Ive nothing against evangelicals but many will be (properly) appalled by Epstein and yet consider Trump's cavorting with young women and with Epstein just a sign that the messenger of God is imperfect.
The problem is not Epstein who is now getting his comeuppance, or Trump who is demonstrably incapable of moral judgement or empathy. The problem are the otherwise sensible adults who support Trump because they have found a faith-based justification for his amorality and avarice.
39
@BA
Reminds me of the feminists who blindly supported Bill Clinton and his "heavy", Hillary, despite the many allegations against him of sexual assault.
5
seems to me that lots of folks want to lump Trump and Clinton together in this quagmire. Why? Clinton's area was ADULT women, not children. So please, just because he was on an airplane with Epstein doesn't mean he was complicit. He had good reason to spend time with Epstein....who did donate scads of money to the Clinton Foundation. Why do folks always go to the basest of thoughts when they hear his name? Dislike him, but try to recall that he has secret service with him since he left office and I doubt that kind of behavior wouldn't have been published long ago. Give him a break.
21
@zizzi
I like neither Clinton nor Trump. It is ridiculous to read the letters that automatically pile on Trump, no matter the context.
This article noted that Clinton's connection was stronger than Trump's was, yet nearly every letter is about Trump, not Clinton, nor even Epstein. Hence the backlash.
6
Trump could lose the November 3, 2020 election, and, rather than conceding defeat, announce that he has classified information that a foreign power interfered in the election and that he cannot release the information, and, therefore, he will issue an executive order to abrogate the election.
You would support Trump.
7
@vcuttolo
BIll is currently irrelevant. DJT is currently President. Which should be attracting more attention?
25
Bring ‘em all down. Trump, Bill Clinton, whomever. Don’t care who they are or what party they’re with — if they were involved in this they should be outed and punished to the full extent of the law.
21
I think I saw a quote on this matter from POTUS, something along the lines of "I like sexual predator friends who haven't been captured"...
28
Birds of a feather flock together.
16
Seems there's a whole, new meaning to the Epstein-Barr Syndrome.
28
Okay, that’s just mean.
And I like it.
9
Likes attract...
7
The so called falling out Don had with Jeff Epstein was caused by Epstein's success with women that Trump considered his property. Most notable was Epstein's connection with Melania Knauss. Other than that Trump would have been happy to remain buddies with Epstein. He just can't handle coming in second place.
20
I would, at the very least, ask that the NYTimes make a statement of findings on the NY investigation of Trump and Epstein's charges of rape. The filing of the legal documents were made public on Politico. I do not read the many indie news sources, preferring to get higher quality insights from NYT, TheGuardian and WaPo.
Was that legal action real or some attempt to extort money?
9
Typical NYT trying to pull Trump into this filth. How about Clinton. When does the NYT start printing the truth in news and not trying to hide it? Bill Clinton was Epstein's bestie and yet you ignore him on your items. Google is doing the same thing. Grab Trump into this and throw the mud at him. Well it won't work. Trump supporters can see what is going on and we will unite and show the Times and Google in 2020. Print the truth or shut the presses down.
5
from article: "Mr. Epstein, who was charged on Monday in Manhattan with sex trafficking, is better known as a longtime friend of former President Bill Clinton’s than as a close associate of Mr. Trump’s. "
8
Could the “Time’s Up” organization or some other concerned wealthy individuals or parties make an offer to all the abused girls that they have their back, and can provide legal services, counseling, and a safe place for them to stay with security guards and everything they need. Maybe then some of them could come forward with no fears of retribution and the guilty parties can face justice.
7
@Eskibas
I think it's cute that even today, in this day and age, there are adults that are this naive. Eskibas, the victims are not afraid of retribution. Rather, they all have lawyers and have filed civil suits against Epstein years ago; many already settled.
3
“a mutual appreciation of women”? This is careless reporting. Sexual exploitation is not appreciation. That is, using/paying women one does not know for sex is not a mark of appreciation for women, rather an objectification of women’s bodies. Some men may prefer this, but let’s not call it an appreciation of women.
12
@TranslatorinJtown:
Absolutely spot-on.
It's actually quite pathetic that these self-proclaimed Tycoons, who absolutely believe that the size of their bank accounts represents their inherent superiority over the rest of us, need to resort to dazzling impressionable young girls for the sheer sake of using them entirely for sexual gratification . . . especially hunks of meat, as any other commodity they can buy.
What's even more disgusting is the large number of men out there who see women as little else than sex toys, even in 2019.
As our ersatz Buffoon-in-chief would say:
"Sad. Bigly sad."
7
Dear NYT: please do not refer to these men as having “a mutual appreciation of women.” Serial pedophiles, self-proclaimed abuser, adulterer. They are a far cry from men who appreciate women. And this article was written by two women? Seriously. Wake up!
20
@RosieDeuce:
As a sixty year old man, I absolutely agree with your sentiments.
7
It must be that amidst all of the allegations of moral turpitude the perhaps most salient aspect is somehow being ignored. There are laws against prostitution, child molestation, etc. What organized crime does is to try to find away around the laws so that they can make money promoting the things which the laws prohibit. Some people in organized crime inhabit large, well protected houses, which is not, so far as we know, the site of the crimes committed. The sites are tawdry hotels and motels in places like Atlantic City, New Jersey, where sometimes these crimes morph into something far more serious...like murder. So, if there is a difference between these sites where crimes are regularly committed, it must be that it is in the amount of money which is in question, as in the organization of clientele for various so-called economic activities, and as in the so-called status of the real estate involved. This difference focuses, however regrettably, on the ever-widening gap between rich and poor in this country, even, in the world. Of course guilt by association is not really a bona fide method of operation, and so to the supposed victor go the spoils. However, it does seem of interest to ask the question: "Is there more to it than that?"
1
@Disinterested Party:
Your first two sentences cover the entire spectrum of what's involved here: the sexual abuse of young women.
It's ironic that these mega-rich men can't seem to attract mature women who would be old enough to share their cultural and emotional experiences congruent with the ages of their suitors; the fact that these so-called "captains of industry" have zero consciousness about this facet of healthy relationships reflects very, very poorly on the Trumps and Epsteins of our society.
It may be that the biblical admonishment about worshipping money has some wisdom and credence afterall . . .
4
Our evangelical fellow citizens are telling us non-Christians that immorality is Christianity. They approve of Trump more than ever.
Christians world over should be be up in arms saying NO, STOP THIS MADNESS!
11
Where are you hearing this from? Somebody please post a link or give some names...
@Sa Ha:
A simple sampling of the so-called religiousosity of the majority of GOP voters is a trivial task to perform; try some Google searches.
By comparison the Democratic tent is much broader and nuanced with respect to faiths.
Ergo the labels "Conservatives" versus "Liberals".
Of course these are applicable much more broadly than just the religious arena.
3
The longer Acosta keeps making excuses like “The World was Different” and refuses to withdraw his position, the more Congress, the Press and the citizens will demand answers. The truth is likely to take down many in positions of power and money, the least of all Acosta.
6
Trump and Epstein were/are co-defendants in an SDNY lawsuit filed in late 2016 alleging child rape at Epstein's New York mansion in the mid 1990's - the place raided by the feds. Why no-one in the media will mention this is not clear to me. Being overly cautious?
15
@Mike H.
No, just the same editorial decisions that kept reporters writing stories about Hillary Clinton's emails non-stop while they ignored the corrupt business dealings of Donald Trump.
9
@Mike H.
That suit was dismissed as having no merit years ago; that's why it isn't mentioned.
3
Katie Johnson retracted her rape lawsuit, after receiving death threats, days before Trump was elected. https://www.politico.com/story/2016/11/donald-trump-rape-lawsuit-dropped-230770
7
"He is highly biblical, and I would say to your listeners, we will in all likelihood never see a more godly, biblical president again in our lifetime," said the ever-prescient Michelle Bachmann about a person in high public office...
Hold on to your Mr. Jesus, Michelle, he's about to take you on a very interesting ride, which I hope will closely resemble the utter and complete harrowing of Hell. These monsters should get the full measure justice they deserve. God don't like ugly.
9
Trump appears to have been comfortable hanging around Epstein’s pool of neighborhood beautiful young girls until he wasn’t.
Trump may not have involved himself with underage girls, but he must have had inklings that Epstein’s pool full of beautiful young girls were not the “neighborhood kids.”
Common sense, which Trump lacks, would inform most people that Epstein was not being a magnanimous, generous neighbor to let “neighborhood kids” play in his pool.
3
Let's hear from some of these "girls" now; were any under age and they doubtless flew in across state lines.
It is likely that the mad king could resist the same prey Jeff pursued--really.
5
I’m still waiting for somebody to name ONE TIME that one of Trump’s cronies got busted, or ONE TIME he got caight taking a position that later he didn’t want to have, and he a) told the truth, b) didn’t insist he barely knew the guy.
One time.
6
Just because Trump broke off the relationship and banned him from Mar a Lago doesn't absolve Trump of whatever transpired before.
13
presumably, houraney retains a list of the two dozen (plus) young women he recruited and invited to the party thrown for trump and epstein (when trump was 46 years old, not a teenager).
the press should get to work tracing those women down.
what went on at that "party for two", both serial sexual predators? confirming what many of us suspect will/should really put trump's evangelical christian supporters to the test, especially those with daughters and granddaughters.
11
I lived in NYC in the 80's. Very proud that I was "nobody".
7
"Let me be perfectly clear". "I'm not a fan of Epstein, but I certainly like pretty young girls." Got it ....
7
Today's coverage of the Epstein follies includes another unprecedented & equally inexplicable example of Epstein's legal adversaries taking remarkable steps to reduce his criminal liabilities. Courtesy of the Manhattan District Attorney's office, in 2011, Jeffrey Epstein enjoyed the assistance of a sex crimes prosecutor in an unusual effort to reduce his sex offender status to the lowest possible level. (The judge emphatically rejected the motion) Nonetheless, the District Attorney's role adds to the long list of prosecutors, judges and high profile attorney's that provide extra-legal assistance to a notorious sex offender. Despite the extraordinary course of Epstein's legal journey, there has been no discussion of the possible motives for any of this inexplicable behavior! The ceaseless innuendo involving names like Clinton & Trump, etc. provide titillation without illumination. Epstein's co-conspirators likely include the rich & famous as well as those who enjoy privilege more discretely. Let me shed light on the shadows. Mr. Epstein has control of powerfully destructive information that threatens the public stature, wealth and political power of many men & women at the top of American society. Mr. Epstein's most recent legal difficulties have nothing to do with seeking justice for his victims. We are witnessing the struggle to minimize & manipulate the public fallout from the inevitable release of Jeffrey Epstein's list of clients and party guests from the last 30 years.
7
@mike4vfr Spot on analysis sir. My only "addition" would be that the U.S is not the only country who has very wealthy men currently sweating over this one. Prince Andrew was another whose "case" was made to disappear and the young girl who bravely came forward was "Hilloried" by Englands rich and powerful when they circled the wagons. As I posted earlier, I just hope that when the Jenga Sticks start being tugged on, the partisianship in your country takes a backseat and who is on my "team" is less important than bringing ALL of these child rapists to justice. I would give them all just 6 months. But make them serve it in General Population on Rikers Island or a simliar facility. Then there would be real justice.
2
Please stop using “young women” to refer to minors and “girls” to refer to women. “I have 28 girls coming” needs to be clarified that these “Calendar Girls” contestants were actually women where as the references to “young women” being abused is actually about minors, children. Age matters and sadly the use of ambiguous misogynistic language of girls and young women enables a culture of disrespect and abuse.
8
"Not a fan" ... and all because his Campaign Manager told him to say so. Got to get that female vote, y'know. #transparent
GOP voters picked an inept candidate whose only skill is tweeting high school insults to lead their country. It reflects volumes on the capacity of the GOP's supporters to understand and critique the critical issues. Who's kidding who: a single issue.
2
@M Irwin
And Democrats picked someone with numerous claims of sexual harassment in the 1990s, and then chose his enforcer in 2016.
1
I guarantee it will eventually be revealed that as soon as President Trump heard that AG Barr was going to recuse himself from the Epstein case, Trump called Barr. "You can't recuse yourself. It's your job to protect me." So Barr quickly reversed himself and "un-recused." The depths of corruption we have at the top are wide and vast, like nothing we have ever seen here before. Sad!
15
The strategy of hitting Trump with low blows everyday didn’t work.
2
"Mr. Trump appeared fully aware of what a liability his onetime Palm Beach pal had become."
No moral indignation, only concern for the Trump brand.
What a piece of work our president is.
And yet there he still sits, in the Oval Office.
We should all be ashamed of ourselves.
10
The biggest mistake a career conman can make is to run for high office.
There's no new town for you to skip to, Donald.
10
Why did AG Barr first recuse himself and then the next day un-recuse himself? Think about it. What might have happened between the first and second announcements?
10
Trump said that Epstein was a great guy knowing that he was having sex with under age girls. That's Trump, an amoral hedonist who respects few people, at all. Trump is famous and grabs all the media attention he could ever want, and he wants a lot, but he is perceived as a disreputable person by anybody who thinks that people should follow the golden rule. That is the legacy that he will leave.
5
@Casual Observer
And Bill Clinton? This article notes that he was far tighter with Epstein than Trump ever was.
1
@VCuttolo
Bill Clinton is no longer president, so there's that, but if there is evidence of sex with young girls, then bring him to trial and let the chips fall where they may.
