong. Just wrong. You don't know what you're talking about.

Craig said...

Blogger Dave Begley said...
"explain[ed] that he was unduly pressured by Epstein’s heavy-hitting lawyers...."

The United States Attorney is not EVER unduly pressured. The US Attorney has guns, jails, unlimited resources and search warrants on his side.

---

Do any of you know what you're talking about?!

Craig said...

Blogger Bay Area Guy said...
It's a very good article -- what good journalism used to be like. It's a pity it didn't come out until a minor player, Acosta, became tangentially connected to Trump.

But better late than never. Sweetheart deal for rich, well-connected, Democrat pervert. What a surprise.

11/29/18, 11:01 AM

---

Apparently not.

Gospace said...

If you ever delve into the fevered swamps of Qanon followers- the Epstein connection is what is being worked on behind the scenes. Pedophilia, sex trafficking, satanic rituals, and more, all tied together. Involving all sorts of high officials. Majority Democrats, but covering both major parties.

Story is- Trump made ONE trip to Epstein's island, and took the next flight out when he saw what was going on.

And Trump did ban Epstein from Mar-a-Lago.

If you're going after very important people all the evidence needs to be laid out. And the investigation needs to be kept quiet t be effective.

Mueller's team leaks like a sieve. Huber's doesn't leak. I don't know all of what Huber has been investigating. Our hostess here doesn't. Nor do any of the frequent commenters. But we know he's doing something. And there may be others. Not leaking.

We know everyone Mueller has questioned. We know the entire investigation is based on a falsified document paid for by Democrats- the Steele Dossier. And that there was no collusion by Trump with Russians- a non-crime, by the way, nor is Mueller tasked with investigating a specific crime as required by the special counsel statute.

narciso said...

does it matter the awan bros, agents of the isi and Hezbollah, get off clean away, the head of counter terrorism in Lebanon, endorses the latter group, on another front, another isi client, the Taliban, seems to looking at the clock with great impulse,


Consider the podesta bros, they ripped off Ukrainian oligarchs like firtash, spent the money on bad art, and they haven't been touched, same for the mercury firm, they switched out vin weber (never trump stalwart) for david Vitter, yes the one who was involved with stormy, yet deigned to ask questions about the Choudhary's and the other looters of Nigeria,

FIDO said...

Wait a moment! Wasn't DERSHOWITZ tied to those parties at some point?

And not to put too fine a point on it, if Epstein did not essentially walk, he was going to be talking to reporters on how Billy Bob Clinton was using his cigars on underaged Thai girls.

So Miami Herald Punta, screw you tying this to Trump. Point your filthy finger at HILLARY. Epstein was a Democrat and the 'pressured judge' is at least talking about this.

Though how Ken Starr would up defending the Clintons even by proxy is revolting and I think less of him.

tim in vermont said...

Trump was never implicated in the sexual shenanigans. The get out of jail free card was the man who was so powerful that he could go for decades without every anybody asking him questions about what he didn’t want to talk about.

tim in vermont said...

He lived in the same small town as Trump, Palm Beach, so he ran into him. That’s exactly the same as Bill Clinton and Bob Menendez flying on the Lolita Express.

tim in vermont said...

Time’s up on the thirty year conspiracy of silence!

FullMoon said...

Very long story. Young girls agreed to be paid for sex with a creepy pedophile. Acosta being considered to replace Jeff Sessions.


"In email after email, Acosta and the lead federal prosecutor, A. Marie Villafaña, acquiesced to Epstein’s legal team’s demands, which often focused on ways to limit the scandal by shutting out his victims and the media, including suggesting that the charges be filed in Miami, instead of Palm Beach, where Epstein’s victims lived.

“On an ‘avoid the press’ note ... I can file the charge in district court in Miami which will hopefully cut the press coverage significantly. Do you want to check that out?’’ Villafaña wrote to Lefkowitz in a September 2007 email.

Read more here: https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/article220097825.html#storylink=cpy

tim in vermont said...

Wrong. Just wrong. You don't know what you're talking about.

Troll throwing poop says what?

bagoh20 said...

The judges have to be dirty. What other explanation could there be for approving this?

FIDO said...

Didn't James Patterson JUST do a book w Bill Clinton? Like...just a few months ago?

