The clamor over the Epstein files continues non-stop in the wake of the release of more than 6 million pages, images and videos. Democrats are demanding more files in the name of justice for victims. But that's a red herring. The party is desperately seeking a smoking gun to impeach President Trump.
During Joe Biden's Administration, Democrats had zero interest in the Epstein documents. Not one Democrat called on Attorney General Merritt Garland to unseal the treasure trove of documents. That's why it's laughable now for the party to claim it has any interest in due process for victims.
The documents would still remained locked away in the Department of Justice had not Attorney General Pam Bondi committed to release the Epstein information. On February 21, 2025, Bondi was asked by Fox News--not by a Democrat lawmaker--if she could release the Epstein "client list."
Bondi responded: "It's sitting on my desk right now to review." Unfortunately for Bondi, she had little idea the firestorm she was about to unleash. The "client list" was interpreted by news outlets to mean a document with the names of men who had sex with underage girls trafficked by Epstein.
Disastrously for Bondi, the existence of a single "client list" has never been substantiated. In fact, Ghislaine Maxwell, who procured women for Epstein, denies any such list existed. When Bondi produced no list, Democrats accused her of acting in bad faith. It was a classic political gotcha.
The hyper partisan focus on the documents, videos and photos has not resulted in one conviction for sex with a minor. If you want justice for victims, law enforcement would need evidence to file charges against abusers. Democrats had their chance in 2021 to expose pedophiles.
In that year, Maxwell was charged with six counts related to sex trafficking and conspiracy. The U.S, Attorney for the Southern District of New York filed the case and conducted the trial that resulted in a conviction on five counts. Not once did prosecutors ask Maxwell to provide "client" names.
Maxwell recruited and groomed women for Epstein. She traveled on Epstein's private plane--dubbed the Lolita Express--to Epstein's private island in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Maxwell stayed at the mansion on the island scores of times. There is no doubt she could produce her own "client list" from memory.
Democrats should be reminded that Merritt Garland headed the DOJ at that time of Maxwell's prosecution. Why were prosecutors unconcerned about learning the names of men who victimized girls? After the trial, prosecutors tried ducking the issue, claiming they wanted to keep the case "simple." Baloney.
That hasn't derailed Democrats--fueled by their Trump-hating base--from protesting the Bondi's lack of transparency, even after the latest DOJ document dump of more than three million pages, images and videos. Included in the documents are emails, flight logs, contact books and cards.
Whatever Democrats hoped to find, so far the data dump has exposed more people with connections to their party, including donors and former Democrat administration officials. They view those references as collateral damage in a desperate bid for evidence to besmirch Trump.
While Trump's name and image appears in the papers and photos, most are tangential references in media reports, news bulletins and analyses sent to Epstein from friends. For context, former President Bill Clinton is mentioned scores of times in the materials and related court records.
In addition, documents show that Clinton appears 26 times on Epstein flight logs, mostly international trips. Clinton has steadfastly maintained he never visited Epstein's Little St. James Island. Government logs document that Epstein visited the White House at least 17 times during Clinton's presidency.
CNN also reported the Maxwell was given an award by the Clinton Global Initiative in 2013 for her now defunct ocean preservation project.
A review of the documents of the Epstein flight logs also show Trump's name appears on 7 to 8 flights. Most were of short domestic flights. For instance, flights from Palm Beach to New Jersey. None of the flights were routed to the infamous Epstein island.
As investigative reporters and news organizations pore over the information, salacious references have ensnared more than a few politicos. Some of the people include Hollywood elites in the music and film industry, former ambassadors and ex-officials in the Obama and Clinton administrations.
The dirty laundry list includes Larry Summers, former Director of the National Economic Council, for President Clinton; former Obama White House Counsel Kathryn Ruemmler; Microsoft founder Bill Gates; CBS News contributor Dr. Peter Attia, whose name and image appear more than 1,700 times.
The falling dominoes also have included the former Norwegian prime minister; the former UK ambassador to the U.S.; former Prince Andrew of the House of Windsor; the former president and CEO of the World Economic Forum; and the former Culture Minister of France.
In the latest revelation, current Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick's name surfaces in privilege logs, email threads and witness-related materials. The mentions largely are connected to social and business contacts, emails and visits.
For the sake of accurate reporting, it's important to remind readers that no evidence in the files proves criminal complicity in Epstein's trafficking activities for any of the individuals named herein. But in many cases individuals have stepped away from their current jobs after publication of their names.
In the midst of the hoopla, a nagging question confounds many Americans: Why don't victims come forward and publicly name their abusers? Wouldn't that result in justice for the victims?
The answer is complicated. Not all women in the Epstein orbit were minors. An unknown number were consenting adults. In addition, many victims have settled cases against Epstein and signed non-disclosure agreements. Others have moved on and don't want revisit the past horror.
More than 140 women accepted payments from the Epstein Victims Compensation Fund. The fund paid out $121 million. J. P. Morgan reached a $290 million settlement with abuse survivors. Deutsche Bank paid out $75 million. Both banks did business with Epstein.
In addition, the representatives of the Epstein Estate recently settled a victims' class action lawsuit for $35 million. At the time of Epstein's death, his estate was valued at $635 million.
No amount of money will make up for the shame and abuse suffered by women at the hands of the predator Epstein. However, the inconvenient truth is sexual abuse charges realistically aren't likely to be lodged more than two decades after Epstein allegedly hung himself in a jail cell on August 16, 2019.
Speculation over Epstein's cause of death has also been resurrected after the recent document release. A 2020 email indicates the medical examiner who oversaw the autopsy signed a confidentiality agreement and refers to the Epstein's death as a "murder investigation."
This illustrates the pitfalls of a wide ranging release of documents containing tantalizing information without proper context. While the publication makes for titillating reading, there is little to be gained unless victims file charges.
Democrats aren't the only ones beating the drums over the Epstein files. House Republicans have opened an investigation into the Epstein affair, heavily relying on the DOJ documents. They subpoenaed Bill and Hillary Clinton in an act of political grandstanding.
The GOP move will give Democrats the perfect opening to subpoena First Lady Melania and President Trump if the party reclaims the House in the midterms. It is time for both parties to call a cease fire. More histrionics will not serve justice, the victims or the American public.
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