5
I think that the article cites Trump’s assertion that Clinton was tighter with Epstein. Aside from that claim, there is no other evidence. Trump was very tight with Epstein for a couple of decades, and there is ample evidence of that. In any case, anyone who kept contact after knowing what Epstein was doing has no defense.
6
can we please stop calling this an "underage sex scandal"? how about "child sex abuse". stop making 14 year old children into sexual things.
5
@lkb740
The NYT is correct. Pedophelia is not the same as hebephelia.
3
@Ialo As a life long DEM, I’d gladly sacrifice one Bill Clinton to remove one Donald Trump from the White House. Today. Out with the old...
6
@Gucci Marmot
How convenient. Where were you until now?
If the world spun as fast as Trump's falsities, we would all suffocate in space. He dumps his buddies and denies the praises he made of them whenever they become inconvenient. Standby - soon he will dump America and deny he was ever a citizen.
6
@Angelesa, you are right, he's already made it abundantly clear he is not human....
4
And let's not forget:
"Well, I'll tell you the funniest is that I’ll go backstage before a show, and everyone's getting dressed and ready and everything else, and you know, no men are anywhere. And I'm allowed to go in because I'm the owner of the pageant and therefore I'm inspecting it. You know, I'm inspecting, I want to make sure that everything is good.
You know, the dresses. ‘Is everyone okay?’ You know, they're standing there with no clothes. ‘Is everybody okay?’ And you see these incredible looking women, and so, I sort of get away with things like that."
This is direct quote from the current occupant of the White House, Donald J Trump. He said this on the Howard Stern Show in 2005.
One of the dressing rooms he is said to have nonchalantly walked into was occupied by girls as young as 14 and 15 at a Teen Miss USA competition in 1997.
It takes a sleaze to know a sleaze.
And all the Republicans and Evangelicals who continue to support this morally bankrupt excuse for a human being are no better.
They are all sleazes.
Are you listening, Mitch?
24
....His ears are vestigial flaps and he's sunning himself on a rock right now....
6
Will this constant barrage of revelations of COOTOO’s disgusting, depraved behavior ever end? Or is he, as I suspect, so thoroughly, utterly, completely rotten that there is no end to it. There is a bottomlessness to his slime that I find almost unbelievable. Then I remember that he has been enabled by, and has himself enabled, an army of other rich and powerful men, and that this has been going on for decades. I will continue to be repulsed and full of revulsion until we collectively see the light and put an end to his “Presidency” and this egregious behavior, forever.
7
New York Times already declared Bill Clinton only seen Epstein once. Then never seen him again, what a bald faced lie that's untrue and unresearched reporting.
2
Yeah!
Except that is not what the paper said!!
Honestly, can you guys not manage the simplest facts?
8
Re: '...Donald J. Trump with Jeffrey Epstein in 1997 in Palm Beach, Fla. Their lives intersected for decades before a falling out..."
Through all this Trump-Acosta-Epstein-mess...
I've yet to see a photo of this alleged world class serial-pimp / convicted sex offender...NOT smiling!
I DID see the artist's court room sketch, which reminded me of a Sistine chapel sinner, traditionally, thought to have, just been informed of his eternal damnation!
The artist's rendering did my heart...a-world-'O,-good!
With 22 women accusing the president of sex offenses...I'm curious: why is HE, (Trump), always smiling when standing, next to a starlet(s) he claims NOT to actually, know / pictured in these...'compromising positions'??
4
Everyone in finance is asking where Epstein’s money came from. Human trafficking, especially of minor children, is a very lucrative business; ask Saudi Arabia. And now we know Clinton, Dershowitz, Trump and anyone else Acosta refused to include in that now infamous sweet deal is culpable.
Now let us really drain the swamp before we are compared to Boko Haram.
14
@H.A. Hyde
Any sexual claim against Dershowitz is obviously false. He is guilty only of being Epstein's lawyer, which is not a crime. Read the Constitution.
1
All while they are trying to dismantle Obamacare.
19
The people who continued to associate with Epstein after they suspected that he was having unlawful relations with minors are not to be excused. All of them condoned his perverted behaviors. All of them how failed to report their suspicions were effectively accomplices.
Why would adults who are not sexual perverts condone Epstein's behaviors? Because they stood to lose something, themselves. The Congress should investigate this man and his interactions socially and his business activities closely. There are reasons why all of these highly powered and very influential people continued to associate with him and to protect him. It's not because of campaign contributions nor philanthropic activities, either.
12
“In those days, if you didn’t know Trump and you didn’t know Epstein, you were a nobody.”
Dershowitz is wittingly or unwittingly completing the journey of the myth of Donald Trump. Trump spent his entire life, including up until now, trying desperately to cut himself in with the "somebodies" who, if you didn't know them, you were a nobody. He did not succeed. But now Dershowitz paints Trump (and Epstein) as the in crowd of two.
5
@AZPurdue
Come on, give us Bernie voters some credit!
1
@Corbin
OK, you get credit for electing Trump.
2
I feel very badly for Trump.
1
Fascinating how the focus of this paper is on his relationship with Trump yet he contributed 9 times more money to Democrats than Republicans. It is deserving of the attention to scrutinize the relationship with Trump but if this paper is truly the standard bearer for fair and accurate reporting then there is alot to be told about his Democrat connections.
4
@DC
That is because it isn't a Democrat living in the White House. Are any of the Democrats who he may have contributed to currently holding an elected office? Are any of the Democrats currently holding office who may have received donations from Jeffrey Epstein friends or former friends of Epstein who have associated with him and called him "a terrific guy"?
That is why this article is relevant, fair and accurate.
Take off your blinders and pay attention to the facts and the reality.
6
@DC
If there is an article about a record-size potato winning a prize at the Idaho state fair, 3/4 of the letters will rail against Trump. Such is the readership of this paper.
And by the way, I did not vote for Trump.
1
GOP 2016 Election Day 1: Donald Trump is a Terrific Guy!
GOP 2020 Election Day 1: Donald Trump? Not a Fan.
4
@Paul McGlasson
How about Democrats who supported Bill Clinton twice, and his enforcer, Hillary Clinton, in a third election? Is that somehow not relevant?
1
Trump I'm sure distanced himself because of this lawsuit too. MSM still has not acknowledged REAL #TrumpEpstein RAPE case -withdrawn due to threats on 11/4/16 - even if there was an NDA on table- still it happened. Cancelled after many threats received right before they were going to go public! www.justiceforkatie.com It IS part of this story.
2
@Jacalyn Engler
Why would she be afraid of going public? Stormy Daniels and the other one had no problem going public, and indeed, even being on TV practically 24/7. Story makes no sense.
1
Trump made that comment in 2002.
By then, Democrat icon Bill Clinton had already visited Epstein’s island on the Lolita Express.
When do we get an entire article about that?
1
@EGD - It was on the front page this morning.
1
Alex Acosta on TV now, auditioning for Trump to keep his job....
2
And he was smug, smirking, and condescending. Offered no accountability regret or apology for cutting a crooked deal. They had pics, video of sex acts, and the testimony of dozens of girls. They did not secure the computers loaded with child pornography...There are no ROOKIE MISTAKES here....
6
According to reports, the reason "Jane Doe" dropped the following case was that once Trump became the GOP nominee, she received numerous death threats. This is from her complaint at Item 10:
"...Defendant Trump initiated sexual contact with Plaintiff at four different parties. On the fourth and final sexual encounter with Defendant Trump, Defendant Trump tied Plaintiff to a bed, exposed himself to Plaintiff, and then proceeded to forcibly rape Plaintiff. "
https://www.scribd.com/document/326057027/Amended-Complaint-Filed-9-30-2016#from_embed?platform=hootsuite
6
Little girls and middle aged Chinese women, trafficked, isolated, threatened by grotesque, venal, untouchable rich men.
Release the tapes. Lock the bums up. Distribute the cash they haven't already hidden to the victims. Confiscate the homes in NYC, Palm Beach, Boston, wherever. Liquidate their tangible assets.
10
I'm glad the Clintons are out of American Politics. Their already shaky brand is worthless now. This from a three time Clinton voter. I'm so sick of America's political dynasties.
With the Clintons gone, and when the Trumps are finally relegated to a Manhattan dumpster, hopefully that'll mean that we're be moving in a better direction again...
12
Is Alan Dershowitz collecting a retirement pension from Harvard University Law School?
Disgusted inquiring minds want to know.
16
Trump and the Republicans were happy to make up Benghazia and then get upset when Holder encountered Clinton on a plane and said hI, It became a big fake conspiracy,.Now we have pictures of Trump with Epstein and a lot of contact. I wonder how much contact Trump had with underage girls procured for him by Epstein. Perhaps there is nothing there but I wonder if Epstein will cop a plea for implicating Trump. If I was Epstein's lawyer and he has knowledge of Trump and underage girls,he should trade that information for a new plea bargain.The pictures speak volumes and if Trump was a Democrat, the conspiracy theories would be out in force.
7
Love how the white Christian men, i.e., Evangelicals, preach at how immigrants are rapists who just want to come to America "to rape our women and children". Apparently it's OK for them to do it, it's just not OK for anyone else to have first chance at it.
THIS is where we are in society. This!
19
@Charlotte please name some of these people. I know all the hateful despicable rhetoric of the GOP leading up to the 2018 vote. But who are these mainline evangelicals? I'm must not be looking in the right places for them.
Oh, come on! Why hasn't this even been mentioned.
https://www.scribd.com/document/326057027/Amended-Complaint-Filed-9-30-2016#from_embed?platform=hootsuite
Apparently, good expositive journalism is dying a slow and tedious death in our country.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/nov/02/donald-trump-rape-lawsuit-13-year-old-cancels-public-event
Honestly, why isn't this newspaper interviewing the plaintiff Jane Doe's attorney.
I'm really disappointed.
8
@Jbugko
Because her attorney is a fraud/hack worse than Avenatti; because her suit was dismissed years ago, in several courts; because the plaintiff refused to give her name; because the address she listed in her complaint was a vacant house; and because she was unable to provide any details re Epstein, Trump, or the location where she said she was attacked.
2
For trump, I imagine it was just jealousy. He was out trumping trump! trumpster doesn't like that, no he doesn't!
2
I long for the New York Times of days gone by, when they were a real newspaper, not concerned about their precious image and political correctness. "All the news that fit to print." Really?
3
@Doremus Jessup
Trump lies. https://www.scribd.com/document/326057027/Amended-Complaint-Filed-9-30-2016#from_embed?platform=hootsuite
As far as news goes, it's Trump and his fans who can't handle the truth.
8
She filed papers accusing Trump and Epstein of raping her in 1994...And she has corroborating witnesses..... I smell it and it's hitting the fan....is this is where Trump doesn't want people peering into....because he's in this backwash of slime.
2
@Jbugko
What makes you think that this complaint is "the truth"? It was dismissed years ago
1
Today's headline:
Jeffrey Epstein Was a ‘Terrific Guy,’ Donald Trump Once Said. Now He’s ‘Not a Fan.’
I don't recall reading the following headline in the NYTimes:
Harvey Weinstein Was a "Wonderful Human Being" and "A Good Friend", First Lady Michelle Obama Once Said. Now She's Not a Fan.
https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/realitycheck/the-press-office/2013/11/08/remarks-first-lady-careers-film-symposium
Just trust us, there is no political agenda here at the NYTimes.
2
@John
Trump lies. https://www.scribd.com/document/326057027/Amended-Complaint-Filed-9-30-2016#from_embed?platform=hootsuite
You went to the movies he produced, didn't you? That doesn't mean you're a rapist.
However, Trump IS a rapist.
7
@John - Some but not all in the movie industry knew about Weinstein. How would anyone outside the industry have known about his behavior?
1
I yet again regret reading (against my better judgement) a piece by Maggie Haberman. This article is a cesspool of gossipy innuendo and quoting Roger Stone’s “book.” Do better, NY Times, do better.
3
I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that both Bill and Donald probably have some nasty secrets to keep.
7
Nice try Annie and Maggie. But try as you might, as hopeful as you inspire your readers to be, the Trump angle is going nowhere. Kind of a RussiaRussiaRussia thing. This is a Clinton scandal, another Clinton scandal, not a Trump scandal.
2
Except Trump has multiple credible rape accusations
4
Alas no mention of the 26 trips by Bill Clinton to the underage sex island.
4
Meanwhile, Trump's religious-right fans tighten their blinders and plug their ears, and somehow manage still to tell us Trump is doing God's work.
21
@Nathaniel, I would appreciate a link to those stories.
No one in this country is likely surprised to learn that our President was or is good friends with a child molester. It’s not much of a leap to predict that Mr. Trump, too, might have taken inappropriate and even criminal interest in young girls. After all, he has admitted committing sexual assault and has been credibly accused of it and of rape by more than a dozen women. The president has no moral core; he is a narcissist and hedonist who has and would hurt anyone, if it pleases him to do so.
19
@CastleMan
He’s also associated with George Nader, a convicted rapist of young boys.
Only the best people
1
It is mentioned in this article that Bill Clinton was a close friend of Jeffrey Epstein whereas President Trump was a close associate. They did have business dealings but President Trump did eventually cut all ties with him. His mistake was not being more prudent in his character and business dealings.
Why did Bill Clinton take Jeffrey Epstein's donations to his Clinton Foundation. Will he return the thousands he received now that it has been revealed he is a rapist and sexual predator? Time will tell.