I wonder how many tens of thousands of copies will be bought and pulped by the Clinton Foundation.

No wonder Billy Bob sucked up all the #MeToo questions during the Publicity Tour. He had no choice.

FIDO said...

Expect Patterson to have the goods on the Clintons in a 'safe place'.

Now every day, that since he can't kill him, Bill Clinton prays DEVOUTLY for the continued health of James Patterson.

narciso said...

yes, it was a painful tree murder, how do you think it ended up on the best sellers list,

Lewis Wetzel said...

I read an in depth article on Epstein's game a few years ago. He started out as a high school math teacher, which gave him access to young girls. Then somehow he got sweetheart deals from financiers and became a hedge fund guy.
It is interesting to read between the lines.

narciso said...

lefcourt was the attorney for the panthers, that tom wolfe skewered in his piece about the leonard Bernstein souree

FullMoon said...

If Villa fana were connected to Trump, emphasis would be on her

Ray - SoCal said...

I’m amazed at the double standard in our justice system.

tim in vermont said...

The judges have to be dirty. What other explanation could there be for approving this

They have been defending a credibly accused, well I guess if you call five contemporaneous witnesses credible anyway, accused forcible rapist without asking him a single question in a conspiracy of silence that has spanned decades.

Like Monica said, it’s almost the very definition of power.

tim in vermont said...

Nobody is curious why Bill Clinton left Oxford early, nobody is curious about that incident at Yale before he met the First Enabler either.

It’s almost like ignoring that the neighbor boy likes to torture and kill the neighborhood cats because he’s so cute otherwise.

Birches said...

This cover up was for Bill. It's obvious because of the dates that it happened. Media only cares now because Trump. Same as it ever was.

Epstein is trash. Our justice system is trash.

bagoh20 said...

This is so unfair. Bill Clinton never said anything like "grab them by the pussy". That's what real debauchery is. Bill respects women... girls,... whatever.

JPS said...

tim in vermont,

"nobody is curious about that incident at Yale before he met the First Enabler"

You've got me curious. Never heard about this one.

Ken B said...

This looks bad for a lot of people. But particularly for the media. CNN and NBC didn’t know but a local paper can nail it down? It’s not like these charges are new, what's new is *publishing proof*. Proof that has been there all along.

tim in vermont said...

2. Anonymous female student at Yale University (1972)

Allegation: Sexual assault

The same article on Capitol Hill Blue further alleges that "a 22-year-old woman told campus police at Yale University that she was sexually assaulted by Clinton, a law student at the college. No charges were filed, but retired campus policemen contacted by Capitol Hill Blue confirmed the incident. The woman, tracked down by Capitol Hill Blue last week, confirmed the incident, but declined to discuss it further and would not give permission to use her name."


https://www.yourtango.com/2017307907/bill-clinton-sexual-assault-rape-allegations-list-women-timeline

A lot of people just shut up when faced with the Clinton personal destruction machine. Even Juanita Broaddrick denied that anything happened until faced with testifying to federal investigators and prison for lying, at which time, presumably under the advice of her lawyers at the time, she told the truth and was corroborate by five other witnesses who also faced jail for lying. The most problematic of which, to Bill Clinton, being her friend who found her bleeding and with torn clothes in her hotel room crying and whom Broaddrick told Clinton had just raped her.

The Clintons said that Broaddrick lied to her to cover up that the man she was divorcing had beaten her. I have yet to see a woman who wouldn’t take an assault by a man she was divorcing in front of the judge, but that’s the kind of stuff that people who defend the Clintons believe.

Bill Clinton long since lost the benefit of the doubt that people like Snopes still give him.

Apparently people think that Capitol Hill Blue had to make up stories of sexual assault about Bill Clinton. I don’t think that he ever explained why he left Oxford, and as Monica Lewinsky sagely observed, he is so powerful that no member of our “free” press will ask him.

tim in vermont said...

Had it been Trump, we know that the stuff would have leaked. The leakers or witnesses hailed as national heroes by the press.

Ken B said...

So Craig, explain what David Begley doesn’t know here. I too find it ridiculous to believe that an out of state lawyer can force a US attorney to do something he he doesn’t want to do. Improperly persuade him him, yes; compel him, no.

funsize said...