6
@KMW Does it concern you at all that the current resident of the White House has been recorded on a tape that was heard around the world, talking about how he kisses and gropes women and is able to get away with it? Any concerns for the more than a dozen women who have accused him of assault? The women he paid off for their silence?
10
@KMW
‘... now that it has been revealed he is a rapist and sexual predator?’
Which rapist and predator are you talking about?
1
@KMW - Trump gave a cabinet post to the guy who made it possible for Epstein to continue sexually abusing children.
Is sexual abuse part of the pro-life, family value system you're always prattling on about?
3
The Mar-a-Largo private party sounded very familiar to other stories that have been told and reported by woman about Trump. Remember the stories that teen USA beauty contestant told about Trump coming into their dressing rooms. Epstein, Putin, the Saudi crown prince , N. Koreans dictator are all "fine people" in trumps eyes. America wake up.
15
Our country is now officially a cesspool.
It seems obvious $$ was changing hands between people involved in the Jeffrey Epstein nightmare.
Did Epstein pay off Acosta? Did Epstein bribe/blackmail Dershowitz? Did Epstein pay Trump so he'd never talk? Did Trump give Acosta a job to shut him up?
Recall Trump paid off Stormy Daniels & Karen McDougal to shut up about their affairs with him. A man allegedly threatened Stormy Daniels in a parking lot before that got "settled." Trump allegedly also threatened/sued women were with his beauty pageants who had grievances or criticized him. There was a pageant contestant Trump sued for a fortune after she posted on Facebook she thought the pageant was rigged. From what we know, it was rigged. But Trump's aggressive lawyers took that woman apart.
This is how these men operate. Payoffs, blackmail, threats of lawsuits & violence are the rule.
Note that Trump made that "joke" to New York Magazine back in the 90s that Epstein liked women "on the young side." It seems likely Trump knew something about what Epstein was up to & decided never to contact the police. Out of loyalty to Epstein or because Trump himself was compromised?
Recall it was a month ago that a well-known writer credibly accused Trump of raping her in the 90s.
Hopefully Second District of New York is digging into Trump's involvement w/ Epstein. Trump wasn't hanging around Epstein because the 2 of them had a book club.
18
@fast/furious
Not unless, by "book club" you mean, "making book on who could get the youngest girl in bed."
2
Is Mexico going to pay for "The Wall" that would have protected dozens, or hundreds, of this "billionaire" pedophile's victims, too? Or are immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers - all of them - still scapegoats? And where would that "Wall" be? Around 721 - 725 Fifth Avenue, and 9 East 71st Street, for starters? I'd feel safer at the border than with both those Manhattan "billionaire$."
8
There are immigrant girls that Homeland Security has lost track of, and border patrol were unable to present for Congress to meet with. Where did they go?
2
The far right just proved themselves correct today, and that is truly sad. I have always been one to staunchly support and defend the NYT, but now I'm disappointed and a little ashamed.
It is quite well known that the Clintons' were a lot closer to Epstein than Trump. Trump "disowned" Epstein (as he said) over 15 years ago. I do accept the possibility that Trump is in cahoots with Epstein, but so is Clinton. I dare say, even more.
This entire article is about nothing but Trump in a very negative light. While the article about Clinton is a lot more open to interpretation and conjecture, and most decidedly neutral to positive light. This article you can make comments on. The Clinton article, you can't.
I get the bias against Trump. I despise the man and I even more despise him as President. I believe he's doing more harm to this country than anyone in history could dream of. But, the NYT has an obligation to treat Trump no different than any other person in regards to something of this type. The only place it could be accepted would be in the opinion section. This is not the opinion section.
You know there's something wrong when a "news organization" like Breitbart calls this exactly like it happened. Be better NYT. Prove all of the far right that the MSM can be and is fair to Trump. Use your opinion section for blasting Trump, but keep it out of the News section.
9
@Bret Agreed!
3
@Bret
I think this article lets Trump off the hook. It’s tone objectifies women: “a shared taste for wealth and women”.
1
@Corbin
I didn't get that from this article, but I have no reason to doubt you. Also, if you haven't, read the Clinton article, and you'll see how the tone of the articles are completely different for the same "accusations."
I can just imagine that creepy smug grin on Trump's face as 28 girls dote on him out of discomfort and fear of displeasing the 'hosts.' This is sickening. I'm sure more personal testimonies are going to come forward against these men. They both should be in prison. Clinton, too, if it shows he were involved in these 'parties.'
11
The condemnation of the exploitation and rape of young women and girls SHOULD be bipartisan. Epstein, Clinton, Trump and anyone else involved should be held to account. I’m a liberal, but will cheer the downfall of any dems deemed guilty. Rich, entitled white guy syndrome is a serious problem in both parties.
11
At this point we have to wonder, what is Barr all about? Who put him up to his sycophancy? Why is Barr willing to grind his heel on the rule of law?
Perhaps Barr did not recuse himself from the Acosta/Epstein fiasco because Barr believes that trump's name is in Epstein's schedule book for a date with a child.
If so, Barr could then suppress the information and protect trump and the GOP. Just a thought...
8
@livingwithinterest, Yep, questions abound. Wondering why Barr's recusal then reversal this week? Barr's father, was a headmaster who hired Epstein to teach math(no degree) at that exclusive and private school for teenage boys and girls. Did Epstein make advances or molest one of those girls? Is that why Barr's dad resigned/fired? When thereafter did Epstein leave/get fired? As young men, were Barr and Epstein friends?
2
I can easily imagine Epstein and Trump sitting at the Top of the Rock and debating whether girls are hotter when they're 13 or 15.
The GOP is the party of perverts: Moore, Kavanaugh, Trump, Epstein, and so on. At least I can always get a good laugh out of evangelicals calling Trump a "man of god."
8
The NY Times willingness to do anything to smear, discredit, and undermine Pres. Trump knows no bounds. What purpose does this story serve except to taint Trump based on a past friendship? There are hundred others who were/are connected to Epstein, but they are not on the Times' hit list.
5
@AI
When you are President, and pal around with child molesters, it’s sorta in the public interest to know.
10
@Al -- "What purpose does this story serve?"
It reminds us that it takes a bum to know one.
5
@Corbin
What evidence do you have that Trump knew Epstein was a child molester. Anyone could hang around with a child molester and not be aware the person is a molester. Get real.
1
Two [godforsaken] peas in a pod.
3
Dear NYT: please stop acting like Trump's self-contradictions are newsworthy. (Ditto for his lies.) We already know, ok?
5
There needs to be a special prosecutor appointed to look into their long association, dating back at least 35 years.
5
Another hit job by The New York Times against President Trump. Nothing here even comes close to suggesting (and even if it did, I wouldn't believe it anymore given this paper's track record) that Mr Trump had anything to do with this guy. But here is Maggie Habermann, once again, attempting to create an atmosphere around the President in order to harm him. Splash this all over the front page, and hope for the best... How come Ms. Habermann never digs into the whole investigation into the investivation? There is a story there, but no, that seems to be off limits.
6
@len
Private party, Trump, Epstein, 28 girls.
No association?!
6
Epstein is going to roll on Bill Clinton, not Trump, and like Harvey Weinstein will further destroy the Democratic 'brand'.
4
Donald Trump is nothing more than a sleazy pimp for men in power. The truth will come out about his “talent management”.
7
It seems the NYC Post came out to at least admit when Donald Trump disassociated himself from Jeffrey Epstein when his human sex trafficking activities came out early in 2002. At least Donald Trump has some basic moral fortitude not to associate himself with a disgusting monster even though Donald Trump has some past skeletons of his own.
Perhaps it's time to retire the idea that womanizers have an "appreciation of women," as this story said about two creditably accused sexual abusers.
Or that they "love women."
They do not. To them, women are sex toys, appreciated for the beauty of their faces, breasts, legs, vaginas, etc... and the pleasure and status those parts provide.
In no way are they appreciated as equally human, actual people.
7
Please correct an error in your article. You speak of a "mutual appreciation" of wealth and women" that Epstein and Trump shared.
The wording should read a "mutual exploitation of the poor and women" that the two have.
Thank you.
14
So shocking that the NYT put a huge photo of Epstein and Trump right up front and buried Epstein and Clinton. No bias at all...
5
@Didi
Trump is the CURRENT president. Clinton's been out of office for 18 years.
5
@Didi
Read the article, don’t just look at the pictures. It comes off as pro-Trump, on the balance.
1
Talk about perpetuating fake news.
The one villain (aside from Epstein) in this case was the FL State Prosecutor, Barry Krischer. This was a STATE case with STATE crimes. Krischer was a Democrat operative who protected Epstein. The Chief of Police in Palm Beach went ballistic, as this guy gave Epstein a less than "slap on the wrist". So the Chief went to the FBI for a modicum of justice. Acosta's big mistake was making a crappy deal for this pedophile Epstein and then did not inform the victims. Under Federal law, if you do not inform the victims, the deal can be overturned civilly. Which it what happened here.
Trump is not involved in this, and Acosta should not resign.
1
Why are comments allowed for the Epstein Trump connection, but not in the parallel Epstein Clinton article? Talk about two peas in a pod - make that 4 peas: Clinton, Woody Allen, Saudi royalty, and Epstein.
We report, you decide :-)
6
What a sleaze. I never really knew what that meant until Trump. Call me naive, but I truly believed our Gov't officials were looking out for our general interests.
The US needs to prove its messaging :ie that every state is in accord with the Constitution. Otherwise it is no different from the EU ....
3
Two middle-aged men as the only attendees at a party with 28 young girls. Must have been some party.
14
What’s the big surprise?
Within the Disguised Global Crony Capitalist Empire which is only nominally HQed in, and merely ‘posing’ as our former country — and in which we all live, the nature of UHNWI Emperors, who are all criminals, liars, sex abusers (like Jeffery Epstein & Trump), ‘Empire-builders’, and massive looters by employing the deceit of hiding vast ‘negative externality costs’ in order to create Ponzi schemes of ‘faux-profits’ by dumping these ‘negative externality costs’ on ‘we the American people’, ‘our government’, our children, our shared environment, and our world.
Unfortunately, very very few average Americans can even comprehend, let alone understand, that we 99% are now virtual citizen/‘subjects’ of the first and last ‘effectively-Disguised’, ‘truly-Global’, ‘corrupt-Crony’, ‘Capitalist-fueled’ EMPIRE.
The “useful-idiot” and faux-Emperor Trumpius I, has been placed in the same kind of leadership position as German imperialist corporate, and financial UHNWIs placed a similarly deranged braggart, ersatz political self-promoter, and dangerously sociopathic megalomaniac — but which the German UNNWIs believed they could control from going too far outside the guard-rails. Keeping their ‘leader’ (Fuhrer in German) on leash within this Third German Empire didn’t work. Empires never work.
“Empire abroad entails tyranny at home” Hannah Arendt.
This Disguised Global Crony Capitalist Empire won’t turn out well, even on a leash with a choke-collar.
3
Apparently, it was members of Congress who propelled the review of this affair which led to the new charges against Epstein. If they can, they should have a Congressional investigation into what contributed to this poor outcome. I suspect it would reveal a lot of private dealings between wealthy and powerful people exploiting our system with improper influence upon public officials and civil servants. That would be the only way to prevent this kind of corruption.
8
Much to the dismay of NYT readers, it will be Bill Clinton and others who will be front and center of this scandal as it unfolds, less so Trump. They also forget that Bill's participation with Epstein was well known when Hillary was running for President.
But it's permissible to be outraged now...now that Bill and Hillary are exiled. Where was the outrage four years ago???
6
In this dystopia, Caligula himself would get almost half of the support.
3
I have little doubt Bill Clinton was a sleaze, which is why Republicans impeached him. Step up, hypocrites.
5
@Tom Baroli
Somehow, I don’t think Newt was interested in protecting the nations virginity.
6
The Timing of this story and that stripper 18-holer event at Trump golf course in FL is unfortunate?
2
Yet another scandal that would dominate any presidency except for the present one. How did we become so numb so fast? With Pelosi refusing to open and impeachment inquiry, the sheepish Dems under her refusing to force it and the Repubs selling their souls to the devil we are resigned to watching without recourse a culture of rapists, racists and crooks swarm like out of control cockroaches.
6
The sub-headline should be just “abusing GIRLS”...not “underage girls” or “underage women”. Call a thing a thing. He is an alleged serial pedophile. As such he is a killer of souls. These type of crimes kill souls, destroy dreams and inflict perpetual pain. So stop equivocating in your headlines.
5
Republican party's top chief, president Donald J. Trump with record of 22 women who denounced, sued, accused Donald J. Trump for sexual abuses, rapes, exploitation including his first -now-divorced wife ( Her name Ivana, said Trump raped her at 16 in court) is a serial rapist, sexual predator. Now his sex pervert club and friend Jeff Epstein just proved that Trump is indeed a rapist, sexual predator like Epstein. Lock Donald J. Trump up now.
2
“In those days, if you didn’t know Trump and you didn’t know Epstein, you were a nobody,” said Alan Dershowit”
LOL.
4
@W.H
I know! He’s practically admitting that he abused girls too! The “everyone else was doing it too defense”. Did he learn that in law school? Harvard?
1
@W.H.
Dershowitz, who defended
Harry Reems (1976)
In 1976, Dershowitz handled the successful appeal of Harry Reems, who had been convicted of distribution of obscenity resulting from his acting in the pornographic movie Deep Throat. In public debates, Dershowitz commonly argues against censorship of pornography on First Amendment grounds, and maintains that consumption of pornography is not harmful.
1
The bias is flowing at the NYT. The lead article focuses on Epstein’s friendship with Trump and is accompanied by a picture of the two together. A second article with less bold headline describes the Epstein/Bill Clinton relationship and is accompanied by small, individual pictures. This is chum for the Trump haters and a biased and disingenuous approach to reporting this man’s alleged crimes.
7
@William
Get your fishing metaphors straight. Are Trump haters the fish being “fed chum” or are they the fishermen on a “fishing expedition”? As a Minnesotan, it matters.
1
Don't understand how, in all the NYTimes coverage of Epstein and Trump, the rape charge Katie Johnson brought against Trump (which she dropped a few days before the 2016 Presidential election, after receiving death threats) is only getting mentioned in the Comments sections of the articles, and not the actual articles.
NYTimes, it's well-past time to cover this rape charge against Trump, full-stop. It should be mentioned in every article about Epstein - we shouldn't have to go fishing for this damning information in the Comments section.
7
@California Man
Evidence? Just because you say so I’m supposed to believe it “California Man”?
How long, how long, how long...
the times is at it again. comments section open for epstein trump article but no comments to be found for the small article about epstein and clinton, not to mention the times seems only too eager to believe clinton’s account of things... how hard could it be to determine if a former president was somewhere else and/or without secret service coverage during the dates of the alleged 20 rides on the Lolita Express.
3
Yeah, the “terrific guys” now are Vladimir Putin, Kim Jong Un, Recep Erdogan, Rodrigo Duterte, Jair Bolsonaro, MBS, the Proud Boys and all the “good people” who marched with torches and chanted “you will not replace us” in Charlottesville in 2017.
6
I’ve tried to get my head around the whole irritation I have about this administration, and I think it comes down to this: The President thinks people like me, with values, morals, and decidedly middle class wealth, are suckers.
11
Maggie's sources in this article:
1) Alan Dershowitz, former Jeffrey Epstein attorney & accused rapist whose victim was trafficked by Epstein
2) Roger Stone, who is Donald Trump's longest-serving adviser
3) Sam Nunberg, a Trump campaign staffer & Stone protégé
4) Donald Trump
4
@Elle Lellar
Yeah, with friends like these, who needs journalism?
I guess the "falling out" was after they raped the 13-year-old together.
8
"Mr. Houraney, who had just partnered with [the loser] to host events at his casinos, said he was surprised. “I said, ‘[loser], this is supposed to be a party with V.I.P.s. You’re telling me it’s you and Epstein?’”"
This is, by the way, one more red flag that the "billionaire" loser's not even a millionaire and probably NEVER was.
Not that such a fact doesn't thoroughly pale in the face of the systematic child sexual and emotional abuse he committed with Epstein then and with ICE now, mind.
1
Sex trafficking. Hmmm. Makes me wonder where the adolescent girls being held at the border are going....
Where the heck are the articles about Bill Clinton going to Epstein’s child sex island over and over again?! Why is this forced Trump narrative getting pushed when its clearly Bill Clinton and it always has been for years and no one was willing to report it? Tell your readers about that, if you care about the truth you owe it to us.
2
Jeffrey Epstein donated a lot of money to the Clinton Foundation. Will Bill Clinton now return all the money he received from him now that he has been outed as a sexual predator? It will be interesting to see what Bill Clinton does after hearing of this abuse.
3
A tale of two rapists.
2
Think the NYT will have the Epstein/Clinton story? Now Clinton said he took four trips with Epstein. The four trips included his secrete service detail. This is classic Clinton word bending. He was on Epstein’s plane 26 times yet he calls it four trips. The secret service was on the four trips but not on all the flights.
2
Dear NYT, please replace “underage girls” with “female children”. Let’s be honest.
This is disgusting.
Donald Trump is insane.
And not fit to be president. This is just one more thing in a long long list of horrors.
8
"that I can tell you." Translation, "I'm lying again."
18
You know what Fearless Leader said: ‘I like heroes who didn’t get captured, ok?’ Epstein’s big mistake - he got caught and may have to pay the price. Fearless is still playing ‘catch me if you can.’ That’s his idea of heroism.
Fearless has been heard on tape proclaiming his entitlement to commit sexual assault whenever the spirit moves him - but that’s ‘just locker room talk.’
He’s been credibly accused by a growing army of women - but hey, come on, ‘she’s not my type.’
I’m sure Fearless will have some similar goofball retort if the DNA evidence ever turns up. ‘Fake news. DNA is a Chinese hoax. I have the best DNA.’
And the faithful will buy it, however ludicrous it may be. Because we’re being invaded by little brown-skinned people who speak Spanish - and somebody’s gotta stop it, doncha know. Fearless alone can fix that.
17
Parents of middle school children (not just girls) well might use this photo of Epstein and Trump to illustrate what they mean when they advise the kids to stay away from creepy looking older guys.
21
And women too! Epstein’s closest recruiters were older women
2
Any day now, trump can be expected to say he's not all that familiar with Melania...met her once or twice a long time ago, "I can tell you."
10
Trump and Epstein are "birds of a feather, flocking together". Trump was on his best deplorable behavior around teenage beauty pageants, using his pageant ownership as an excuse to walk into the dressing room to "inspect" the unclad girls. https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/a-timeline-of-donald-trumps-creepiness-while-he-owned-miss-universe-191860/ Trump respects NONE of the norms of human decency. That I can tell you.
13
Our minds can not grasp what belongs to a higher frequency. Justice is not for me to dispense so much as it is for God directly.
How many times did Trump visit Epstein's private island, via his own plane? Does the Trump Modeling Agency have ties to Epstein? Why were Trump and Epstein charged in the same federal lawsuit of raping a 13 year old girl?
No answers, or even mentions. here. Just a PR piece about how Trump's "not a fan" of Epstein anymore, quoting such objective sources as Roger Stone playing down Trump's association with Epstein.
Way to keep access to Trump, NY Times. Shame on you.
9
As the saying goes: birds of a feather flock together; tell me who you go with and I will tell you who you are.
3
Every crook and pervert with whom Trump deals is a “terrific guy” and a “great friend” until he/she is thrown under the bus in Trump’s attempt to appear legitimate and above the fray.
There is no plausible deniability here. Acosta was hand-picked by The Dotard because of his sworn allegiance to Trump, and NOT the United States. All of his crooks are the same - incompetent criminals and spineless sycophants.
The “Deep State” IS TRUMP. He accuses the Democrats of what HE does and thinks that Americans are too stupid to see the obvious. Hopefully their hypocrisy will disappear in 2020 and prove to the world that we do indeed have better angels and not a criminal empire.
13
Trump Kicked Epstein Out Of Mar-A-Lago
4
Trump tosses another longtime pal under the bus.
4
Just think, if it wasn't for what Donald Trump considers "the enemy of the people", Jeffery Epstein would still be molesting under-age girls as we speak.
14
Please, please, please. Let the prosecutors throw a 40 year sentence in Epstein's face and let him have pictures of Trump and a 15 year old. Please. Epstein seems sleazy enough to have blackmail pictures of all his "buddies".
6
“In those days, if you didn’t know Trump and you didn’t know Epstein, you were a nobody,” said Alan Dershowitz, the longtime Harvard University Law School professor who later served on Mr. Epstein’s defense team when he was charged with unlawful sex with minors in 2006.
That tells you literally all you need to know about Dershowitz.
13
@Doug Tarnopol And Trump.
‘In those days, if you didn’t know Trump and you didn’t know Epstein, you were a nobody,” said Alan Dershowitz’
And Alan Dershowitz et al would rather be linked with and defend! the most evil, disgraceful, disgusting lowlifes imaginable than be a ‘nobody’.
6
"..Underaged girls" are CHILDREN. Can we please call them for what they are. Children are not prostitutes, they are exploited and raped.
15
It’s interesting that Alan Dershowitz didn’t get blowback for being on Epstein’s defense team while fellow Harvard Law professor Ronald Sullivan did for being on Harvey Weinstein’s defense team.
11
Amazing that it is "news" that a public figure who changed his position about a person is vilified in this manner. Robert Byrd used to be a Klansman, but when asked about it later in life, he had very different words to say about that "mistake." Oprah and The Clintons - among many of the Hollywood Elite - rubbed elbows with, praised, and took campaign cash from Harvey Weinstein. Yet it is the President who is somehow guilty by association after 15 years?
2
@Michael Torguson Agreed. The "free press" won't allow comments on the Clinton Epstein connection article. But that is what "freedom" means : the freedom of commercial media to censor we the people and monopolize the public political conversation. They are the health insurance companies of US politics.
1
@Matt You are so lost, so very lost.
2
I wonder how much of the "sweetheart deal" that got him off before was due to his ability to blackmail other powerful men. And, will get get less than he deserves again for the same reason?
4
Sixteen paragraphs in, "Mr. Epstein, who was charged on Monday in Manhattan with sex trafficking, is better known as a longtime friend of former President Bill Clinton’s than as a close associate of Mr. Trump’s. In fact, the relationship with Mr. Trump turned so toxic that Mr. Epstein at one point told friends that he blamed Mr. Trump for his legal problems with the Palm Beach County police."
Talk about burying the lede.
4
@Working mom Yup, and without comments!
1
"Show me who your friends are and I'll tell You who you are".
Anyone who has been friends with Epstein knew who he was.
9
Was the juxtaposition of the Trump and Clinton articles purposeful? It seems designed to highlight the political bias in reporting. Trump more or less did the right thing and gets excoriated Clinton is clearly lying. I thought explicit bias in hard news was still considered bad form.
4
Other articles in the NYT have mentioned what is know about Bill Clinton in regards to Epstein. I think that both are lying.
@Brian So, the guy who claims it's okay to grab women by their privates and tells a 12 year old beauty pageant attendee he will be dating her in a few years is innocent? Got it. Nice spin, didn't work.
3
We know Trump has several "tells" when he is lying. "Not a fan" is one that he uses when he is ready to throw an old friend under the bus.
8
Trump is eager to disavow his long friendship with Epstein now, but it obviously was not always so. He's so enamored of money that he no doubt chases anyone who has it.
Better to chase things that money can't buy: integrity, honesty, decency, none of which Mr. Trump seems to have.
5
Jeff would not share with the Don, and that’s why the Don broke with Epstein.
3
“In those days, if you didn’t know Trump and you didn’t know Epstein, you were a nobody,” said Alan Dershowitz.
This said by the longterm Trump ally who defended Epstein and helped him avoid "a LIFETIME sentence" with a plea deal that netted 13 months of incarceration where he was given 12 hours a day to pursue his business and other activities outside prison walls with probably nothing more than an ankle bracelet.
That's quite some deal and the US Attorney in the Miami area that agreed to that was none other than the present Labor Secretary, Alexander Acosta. This is the same Acosta who has recently proposed an 80% cut in the budget of the International Labor Affairs Bureau’s office of child labor, forced labor, and human trafficking. This is under conditions where, as witnessed by Epstein's more recent charges, sex trafficking is a growing phenomenon.
With "friends" like these, who needs enemies? I take my status as one of Dershowitz's "nobodies" as a serious badge of honor.
Just what level of disgusting criminal enterprise is the American public being asked to accept as "normal" government? As a clever man, Mr. Dershowitz should be capable of providing a simple answer to an obvious and straightforward question.
8
Cue the Jaws music.
Image-1.jpg
2
Why no mention of the the case cited below?
Here is the headline: Woman Accusing Trump of Raping her at 13 Cancels her Plan to go Public
The woman known as Jane Doe pulled out of a Los Angeles press conference where she was expected to reveal her identity, citing death threats.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/nov/02/donald-trump-rape-lawsuit-13-year-old-cancels-public-event
The litigant was alleging that BOTH EPSTEIN AND TRUMP had raped her when she was 13 years old.
She filed anonymously and when Trump became the GOP candidate, she was flooded with death threats.
Someone needs to interview her attorney.
17
@Jbugko That and the other rape allegations by E. Jean Carroll published in the New York magazine have been politically buried. But we don't need an Epstein association to know that Trump is a misogynistic monster, at this late date.
The real scandal is that the US political system can't rid itself of a clear rapist, racist torturer of children.
6
With Trump relationships all depend on which way the wind blows. Never know where he really stands because he is a lier and lies to his convenience.
1
Bright side: if Clinton can also be implicated, maybe we could get some bipartisan condemnation for this repugnant and criminal behavior. Epstein, Trump, and Clinton--take em all down.
8
Two peas in a pod...or two pigs in a pen.
7
Bill Clinton flew on his airplane 26+ times and the Democrats only care about this issue because they can attack President Trump. Epstein is, and was, a major fund raiser for the Democrats.
12
So what exactly are you hoping to come out of this? Personally I want everyone involved in exploiting or assaulting/raping girls/women to go down, regardless of party. Sounds like you’re going for possible Dems only.
11
Additionally, who shielded Epstein from legal repercussions? Holier then thou republicans currently serving and defending this admin, and who went after Clinton to an insane degree. Not to mention the dozens of sexual assault allegations against Trump going uninvestigated. Nothing to see here?
11
And therefore, what?
4
"The year was 1992 and the event was a “calendar girl” competition"
Interesting....considering Houraney and Trump were not even business partners until January 24th, 1993:
"On Jan. 24, 1993, Harth and Houraney went to Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida for a contract-signing celebration"
https://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/09/opinion/sunday/donald-trump-groper-in-chief.html?module=inline
I'm always amazed at the stories that come out decades later. Harth and Houraney were silent for 25 years....and then suddenly they convey stories of how Trump behaved abysmally at their first meetings in late 1992 and early 1993....although they continued to work with him for six years.....and Harth actually started dating Trump in 1998.