Clinton's buddy for years, and now they want to make him Trump's guy? Come on.

Matt Sablan said...

Trump guys don't get deals this sweet without some price. Clinton people usually get better deals. Maybe they split the baby for him.

narciso said...

well lets skip oj, and consider how the doj and defense company, were targeted by lawyers from Michael ratner's center for constitutional rights, as well as top flight firms like paul Weiss, jenner and block, and Covington and burling (the latter was eric holder's firm) defended gitmo detainees, the result is the commissions that were the proper method of handling such persons were overwhelmed, many were transferred to other countries, per their training and background like al ajmi who blew himself up the spring of 08, (he's mentioned in the footnotes to the dissent to boumedienne) al shehri who aided in the underwear bomber plot,
bin qumu who directed the attack on Benghazi, (he was captured after allegedly having been given up for dead 5 years ago) that's the power of coordinated criminal defense,

Gretchen said...

If Trump was suspected of sex with the underage girls this would have been front page during the election... that is if Bill Clinton wasn't having sex with the underage girls.

Epstein was a member at Mar-A-Lago, so he knew Trump, that does't make Trump guilty of anything, other than socializing with a creep, which isn't a crime.

100% if Trump was on the passenger log this would have been public before mid-terms.

Bill Clinton and various other politicians (probably some Republicans too) ARE on the passenger lists, that's why Epstein was given a slap on the wrist.

Matt Sablan said...

Probably a local crime story.

Inga...Allie Oop said...

Maybe this is why Epstein got a great deal.

“Trump has also indicated publicly he knew of Epstein’s interest in “younger” women, although he never suggested the financier crossed any legal lines. “I’ve known Jeff for 15 years. Terrific guy,’’ Trump told New York Magazine back in 2002. “He’s a lot of fun to be with. It is even said that he likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them are on the younger side. No doubt about it — Jeffrey enjoys his social life.”

On Monday, lawyers for Maxwell informed the judge that they wanted to ask potential jurors about their knowledge of rape and sexual harassment allegations leveled at Trump during the presidential contest.

Maxwell’s legal team wants to ask the jury pool if they know about suits filed—then dropped or dismissed—alleging that Trump and Epstein raped a teen at Epstein’s Manhattan residence.

Trump denied the charges. The suits were withdrawn amid media scrutiny, although one attorney for an unnamed accuser said she backed out due to threats.”

https://www.politico.com/story/2017/05/04/jeffrey-epstein-trump-lawsuit-sex-trafficking-237983

Ingachuck'stoothlessARM said...

"when you're a rich lib pervert, they let you grab em by the hymen"

I'm sure the #Metoo ProgLibDems will afford these girls all the benefit they gave Blasey Ford

viator said...

Epstein had a little black book, either in his head or written down. This one crossed party lines and included the top of status food chain.

Francisco D said...

"Trump denied the charges. The suits were withdrawn amid media scrutiny, although one attorney for an unnamed accuser said she backed out due to threats.”

This happened when Trump was a Democrat paling around with Bill, Hillary and other Democrats. I wonder who made the supposed threats. The Clintons are expert and too cheap to pay people off.

I'm Full of Soup said...

Althouse- this story merits a new tag..something like "Imagine if this person was a Republican"

Narayanan said...

* Though how Ken Starr would up defending the Clintons even by proxy is revolting and I think less of him. *
Check out Starr career end at Baylor
https://www.theatlantic.com/news/archive/2016/08/ken-starr-baylor-university/496646/

Marcus said...

Even the local liberal rag, The Palm Beach Post, as Mary says, covered it in detail several years ago. Nothing in this story seems to be new except that Acosta works for Trump now. Funny how that happens.

THEOLDMAN

Chris N said...

I’d like to remind of the ‘narrative’ argument to help explain a lot the mainstream, knee jerk anti-Trumpism.

Your industry is paying you less and less, your senses of security and self importance are likely diminished, the establishment meta fictions, traditions and anchoring worldviews you relied upon for meaning are in much greater than average turmoil...Trump is a convenient scapegoat.

Also, depending on how Left you personally are, or the circles you move in have drifted, you have followed a lot of the logic and public sentiment of the day to many current positions which are anti-Trumpist (who is openly appealing to and exploiting a right of center populism which is not part of the church of high liberal modernity and openly at war with many parts of it.). Many positions are so weak rallying around the Trump effigy is all there is.