3
@John Maggie Haberman a false "reporter" spends most of her time trying to destroy the president.
1
@mmmmmm. Good for her. She refuses to look the other way while the President tries to destroy Democracy, the rule of law, and the country.
4
@mmmmmm
I don't think so, Trump does it all by himself.
Donald Trump spending social time with Jeffrey Epstein in parties with girls, there is NO WAY that Donald Trump didn't know what he was doing and most likely joined in.
3
Acosta and the lawyers, both prosecutors and those representing Epstein, who participated in that plea agreement should be disbarred. They knowingly lied, broke Federal laws and did monumental injustice to minors. Cyrus Vance claims he was unaware anyone was attempting to reduce the sex offender status in his office. Trump, et al affirm the fact man is the most dangerous, ruthless predator on the planet. What flaws in their DNA do these possess?
9
@rhdelp
Bill Clinton flew on his airplane 26+ times and the Democrats only care about this issue because they can attack President Trump. Epstein is, and was, a major fund raiser for the Democrats. The Democrats attacked all of the women who complained about Bill Clinton. And do not give the reply that abusing women above 18 is better than abusing women below 18--it is all abuse.
2
There seems to be an ideological effort show how damaging an association with Epstein is around the news web. The question as to whether someone is “stained” by Epstein or not really depends on when that person found out about Epstein’s abuse or alleged abuse and what their subsequent actions were. Epstein may have unfortunately hidden his actions all too well and escaped from prosecution—if anyone knew of such and did not take action—that would be a very big crime.
Right now, the people that should perhaps be tainted would be Acosta and Starr since the evidence seems to indicate their leniency for Epstein.
9
@glennmr https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/09/us/politics/trump-epstein.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share
1992 Just Trump, Epstein and 28 girls flown in for a party. And he already knew him before then. In 2002 he announced that he knew him for 15 years,
6
@Bashh
And clinton flew on his jet about 26 times--not alone...the question remains did they know about Epstein and what he was doing?
And, this was an amazing country...now, I’m not a fan.
200
@JRB was it? https://www.nytimes.com/1982/07/27/nyregion/boy-sex-rings-said-to-peddle-client-data-to-foreign-agents.html
4
@JRB
https://www.scribd.com/document/326057027/Amended-Complaint-Filed-9-30-2016#from_embed?platform=hootsuite
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/nov/02/donald-trump-rape-lawsuit-13-year-old-cancels-public-event
4
@JRB, And the only way back is to fire Trump and make sure he is held accountable for his crimes.
12
And then there is the deplorable Alan Dershowitz. Just another two-bit creep, sort of like the Prez.
23
Acosta needs to be investigated, and if anything inappropriate is found, he needs to resign.
What happen to the Smollett case prosecutor? Did she resign?
9
Hope Epstein plees and pulls a Heidi Fleiss.
6
Such revisionist malarkey. Seems unbelievable because it is. Just wait until Epstein spills what HE KNOWS ABOUT TRUMP.
5
You can't make this up. They guy who organized Trump's "party" was named, "Houraney." How do you pronounce that?
3
Epstein has been blackmailing celebrities & politicians for a long time. There is a little black book of record keeping for this, probably in his NY mansion.
A few days ago The FBI raided his NY mansion and took away thousands of photos of nude girls. His black book must have been taken away too. But, of course, it will have been given to Barr, who has unrecused himself for the Epstein case. A move 24 hours after his recusal. That book will be in Trump's hands soon.
7
Oh man. Just read about that. If Barr’s reversed himself on recusal, you know they found some nasty dirt on his boss. Can he keep a lid on it? Lets hope not!
5
@Lynn0
You know this how?
1
Two of a kind 'Nuff said'.
11
Silly, gossip piece by the usual reporters Maggie Haberman is the new Hedda Hopper). This is something you might have seen in the National Enquirer, but the New York Times seems to have taken over that function. Trump is no more guilty of Epstein’s crimes than any of the other people who knew Epstein, and as noted (deeply buried in the article), Trump kicked him out of this club.
9
Trump “said” he kicked him out. And Trump lies more than a dead man.
5
@XLER - Funny you should mention the Enquirer......
Is it relevant that this week-end that there is a Miami, Florida, strip club called the "Shadow Cabaret" that the Trump Boys, Eric and Don, Jr., are having a "charity fund-raiser" with?
The Boys, Eric and Don,jr., have aligned the strip joint to the Trump golf resort, the "Doral".
Evidently, the Doral has lost 69% of it's income since Trump bought it in 2015.
The Boys are hoping to make some of that back.
There will be pink mini-skirted "caddies" that will be auctioned off, but NO NUDITY at the Doral.
You have to save that until you get to the Shadow where there is a full-nudity venue - with laser lights!
Oh, and the "charity"?
It turns out that it is not registered in Florida.
Or anywhere else.
It is 40 boys. A basketball "charity".
Except it is using the NBA and the WNBA logos without permission.
Now, someone tell me why this reeks to high heaven?
And, in other news?
It turns out that the Secretary of Labor, Alex Acosta, will be cutting the part of Labor's budget that funds the combating of child sex trafficking for next year BY 80%.
Got it.
Phony "charities".
Violations of logo laws.
A 69% loss of Trump dollars at his golf course.
Auctioning off the mini-skirted.
Full nude venue.
And, an 80% cut in the agency that combats child sex trafficking.
Is it just me..... or is it just another happy day in Trumpland?
Thanks for nothing, Mitch!
See you in 2020!
14
I think publications like the Times have been aware of this for a while and have not said enough on the subject- when the story breaks you publish a few editorials, but just like Weinstein this Epstein's habits were an "open secret" and y'all sure didn't do much to address the disturbing implications of those secrets back when your word could have made a difference. Even now, you further discredit yourself by devoting three full articles to the Trump- Epstein connection, and how many articles to the Clintons? Presidential connection is more newsworthy, but is a tie to an ex president not fit to print? Not that your lack of journalistic integrity affects your relationship with your readership : I read your paper, everyone who reads papers reads your paper. But why do we when the information is so often so incomplete and stilted on endless slant and innuendo?
10
This should not be held against POTUS. We have all known people who we thought were decent or good or whatever who went on to do bad things.
5
@J.
Sorry, but the rule of law means something. Accusations do not count. Only convictions do.
1
In case you missed it, review the Access Hollywood video in which Trump gleefully admits to serial sexual assault of women, watch the interviews in which he makes highly disturbing, sexualized comments about his own daughter, listen to the accounts of 22 women regarding sexually assault by him, and read the 2016 complaint, Jane Doe v Trump and Epstein, filed in SDNY, accompanied by verified affidavits attesting to its truth, which the plaintiff dismissed after receiving death threats. If you aren’t a bit unsure of the man you elected, something is wrong. He is a walking cesspool, and not just because of his deviancy, but because of his overt racism, white nationalism, and love of every ruthless dictator he has ever met. I didn’t vote for him in 2016 and will certainly campaign hard for whoever opposes him in 2020.
19
@Simon
Right! You mean like early Trump votes who thought he was “decent or good “ but “went on to do bad things.”
I don’t think Trump misjudged Jeffrey Epsein. I think they were two of a kind and Trump was only too happy to associate with him.
3
Is there actual evidence that the two had a veritable falling-out?
Or rather is this just a story some are hoping the public will believe?
10
Never forget that, unlike Bill Clinton, Trump was formally accused of raping a 13-year-old girl at a party thrown by Epstein at his NY townhouse in 1994. The suit was withdrawn in 2016 after the woman, Katie Johnson, received death threats. However, her videotaped testimony is available online for all to see.
18
@Luke
"Lawsuits accusing Donald Trump of sexually assaulting a child in the 1990s appear to have been orchestrated by an eccentric anti-Trump campaigner with a record of making outlandish claims about celebrities."
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/jul/07/donald-trump-sexual-assault-lawsuits-norm-lubow
1
@Luke
We can only hope this will give her enough support to come out and tell her story about Trump's rape.
1
It is par for the course that Trump's-supporters, almost all men, try to dismiss their President's known pederastic leanings by grasping on to Trump's claim that he rejected Epstein once his pederasty became public. Not only did Trump have reason to know what his buddy was up to, having attended his parties where underage girls were supplied, but we have Trump's own words as proof. He repeatedly, before cameras and microphones, stated his lust for his own daughter when she was a teenager, bragged about ogling naked young girls as "owner" of the Miss Teen America contest, and expressed lust for a twelve year old daughter of an acquaintance. Add to that the accusation by one of dozens of women claiming sexual assault by Trump that he raped her when she was thirteen, and his recorded bragging about sexual assault, and once again you have behavior that would sink any normal presidency and have Trump's supporters in a rage were it not there God.
9
Why is everyone so exercised about this? We all knew who Trump was years before he ran for president, yet he was elected and if the Republican Party has its way he'll stay in office four more years. Trump was friendly with mafia guys who were involved in drugs and prostitution and who knows what, and he admitted, no bragged, about his affairs with porn stars. No one should be surprised that he was also pals with a sex trafficker. Millions of Americans have decided that the character of our leaders, the culture of governance and the political health of the public doesn't matter as much as lowering the top marginal income tax rate by a couple of percentage points and a record stock market. So, the Republican Party and millions of Americans have made their deal with the devil. Trump and Epstein are no big deal at all. It might get much worse, in fact, before it's all over.
10
Is it relevant that Secretary of Labor, Alexander Acosta, is proposing 80% funding cuts for the government agency that combats CHILD SEX TRAFFICKING?
That's his plan for fiscal year 2020.
Well..... I guess we know what his plans are for 2021, don't we?
And Nancy Pelosi doesn't think any of this is worthy of investigation?
What's going on in this country?!?
9
“But through a mutual appreciation of wealth and women”
Please don’t refer to raping underage girls and women as an “appreciation of women”.
21
Trump's sympathy consistently misplaced. Feels "very badly" about Acosta. Not the victims. Same with Rob Porter, Kavanaugh, et al.
12
The President of the United States is a pedophile and sexual assaulter who was good friends with a guy involved in the sex trafficking of minors. He is on camera as talking to underage girls telling them he would be dating them in a few years.
Any comment cannot be believed, because he lies so often. Why should his comments on this man be any different?
7
So when are we going to read more detailed stories about the man Epstein was very close too, Bill Clinton? I see lots about the Trump/Epstein connection even though Clinton/Epstein appear (based upon mr Clinton’s reported almost 30 trips on Epstein’s plane, etc) to have been much closer. The media’s approach to this story looks like more Trump bashing.
6
@ehillesum - It was on the front page. Do try to keep up.
1
Bill Clinton is not the president. And he even though he’s a sleaze, he hasn’t been accused of raping a 13 year old at one of Epstein’s parties, or admitted and witnessed ogling naked teenagers in his Teen USA dressing room, or talked about how hot his friend’s 12 year old daughter is on Howard Stern.
1
The author states that Clinton was a much closer friend to Epstein than Trump was, but for some reason Trump's picture was used. Raw meat for the conservative media.
4
Clinton and Epstein were reportedly working on many philanthropy projects together. Trump and Epstein reportedly “partied” together.
1
The Epstein deal was known by the US Senate when it voted to confirm him. Schumer knew it then. His buddy Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. argued for the reduced sentence. Plenty of hindsight to blame lots of folks on this one. This isn't about politics. It is about wealthy men abusing innocent women and the power they wield which corrupts them and their "friends" in high places. Alan Dershowitz and Ken Starr gladly took their pay to defend him to the best of their abilities, as they would any defendent they took on as a client. So, this isn't a Trump problem per se. It is a problem with laws, mores and ethics being applied differently by the rich, famous, infamous and powerful. Black or white. Doesn't matter. Epstein is just one out of a horde of these creeps.
4
Hopefully the reporters at The Miami Herald who brought this crime back into the limelight will find out who was at that party with Trump and Epstein and reveal what happened that night. Even if Trump didn't participate in sexual acts with these girls, he may have witnessed it and didn't report it.
And how could Trump say he doesn't know the man who introduced his wife to him?
8
"But eventually Mr. Trump had a falling out with the financier, who is accused of sexually abusing underage girls."
Given Mr. Trump's behavior in the past, it is hard to believe that his falling out with Jeff Epstein had anything to do with Epstein's "sexually abusing underage girls." There have been similar charges against Mr. Trump, which should have brought the two closer, as they were "birds of the same feather."
One can, whoever, speculate about other reasons for the two men's "fall out". Let's remember that Mr. Epstein's parties were called "legendary" and he was very popular among the rich and powerful. And most likely these were the main reasons for Mr. Trump's attraction to Jeff Epstein and his desire to be in Epstein's company.
But, at the same time, narcissistic and megalomaniac tendencies of Mr. Trump make it very difficult for him to be in the presence of someone who overshadows everyone else and is the center of everybody's attention. In addition, Mr. Epstein happened to be significantly richer than Mr. Trump; something that Mr. Trump may have had a very hard to stomach.
So, the "fall out" must have been seen as "normal" to those who understood Mr. Trump's state of mind.
4
Hate to say it, but maybe it is time to get behind that rich guy that is working to impeach Trump; apparently even with enough solid reasons, no one else is doing anything at all about it.