The job of journalists, much like politicians, seems usually to drift above ‘the public’ exposing, exploring and exploiting genuine problems, popular sentiment, and steering public opinion by getting out ahead of hot button issues.

Some are really bright and pretty decent, many are complete fucking morons (not smart enough to know what they don’t know), and most are dependent upon this activity for their livelihoods.

Chris N said...

And many people of great wealth, power and scope have also magnified their flaws. Getting themselves to such positions has meant high drive and ambition, so their appetites are running hot, too, and they have money to indulge and possibly further corrupt such appetites.

Unfortunately, a few of them are serious pervs, not just horny and of questionable ethics. Apparently going after pornstars, bimbos and beauty queens would be okay if it were for the right causes these days (the conniving ambition and calculated weirdness of the Clinton marriage can’t even be discussed but Uncle Donald is John Q Rapist).

tim in vermont said...

* Though how Ken Starr would up defending the Clintons even by proxy is revolting and I think less of him. *

Same with Kavanaugh,

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/my-battle-brett-kavanaugh-over-truth-ambrose-evans-pritchard/

Trump has shone the light on the scurrying cockroaches. If Hillary were president all of these news stories would stay spiked.

tim in vermont said...

You have to susbscribe now to get the rest of that story. But basically Pritchard, through direct knowledge of the case, believes that Foster was murdered and that Kavanaugh helped cover it up. IDK, but the Klonts approved of Ken Starr.

tim in vermont said...

In Inga's world Trump had the power to kibosh a federal investigation as a talk show host real estate developer and Bill Clinton didn’t.

tim in vermont said...

Clinton's buddy for years, and now they want to make him Trump's guy? Come on.

It worked with Enron. One photo outweighed years of actions on Enron’s behalf by Democrats, even though the Bush administration, when called by Clinton guy Robert Reich on Enron’s behalf, told them to go pound sand.

tim in vermont said...

When with Bill Clinton lose the “benefit of the doubt”?

Tina Trent said...

The Miami Herald has reported this in detail: it is true it never got national traction because the Times and WaPo were gunning for Hillary.

The Herald's coverage this time is clearly due to Acosta. And they may have done Trump a favor if he dumps him now rather than letting him stay on.

The Herald shamelessly plucked one story out of the rest: that of young woman who worked at the Trump resort when she was seen and poached by one of Epstein's female pimps.

Dershowitz is also covered in shame for this. Not that he should not have been before this. All the brains in the world don't make up for presuming one is above the conventional moral rules.

Even if you are a defense attorney. Especially if you are a defense attorney. There's some sympathy for representing the poor against a powerful state. But there is no excuse for wielding the influence of the state against victims and justice on behalf of a guilty client.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Did Bill Clinton have sex with underage girls on under-age island?

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

This is why Hillary is demanding early primary states move to Illinois, CA, and NY.

She cannot get momentum unless she shoves the electoral college and smaller states to the curb. Got that, oh leftists?

tim in vermont said...

FBI agents raided the home of a recognized Department of Justice whistleblower who privately delivered documents pertaining to the Clinton Foundation and Uranium One to a government watchdog, according to the whistleblower’s attorney. The Justice Department’s inspector general was informed that the documents show that federal officials failed to investigate potential criminal activity regarding former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, the Clinton Foundation and Rosatom, the Russian company that purchased Uranium One, a document reviewed by The Daily Caller News Foundation alleges.

Imagine if an anti Trump whistleblower had been raided by the FBI.... I wonder why people don’t want to go on the record against the Clintons. It’s a mystery!

tim in vermont said...

it is true it never got national traction because the Times and WaPo were gunning for Hillary.

It was all part of a conspiracy to steal Florida from Hillary.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

What is going on with that raid? Is the raid to stop the whistelblower? I'm surprise the whistleblower hasn't been Seth Riched.


Perhaps Obama's biggest mistake was HIllary? He certainly did not need to make her sec of state. He knew about her private server and let her do it. It's as if the Dems just wink and nob at all the money-grubbing. So long as the worshiped obama's get a slice of that pie.

Perhaps the democrats should finally let go of the the clinton crime family and their obnoxious grasp on the power-machine.