8
For a full account about Epstein, read James Patterson's "Filthy Rich" It's non-fiction, and well researched. Easy reading too, if disturbing. It's out of print, but available for Kindle app to be read on computer or iPad. Available immediately. This country needs to become informed as to the depths of depravity in our rich and powerful leaders. Also, for information on the business deal that broke the friendship between Trump and Epstein, see Michael Wolff's book, "Siege", pages 14-15. Informative as to how they both do business too.
9
And the Guardian reports that Acosta, the former Florida prosecutor who fixed the Epstein plea deal and was appointed Trump's labor secretary as a reward for his faithful toadyism, is planning to slash 80% of the funding for sex trafficking victims. This so-called administration works for a thin crust of rich people, and nobody else. For a party that used to claim to represent the "moral majority," Republicans have become remarkably immoral. Perhaps they really do demonstrate that old saying that power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Wonder why the rank and file Republicans put up with this. Are they blind or indifferent?
8
I think it important to consider the quality of our American culture that apparently enables hustlers, liars, sociopaths, frauds and predators of all stripes to ascend to positions of social prominence. These “fine” people often occupy positions of power, including elected office, and influence. Many of these vile persons aspire to present themselves as mentors and role models. And often enough their legitimacy at the pinnacle of American life is affirmed by awards and public acclimation. How is this possible; has our culture lost the capacity to exercise critical judgement by abandoning genuine standards of right conduct?
Their wealth and social position is often justified by philanthropy, as if giving money away and establishing “non-profit” foundations and sitting on the Boards of universities, museums and other cultural institutions can some how ameliorate heinous behaviors.
Is money America’s universal value, under which non-economic values such as decency, truth, fair play, empathy, kindness and ethical integrity, are readily subordinated?
If so, we need to rehabilitate our moral posture if we want our country to be more than a cheap and cynical reality tv show.
6
Just another way to get after President Trump. This is all politics for the Democrats. The judge that approved this deal is not being called out. The only reason that Acosta is being called out is his link to President Trump. The Democrats railed on the women that Bill Clinton abused but now all of a sudden they care about what happened to the women Epstein abused. Pure politics.
4
@Jonathan - Epstein molested children. How on earth did you miss that?
A reminder that in 2002 when Trump was still involved in his pool party 15+ year bro-love affair with Epstein and made the comment about Epstein being a "terrific guy" who likes beautiful women "on the younger side", Trump's daughter Tiffany was 9 years old and his daughter Ivanka was 21.
5
@Jane. . Google Image "Donald and Ivanka Trump" . All you need to know about the sheer weirdness of that family is told by the wedding pictures.
3
@Jane - There's a video of Trump speculating about the eventual size of Tiffany's cleavage. Tiffany was an infant at the time. Her mother is sitting there listening to Trump with a strained smile on her face.
These 2 predators share a lot in their behavior.
Epstein was apparently just cautious. Cautious enough to not be videotaped bragging about assaulting women.
Trump was so proud of his exploits he openly bragged about it on the way in to a TV appearance. And Republicans voted for him anyways.
And still support the predator living in the White House.
10
Articles like this do little more than infuriate an already infuriated NYT readership. What end will that achieve really? Trump's base could care less. Most refuse to believe in facts or anything negative about Trump or his cronies, past and present. They are completely blind and tone deaf to reality and will overwhelmingly vote for the King of Bad Behavior in 2020 because sowing chaos against Democrats is their revenge for all of their perceived slights, ("We're victims of political correctness!"). Parading yet another Trump-associated monster in front of readers won't change their minds. The time for any epiphanies among fence-straddlers is over. Please focus on in-depth coverage of the real issues.
1
@TFL
Most of Trump's base does not trust the Times. There, fixed it.
2
I wonder if Epstein (who invests in people) has a recording or a tape of Trump. It will be real interesting to see who comes to Epstein aid, and once he is in prison to investigate all of his homes. This guy sounds like a user
1
I hope Epstein has recordings of many politicians. The next election will be a circus.
We now know why Trump was so eager to endorse Roy Moore. They have much in common.
6
“Trump said, ‘I kicked him out of the clubs when this stuff became public, and I made sure NBC knew,’” Mr. Nunberg recalled.
There’s mountains of evidence that Trump knew of his friends predilections and didn’t care. The rumor that Trump kicked Epstein out of Mar A Lago for hitting on a guest’s younger daughter before he was indicted? That’s the story Trump later told the victims’ lawyers, after they’d asked to talk with Trump. It’s uncorroborated and Trump, himself has changed the story more recently.
“But Mr. Trump assured Mr. Nunberg that he had barred Mr. Epstein from entering his clubs after Mr. Epstein had tried to recruit a woman who worked at Mar-a-Lago.”
If they had a falling out, it was about money. That is what Trump cares about.
3
I have so many questions--about this story in general and the reporting specifically.
How did Jeffrey Epstein make his money? He was a hedge fund manager for billionaires exclusively. How big could his client base have possibly been?
“In fact, the relationship with Mr. Trump turned so toxic that Mr. Epstein at one point told friends that he blamed Mr. Trump for his legal problems with the Palm Beach County police.” Which “legal problems” with police is Epstein referring to here? When did these problems occur? Why were police involved?
Epstein claims to have introduced Melania to Trump. What were the circumstances of that introduction? Melania entered the US on a questionable “Einstein visa” for modeling services. Did Epstein have anything to do with her visa?
Why is Roger Stone, of all the discredited people out there, being quoted (from his book) in this story? Why is Sam Nunberg? Two sources that specialize in thing: spin (to put it mildly).
“But Mr. Trump assured Mr. Nunberg that he had barred Mr. Epstein from entering his clubs after Mr. Epstein had tried to recruit a woman who worked at Mar-a-Lago.” Who is this woman? How was she employed at Mar-a-Lago? What was Epstein recruiting her to do? I want to know much about about this connection between Trump and Epstein: women at Mar-a-Lago.
4
Jennifer Drayton, I don't agree with your chacterization of Nunberg. I saw him interviewed many times on news shows in the past year or two, and he gives a strong impression of being straightforward and not trying to spin things.
1
@polymath
I agree. Have you seen the Ari Melber segment of Maya Wiley and Sam Nunberg? She convinced Sam to comply with Robert Mueller's subpoena, essentially taking him under her wing. She's good egg.
(Search YouTube: "Maya Wiley Sam Nunberg"and it's the first result. The segment is ~35 min, Maya appears about 17:09.)
Pick your friends with regard to more than fame, wealth and connections. You might ask yourself if they have any values—that they actually live by— and if you share those values. It is a true axiom that how we treat the vulnerable, those that society deems expendable and unworthy, is the measure of our humanity.
154
“Trump said, ‘I kicked him out of the clubs when this stuff became public, and I made sure NBC knew,’” Mr. Nunberg recalled.
Translation: Abusing and raping underage girls is fine, just don’t let it impact my brand management.
580
@David Walker
I think that by "public", he was including himself.
8
@David Walker "underaged girls" are CHILDREN. Lets call them what they are.
32
@David Walker
Trump lies.
https://www.scribd.com/document/326057027/Amended-Complaint-Filed-9-30-2016#from_embed?platform=hootsuite
The above case was dropped due to numerous death threats once Trump became the GOP nominee. This is what her attorney stated. There should be reporting on this in this paper. I do not comprehend why there is no expositive journalism being conducted with regard to the above matter. It certainly is the most relevant of items that link Trump with Epstein.
35
Great example of meta-news, a close relative of fake news. This is a story about a story, i.e., that 27 years ago, Donald Trump once said something nice about a fellow rich Manhattanite.
This is not a story about probative facts, like whether the Donald had any knowledge or involvement in Epstein's criminal perversions. I don't need to say alleged, given that Jeffery E has been convicted once already...how may strikes do billionaires get?
This story is a great example of why so many people utterly dismiss commercial news media - your messages are such obvious agitprop.
29
@Hugo Furst
Is that what this is about? Your second sentence--"... said something nice..." Really, for you it's no big deal in the context and all?
Remember when he said nice things about Michael Cohen? Why did he stop saying nice things?
ANyway, it's not as if a woman has accused Trump of raping her when she was 13, right?
24
@Hugo Furst
I believe that the centuries old proverb still applies:
“Tell me who your friends are,
and I will tell you who you are.”
27
@Russell Zanca
//Is that what this is about?//
Yes, that's what this is about. Certain celebrities get away with anything with the media's support, while others don't.
Bill Murray has been accused of domestic violence several times by his partners. So has John Lennon. Michael Jackson was abusing children.
Ed Buck, the prominent LA Democratic financier had two deaths at his fundraising parties.
All of these people enjoy sterling reputations in the media, despite these acts.
Others, like Woody Allen, Roman Polansky, OJ Simpson, etc. do not.
2
Disgusting.
Epstein, prepare yourself for jail.
Acosta, you need to be investigated.
13
And Trump gets a pass???
@BLK As much as I want Trump in jail, I don't see a criminal connection to Epstein.
So, what else does this incompetent, uninformed idiot need to do to prove to the country that he's a complete fake and phony liar with no interests other than his own?
Please, drop kick this chump back to Palookaville where he'll be more at home...
8
Dear NYT:
Why did you guys bury the lede? Just to make misogynist Trump look even worse?
While playing up the Trump / Epstein relationship and repeating the "younger side" quote, you diminished the most important element of this story -- Trump banned Epstein from Mar a Lago and other Trump clubs after Epstein tried to recruit an underage staffer!
Trump also went to the press, and Epstein blamed Trump for triggering a police complaint.
This shunning activity and police cooperation is entirely inconsistent with Trump having participated in sexcapades with underage women recruited by Epstein, as you insinuate.
Why should this not be regarded as evidence of malice against Trump?
19
@Jorge....All the information you mention is in the article, that's how you know about it. What more do you want?
Let's round up the 28 women ("girls") from their exclusive party and find out how principled Mr. Trump was. I think we already have some idea.
4
@Jorge
Where is this insinuation? Could you quote it? I missed it. I think you might be reading it into the article. I got the impression that Trump didn't have anything to do with this sort of behavior. Maybe we read different articles.
1
@Jorge
Not buying it, Jorge. Trump has the morals of a dog in heat.
5
I pray compromising photos of tRump are found. It wouldn’t be a surprise for the man who commented ”...I’ve said if Ivanka weren’t my daughter, perhaps I’d be dating her.”
27
I know Donald Trump has great support with Evangelical Preachers, I wonder if he can get them to lay hands on his buddy, the "Terrific Guy" to help him cure his affliction for under aged girls.
30
To Evangelicals, the urge to rape girls is not an affliction but a blessing. Ask Roy Moore.
9
But the Bible says they’re not ‘under aged.’ So it’s all OK. The Invisible Sky Daddy says so.
1
@Opinioned!
Read the Old Testament. My favorite is from Numbers 31, before the Israelis are allowed to enter the promised land under command of Joshua. Yahweh tells Moses to have the Israelites take vengeance on the Midianites and he sends an army to wipe them out. After almost completing their task, they return with captives, women and children. An angry Moses and the high priest confront them, telling them to kill every male among the little ones and every woman who is not a virgin. But they get to keep all the virgin girls for themselves.
Fundamentalist Christians are big fans of the Old Testament, so don't expect much from them.
1
Being labeled a nobody is a designation I gladly embrace. There is a coalition of nobodies that won't accept moral squalor in exchange for an uptick in the Dow or rigged economic indicators.
708
“Moral squalor”
Very good. Excellent.
It describes so much of what is going on in the nation at the moment.
169
Amen. Count me among the nobodies.
40
@The year of GOP ethic cleansing-2020. I certainly hope that the “nobodies” of the nation aren’t gerrymandered or Electoral College-ed to extinction in 2020.
44
Remind me again:
Why do we keep voting for the billionaire’s boys club to rule America?
Is it simply that pedophilia and grabbing girls genitalia is ok, but making wedding cakes for gay couples is a sin?
31
Love the Photo: the RAPEY Bros.
Seriously.
17
Epstein, Cosby, Clinton, Trump, ...... all members of the same good 'ole boys club.
8
What a sickening, repugnant animal Trump is.
The only question here is obvious:
Did Trump rape one (or many) of Epstein's vulnerable young children as well???
17
@Eric
The answer is yes. Please take a look at this:
https://vimeo.com/176181706
1
"How nice,' I thought, 'he let the neighborhood kids use the pool."
BWHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!!
C'mon NY Times, how deep is this going to go? How much did Epstein generate for the Clinton Foundation creating a win-win amongst the likes of Dershowitz and who knows what? We get the implication on Trump via Acosta but would I be surprised if Rubin somehow meandered into one of these retreats? How about Blankfien? My G-D, the boneheads are the seat of power and how long have you known it NY Times and what do we not know and why?!?!?!?
6
Doesn't anyone remember that there was news a couple of years ago of Trump being accused of raping a 13 year old girl at Epstein's mansion? This occurred in the late 1990's I think, and the case disappeared for some time and then re surfaced when Trump was a candidate.I believe she was paid off to disappear, but she is still out there! I hope she comes forth with her story but then again, his base couldn't care less.. Deplorable!
24
@Paula Beckenstein
Here is the filing:
https://www.politico.com/f/?id=00000158-26b6-dda3-afd8-b6fe46f40000
How about some real reporting?
Who was Epstein close to in the years since his conviction?
(Reverse order please 2019-2???).
How many jaunts did they take with him between now and then? I await the list and their media exposure, censure and vilification.
I will not however hold my breath until it occurs.
8
Just skipped the front-pager on Epstein and Bill Clinton, huh?
Check the YouTube below of an event at Trump Tower some years ago for local school kids around 10-12 years old.
As a little girl about 10 years old gets on the escalator, Trump banters with her for a second. Small talk about the day.
He then turns to another person next to him and as he watches the girl heading up the escalator he says, "I'm going to be dating her in 10 years."
https://youtu.be/-Jz4KtNvVkU
When I interact with a young person, a teen or a little kid, I cherish their nascent spirit and I want to know about their young life and how they are doing. I like to make them feel important and show interest, making them laugh if I can. And, above all, make an special effort to praise and let them know they have value and are prized.
That's what a normal person does.
A pervert, sick person, sees a young person as a sexual object. A mark.
Some are in prison as we speak.
One is in the White House!
The overwhelming majority of us are not fans of such people.
25
So Donald Trump knew him, said he was a "great guy" and "fun to be with" but turned down many invitations to his hedonistic private island and joked that it was nice of Epstein to invite young neighborhood girls to his pool party. It's creepy for sure and Trump should have cut all ties to him well before he did.
But since, Clinton took many "trips" with Epstein on Epstein's private jets to exotic locations. I don't believe the NYT has published the reason why they were together, the purpose of the trips, what business was conducted for the "Clinton foundation."
How about asking some hard questions of Clinton and conduct some investigative reporting on him instead of highlighting speculative accusations of Trump.
5
Trump is the one who is President of the United States. The Clintons have been investigated and investigated and investigated............
I get it. Bill is a creep. But, Trump is the one who is POTUS now. “I don’t really care” about Clinton.
3
More Swamp creatures.
8
Is there anyone in the oligarchy that Trump hasn't met and doesn't know on a first name basis? The putrid plutocrats.
4
We are now being afforded a closer look at the bottom of America's barrel. Can someone reassure me that this convict's famous male friends were unaware of his activities? Yeah, right. Weinstein's brother and board members as well as Cosby's did not know of their abusive behaviour. Big joke! Even Matt Lauer had his Meccano set device which allowed him to lock women in his office for abuse. Our POTUS is white American male privilege and abuse on Galactic display. Founding Fathers abused and bred their child-slaves. Their successors used Jim Crow and its refinements to continue dominance. America has a population, an increasing part of which, recognizes and dismisses the idle garble of Trumpf and his peons. Some toilets do make incomprehensible sounds when flushed.
4
Remember:
• Trump said he wants to have sex with his daughter Ivanka who was a teen at that time.
• There is a photo of Ivanka sitting on Donald’s lap that would put the book designer of Lolita to shame.
• Trump acknowledges that Epstein is a great guy and that they share the same taste in girls.
But sure Evangelicals, Trump is the fount of all holiness and was made President by none other than God.
14
@Opinioned!
I hate Trump, but when people write false things like this they just look silly. Here, your first item is simply false; he never said that. I agree that the photo is creepy. But the third item is also very misleading: he said that about Epstein 20 years ago. Kind of like how Hillary was bragging about her relationship with Kissinger until it became uncool to do so.
I hope the FBI got the Vault in Epstein’s house in Manhattan. That is where all the good evidence should be.
3
i heard they opened his safe. There is a vault?
The (now infamous) Saudi prince was named in earlier reports as one of the prominent figures in Epstein's entourage. Recently he seems to have slipped from the picture. Why is that? Is he being protected? Or is valid evidence missing? Or, in the NYT view, does the Saudi prince figure less prominently than prince Andrew, Bill Clinton, DJTrump, and other heavy weights?
8
Where were the mothers of those girls??
4
Where were their fathers? Are you not curious about that as well? Or are only mothers responsible for the daughters of the world?
8
Many of them were from foster homes.
This is another whitewash by Maggie Haberman trying to paint a picture that minimizes Trump's relationship to Epstein.
Further you let Alan Dershowitz off the hook acting as if Alan only knew him somewhat socially when in fact, Alan Dershowitz told his wife he was extremely fascinated by Epstein’s and treasured that friendship. What lawyer gets massages at a client's home?
And, why are you reporting this story nearly 3 years into trump's Presidency, rather than during the campaign? Instead you reported non-stop on Clinton's "emails".
14
Isn't it ironic how the right-wing conspiracists believed that Hillary was running a child sex trafficking operation when in reality it was only a degree or less of separation from their own guy? Isn't it strange how silent they all are now? Isn't it interesting that so many of Trump's consiglieri and associates are covered with the same stench of criminality?
16
I wonder if Epstein, Clinton and trump will all serve in the same federal prison?
3
Hey, Evangelicals: Still happy with your guy?
11
@Robbiesimon. Oh come on. The Evangelicals are busy posting that Epstein got off because of Democratic administrations and getting dozens of recommendations from readers. . The one thing they seem to have in common with Democrats is that we all, for different reasons, want to forget the Bush years
1
@Robbiesimon
Nothing but silence from them, isn't that amazing?
3
@Robbiesimon. As long as they get judges who will end abortion and marriage equality, and stop undocumented immigrants, they don’t care about Trump’s morality, or lack thereof. Why can’t Dems understand this? Even if there are photos of Trump and a 10 year old in bed GOP will vote for him.
This horrible group of little boy men holds politicians, scientists, etc etc etc and helps make clear why we should believe the women, and keep that #MeToo movement going strong.
5
This sounds to me like Epstein is cornered and has threatened to tell all he knows about Trump and, perhaps, many other womanizers and fans of teen-age girls. This would explain Trump's turnaround from Epstein being a good guy to him not being a fan and also for Barr's turnaround on his recusal to be involved in this case. I know the Trump base is known to go along with everything he does, no matter how sleazy or illegal; however, I don't think the Nazis were too happy about still being linked and sharing the blame with Adolf Hitler when it was all over.
5
At this rate it’s only a matter of time before he really does shoot someone in the middle of 5th Ave.
11
“I feel very badly for Acosta”
Hey Trump, how about at least trying to show leadership with feeling badly for the 14 year old girls.
15
"I'm not a fan of you Epstein, but if you give me any pictures you have of me your perverted behavior can be pardoned. Just bump into me, say I beg your pardon and I'll say sure" Dirty Donny.
5
Trump barred - appropriately - Epstein many years ago from Mar-A-Lago after he was informed that Epstein made unsolicited approaches to several young women who worked at the club. Tying Trump to Epstein's escapades is just more anti-Trump progandra from the NYT.
5
Think Trump barred Epstein after Trump learned Epstein was being investigated...
2
He was employing 14 year olds at Mar-a-Lago?
3
@MCH, He knew him for 15 years, knew he liked young girls as he admitted. It was OK with him. Nothing to report to authorities. He only barred him when somebody reminded him that NBC and his sponsors, which had rescued him from one of his numerous bankruptcies, would not react well to his name being associated with Epstein.
Another account of one of the Trump-Epstein get togethers appeared earlier in the Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/09/us/politics/trump-epstein.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share
Trump supporters are really good at doing the Limbo. And I will say that Clinton’s excuse yesterday was pathetic. Trump and Clinton were both at least complicit in covering up sexual abuse and rape of children. It is not a partisan issue. It is wrong for both of them.
4
Sad that there is no mention of the woman who filed charges againt Epstein and Trump alleging that they raped her when she was 13 years old.
The only reason she dropped her case was that after filing as "Jane Doe" to retain her anonymity, she was barraged with threats once Trump became the GOP nominee.
Why isn't the NY Times looking into this.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/nov/02/donald-trump-rape-lawsuit-13-year-old-cancels-public-event
It's offensive to women that this isn't a news item at this point.
8
...and Pence ... the "upright moral Christian" who won't have a meal alone with an adult woman is willing to stand beside and vigorously support this morally bankrupt pathetic excuse for a human being
17
Trump's "Mamie Eisenhower bangs" made me laugh. Trump is really pityful and needy, lets just laugh him out of office.
5
Anyone who doesn't believe Trump actively participated in Epstein's hobby lives in a cave in the Himalayas.
10
"Great Sex at 30,000 Ft. - In Jeffrey Epstein's Brothel-in-the Sky".
If he's going to get the Rich and Famous to risk statutory
rape for pleasure, he's going to have to let them sample
the merchandise. Just like the old stewardess book from
the '60's "Coffee, Tea or Me", the phrase has new relevance. The names will come out, probably from the
victims.
And Bill Clinton? Would he risk it? Nah! He's too smart.
And yet... Trump would love it. Instead of "Lock her up!",
it would be "Lock him up".
I would love to see a Times reporter investigate this "Plane of Pleasure".
4
@Tom The Clintons have very poor judgement. They never seem to have learned that giving off the appearance of wrongdoing can be as harmful as actually committing the deeds.
Oh the Christian right forgives him. He's gonna Make America Great Again don't yea know.
7
Trump and Epstein - Two peas in a pod.
Best friends and identical egos.
Can't wait until they and everyone else who took part in raping children get justice.
Although with criminals like Acosta lurking around everywhere
in the American "justice" system it may take time, if only Americans would take to the streets.
3
Waiting for the photo meme to include Ivanka in her pink dress.
3
Absolutely shameful how the fake news media is trying to pin Trump and this creep Epstein together.
I guess the left will use any means at their disposal to destroy Trump.. This is the same media that is incredibly un-curious about anything a Democrat in any office ever does. From the affairs and debauchery of Roosevelt to Kennedy to LBJ to Clinton... (its' just about sex! don't cha know)
If this is not 100% politically motivated, then I have a bridge for sale. In Brooklyn. Make an offer.
Have you no shame?
3
What evidence do you have that they can't be "pinned" together?
3
@Marc
What evidence do you have that you didn't participate in Epstein's underage sex parties?
@Stephen
Absolutely shameful?!? Raping children is shameful. Keeping children in cages is shameful. Paying porn "actors" to keep silent about extra-marital affairs is shameful. Ruining our planet is shameful. Staffing our government with incompetent donors is shameful.
You and the rest of the tRump supporters are marks. You have been taken by a grifting family and you are incapable of understanding this. That is shameful.
"[M]any of them are on the younger side.” So Trump was fully aware of his friend Epstein's reputation as an alleged pedophile and now he is trying to weasel out of any association with Epstein. Typical Trump.
6
@Clark Landrum
Not sure whether English is your primary language, but "younger side" and "under age" are not the same thing.
1
@Clark Landrum
Vanity Fair 2003:
"Epstein is known about town as a man who loves women—lots of them, mostly young."
https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2003/03/jeffrey-epstein-200303
Trump in 2002 was just repeating what was "known about town" (the NYC rich-peoples club) with regards to Epstein's reputation.
@GMooG
Trump said it. I didn't. His meaning seemed pretty clear to me.
It's imperative that the public information compiled below be disseminated.
http://thememoryhole2.org/blog/doe-v-trump
1
Religious right, Republicans, your fealty to trump reflects on you; are you still behind this shell of a man?
7
Is it really so unusual that Jeffrey Epstein knew Donald Trump (and yes) Bill Clinton? Powerful people often travel in the same circles.
Likewise, Harvey Weinstein heavily supported Democrats (including Bill Clinton and Hillary) and even gave an internship to Obama's eldest daughter Malia? (I'm sure her excellent film credentials allowed her to surpass all other applicants.)
What about Al Sharpton? Politicians who seek the blessing of a con man, tax cheat (millions in unpaid state and federal taxes) and convicted liar (defamation of Steven Pagones) are not held to the same standard of guilt by association, are they?
The point is that powerful people cross paths, trade favors and sometimes socialize together. That does not mean that Donald Trump, Bill Clinton or Malia Obama or anyone within 10 feet of Al Sharpton supports the criminal activity of everyone they have met.
The NYT's obvious disdain for the President has lowered their standards. They should focus on the President's policies and not try to smear him with a loose association to a sick pedophile.
4
@Name Unknown. It is hard to believe that neither Clinton or Trump Knew nothing about the crimes that were being committed against children in the Epstein residences. That is quite a bit different than knowing about the activities of a tax cheat. Unless you are his accountant how are you supposed to know. And I don’t imagine that many of Madoff’s friends knew what he was doing, or they wouln’t have lost their shirts.
3
@Name Unknown
Your standards seem even lower.
@Bashh
It it hard to believe that Mr. Epstein would have committed his crimes so openly that Mr. Trump or Clinton would be aware of them. It would have just placed them both at too much risk.
As for the tax cheat Mr. Sharpton, the NYT has done many fine articles on his misdeeds. It doesn't take a detective or accountant to google them -- unlike Mr. Madoff, who had yet to be uncovered before his clients were swindled.
The press has simply chosen to ignore Mr. Sharpton's horrible (and often criminal) behavior. Worse, they have bizarrely anointed him a civil rights leader. MLK is spinning in his grave.
“I’ve known Jeff for 15 years. Terrific guy,” Mr. Trump told New York magazine 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.”
in other words, "We are a pedophile rapist tag team"...!!!
4
It's hard not to suspect that a man involved for decades in money laundering (one of its primary sources is human trafficking), who has been accused by numerous women-- including his ex-wife--of rape and sexual assault, who has praised more than one pedophile, who has publicly lusted after his own daughter (including that creepy photo with her at 15 and his hand disturbingly close to her crotch); it's hard not to suspect that he, as well, has some underage skeletons under his bed. I've long suspected that's what the Russians have on him.
8
Yes, our illustrious president & mob-boss never got caught with very young girls...
2
Trump says the same thing about every shady guy who is in trouble no matter how repugnant the issue. From Roy Cohn on all of his buds are creeps. He lied about Bannon, Flynn, Moore, his personal lawyer-who?, barely knows him, doesn't know the name, he was the coffee guy...and we know that he would "date" his daughter if he could. Smarmy, disgusting men in his circle. Continues to be totally unfit for office!
4
And I hope Alan Dershowitz finds something to do with his time far away from the news media.
1
Epstein gets arrested
Barr recuses then un-recuses himself from case due to Kirkland & Ellis participation in case
Acosta under fire to resign for his part of previous plea deal
Dershowitz gets sued for participating in Epstein scheme by Epstein victim
Trump under fire for his relationship with Epstein
Epstein’s “little black book” shown with 14 Trump phone numbers
Then.....
Robert Kraft, recently arrested for solicitation is guest of honor at state WH dinner
Strippers work at Trump golf Doral club to benefit children
All in 24 hours, you can’t make this up!
12
Hey Democrats. There is a fly in this ointment who goes by the Clinton name.
You must certainly know this. By the end of the summer 2019, Republicans will have made Bill Clinton, rather than Trump, the villain in this story. I have always said that the way to know what Republicans will do is to watch what they are doing.
I can guarantee you, that right now Republicans have a plan to turn this story into a major smear campaign against Democrats. How? By creating the impression and narrative with the help Fox that the sexual depravation ring was really a Bill Clinton enterprise.
Yes, it will be all lies, but who cares. Trump is well above his 10,000 lies threshold. Do you really think that another 5000 lies will bother them. Not.
Republicans reserve for themselves the right to lie, cheat and steal, and they will never stop till voters stop their lies, cheating and stealing that they are so good at.
3
Has anyone ever noticed how each man is a "terrific guy" to Trump until that man does something Trump doesn't like or says something Trump disagrees with? And then how Trump disavows all previous interactions with the person even when there is evidence of interactions? It seems as if Trump wants to unlive as much of his life as possible in order to appear to have led a blameless life.
5
Is it a surprise to anyone that Bill Clinton and Donald Trump have/had connections to a person like Jeffrey Epstein?
Really?
5
@hoconnor
I am surprised that Bill Clinton had any connections to a pervert like Epstein. Donald Trump, not so much.
Evangelicals say, "Sometimes bad people do good things," Still waiting.
5
Good buddy. Great guy. Never heard of him.
9
The president of the United States had a private party with a pedophile in which girls were flown in for their “enjoyment”. And it’s just a blip in the news. This is an important story and I’m grateful for the reporting. I really hope we get to the bottom of what happened and justice is served to all who participated.
5
Probably a lot of old, rich, and connected white republican men, in and out of government, popping lots of anxiety pills right now. This just keeps getting better and better.
5
Will trumps connection to Epstein be the Achilles Heel that brings him down?
3
The Giant Squid hiding behind this billowing of ink must surely be larger than the one that attacked the Nautilus in Disney's version of "20,000 Leagues Under The Sea".
2
"Tump modelling agency,"
ie, Trump procurement agency.
3
I didn't know I was a nobody until I read this article, now I could not be happier.
7
Looking at the photo of Trump and Epstein in this article one can't help but think two peas in a pod. What similarities!
They both use women as objects for their own pleasure; they both use their wealth as a means to procure an endless supply of women for their own pleasure; they both have used the legal system to their advantage to avoid being held accountable.
Two despicable men of privilege. One is about to have the legal system come crashing down on his head, and the other is still president of the United States.
427
@Len
Easy to say "Two peas in a pod," but it is not quite accurate. Epstein so it seems committed multiple criminal acts involving underage girls. Trump, however, seems more of a talker who to believe Stormy Daniels was involved with call girls and the like. Trump is " not a crook" in that regard. So far, there is no credible claim that Trump violated the law in his sexual meanderings, and this includes the alleged rape of the woman who just published her book ( she laughingly told her friend he pulled her tights down: it seems she was bragging about whatever did happen). Trump ends up marrying the women he had affairs with, 3 so far. Epstein and Bill Clinton are better examples of two peas. BC is a sexual predator according to some reports. More will surface as to his relationship with Epstein. Clinton was on Epstein's private plane ( with young girls?) as many as 27 times. What was happening on that plane? It is mortifying! Bill Clinton has problems on planes. If he stayed off Loretta Lynch's plane, Ms. Clinton might have been our President instead of DT.
4
@Bian
According to many reports, Trump is a sexual predator. The tying up and rape of a 13-year-old girl is a criminal act. There are now some 19-20 women who have come forward saying that Trump raped them. You are blithely assuming that there were young girls on the plane trips with Clinton, but that everything was on the up and up with Trump at Epstein's parties. You seem just a tad biased there, Bian.
35
@Bian
You're splitting hairs, Bian. Any behavior that is predatory is despicable.
Both Trump and Epstein see women as merely objects to satisfy their own pleasure, and both men have used their wealth and social standing to further that end. Period. Full stop.
25
I am curious: does anybody have an example of an instance—just one time—that somebody Trump palled around with got into serious trouble and Trump DIDN’T immediately start lying a out their relationship? Just one time, when he said, “Yes, so-and-so was my trusted campaign manager, but I repudiate his meddling with the RNC’s campaign platform?” Just one time when he so much as admitted hiring a guy?
How about the War in Iraq? Trump fess up to getting on Howard Stern and approving? He admit that the birtherism was nonsense?
How about bragging on walking into teen girls’ dressing room? The Access tape?
Anything?
Didn’t think so.
8
Seems media stories about Mueller's collusion wasn't moving the needle in the right direction.
Sovietized one-narrative mass-media is hoping a picture (mit story of condemnation) of Trump touching the black plague, well, charcoal grey blazer, will do it this time?
2
For a guy with "the best brain" and "the greatest memory" he sure seems to forget a lot about people he knew for decades or more. Given Trump's history of getting away with sexual harassment and assault, I doubt Labor Secretary Acosta has anything to worry about for previously offering Epstein such an obscenely light plea deal.
7
My guess is he’s now not a fan because he got caught.
After all he’s said he doesn’t like people who were captured.
9
Well isn't that a trip, Trump with 24 or so lightly dressed show all that their modesty allowed, to two old men. At his private Club yet. Perhaps they just pulled numbers from a hat!
4
Trump as ever pleads innocence to any wrong doing thus no surprise he denies his association with Epstein along with sexually exploiting under age girls. For Trump to lie, deny and blame is a way of life that may have served him until he became president. Except this time while being president the standard required are a lot higher which may finally cause is downfall. Eventually something he does is bound to defeat him, hopefully this association could be the one.
4
Let's not forget that Trump has very credibly been accused of sexual assault by more than 20 women. In any functioning and self-respecting country, this would land you in Court, not the White House.
10
@Andrew
It would only land you in court if one -- just one -- of those woman went to the police and swore out a criminal complaint under penalty of perjury. Yet not one of those woman has done that. Instead, they file civil suits (most of which have been dismissed already) asking for money. And yet naive people like you think that these accusations are "very credible."
I find it interesting that Epstein for 13 months was able to leave jail and tend to his business. I wonder if like Senator Hart from Colorado that he dallied in Monkey Business.
That was the name of the yacht that Hart a married man was pictured on with his girl friend. If memory serves me those indiscretions were in Florida as well. Maybe the Bahamas. Look it up and correct me.
The important thing is that con men who have been judged as doing felonies should be spending 24 hours behind bars. Not checking out in the morning and returning at night.
It kind of smacks of Mafia Kingpins having special privledges like catered meals, phones and meeting with under bosses while doing long term sentences.
I feel that the current Secretary of Labor who signed off on this many years ago should exit immediately and have his ter in office carefully scrutinized for other miscalculations or errors of commission.
2
Birds of a feather, flock together
Until they part their ways
But that doesn't change
A single thing
Despite what Donald Trump says
8
I find our revulsion of politicians who pal around with Epstein pretty amazing. Why are we so shocked? Our entire political system is based on who can afford to purchase the office for which they're running! Epstein has money. They want Epstein's money -- regardless of his lifestyle!
2
Please stop using the term "underage girls." Not only because it's redundant (ALL girls are underage to lawfully engage in sex acts with adults), but because it softens the reality that these girls were children who deserved protection under the law.
4
Sex scandals, abuse of women and young girls, is being revealed as American as apple pie. The Epstein story so far has only revealed the preface of this sordid affair. And this affair is only one chapter in what will ultimately be revealed as a national epidemic that has blackened our culture for who knows how long involving who knows what personalities. Having said this, it is to be hoped that there will be investigations that go outside the legal and criminal to help us all understand what drives the various sexual fetishes from pedophilia to sexual obsessions leading to the unending "wallowing in carnal excess" that touches many of us,
1
Two peacocks. Birds of a feather....
2
God, I hope there is something in the DVD's that they found at this perverts house that implicates Trump in some sordid scandal. It will be great listening to how the religious right will defend and justify his behavior.
5
Clinton probably was not as close to Epstein as Trump tried to make people believe. Clinton probably was seeking Epstein’s support for legitimate reasons but he should have known, and probably did, that was obsessed with under age girls. He has no good excuse for having associated with him. Trump clearly knew that Epstein was doing with under age girls and it did not bother him. Their falling out was over money, I believe, not Epstein’s immorality.
4
Fortunately for Epstein, even if Trump doesn’t like him, Bill Clinton is still his friend.
1
"A mutual appreciation of wealth and women"?
I do wish the NYT wouldn't resort to such euphemistic turns of phrase. Both men stand accused of the sexual assault and rape of girls. THEY might claim to 'appreciate women,' but it is clear to any observer that this is false - and this should be reflected in the reporting.
7
It is disturbing that this article portrays the little girls and children that were exploited, abused, and raped by Epstein and his friends at these orgy parties as "young women". Yes, eventually many of them became young women and continued to be exploited and abused and raped but to portray children and little girls being exploited and raped as "young women" is diminishing the crimes this monster and his co conspirators and "friends" committed. The victims were children, little girls, when these crimes were committed many times by wealthy middle aged and old men. Trump and others like to diminish the reality of what was happening with jokes and dismissive comments but they were aware of what was going on and by credible testimony participated in Epstein's illegal sexual exploitation of children.
5
No wonder Melania and her son appear to have moved out of the White House. Someone needs to publicly ask Trump why his wife has left the White House.
Is it true Mr. President that your wife has left the White House because of these events were about to be revealed?
1
@Truth Is True - Melania knew Trump was a jerk before she married him to get money and a green card. She's just as callous, creepy and dishonest as Trump is.
Meanwhile as the children on the border in cages become reduced to chopped liver thanks to the mere whiff of a Trump scandal which is enough to send the bloodhounds off completely in the opposite direction.
3
The Criminal Trump: Down the memory shut! We cannot remember ever really meeting him. Just like the old days of the Soviet Union .
This issue isn't about political parties. It's about MINORS being trafficked for sex by rich men! These young girls were not just exploited and raped by Epstien and fellow pigs, but by the judicial system that failed to put him/them in jail when caught. The affluent in our society must be held to the same laws and punishments as the poorest Americans do daily! Once again, as a society, we are failing to protect our children...
4
Fake news. Trump makes up the news as he goes even if there is evidence on tape that he said or did what he denies. Trump himself is a molester of young women so why would it disturb him if someone else did it too. He is attacking Bill Clinton who admittedly forced himself on women, but Trump forced himself on naked teenagers because he owned the pageant. Being President should not shield him from prosecution if evidence shows that he should be indicted for sex with girls not old enough to give consent. Mueller gave him one free pass but he shouldn't get another.
1
With his three wives and mutlple mistresses who didn't know that Donald Trump,Sr is a very fickle flighty friend and part-owner lover with a reputation for not telling the truth?
Today Benjamin Netanyahu, Vladimir Putin. Mohammed bin Salman and Kim Jong Un are Trump's most beloved
Tomorrow Ayatollah Khamenei, Ayman al Zawahiri, Raul Castro and Bashir el- Assad will be competing for Trump's affections and attentions.
All they have to do is tell Trump how handsome, manly virile and smart he is.
4
I'm surprised the Jane Doe/Katie Johnson civil lawsuit against Trump and Epstein has not been resurrected, where Trump was accused of raping a 13 year old at Epstein's residence, but dismissed the 2016 suit for fear of her life. Would Michael Cohen have any thoughts about this now?
3
@Paul Kunz
"Norm Lubow, formerly a producer on the Jerry Springer show, apparently coordinated lawsuits accusing Donald Trump of raping a child in the 1990s"
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/jul/07/donald-trump-sexual-assault-lawsuits-norm-lubow
@John, thanks.
The immorality of Trump cannot not be eclipsed, even by a man trafficking in underage sex. Because Donald took part in this and more.
2
Is he "not a fan" because Donald Trump only sexually assaults women over 18?
3
Rich White Men behaving badly. There's nothing new or even remotely surprising here. Sleaze begets sleaze and birds of a feather and all that.
These are all actionable offenses and rather breathtaking in scale but the one who should be pilloried here is Acosta. His part in all of this is unforgivable and clearly in violation of any legal standard of practice.
1
@BC you missed the story today about Harvard suspending the star Afr. Am. professor for egregious sexual misconduct.
With Nunberg as its main source this story stinks of plant and deflection. Epstein and Trump’s association goes much further back. The Times should interview some of Ivanka’s ex-Spence school chums about why the parents forbade play dates at Trump’s Tower. They should also look into why Bill Barr Sr. Hired college dropout Jeffrey Epstein at Dalton. Tim O’Brian is pretty much tapped out on his sources, time to expand you circle.
5
This is very funny. President Trump wants us to believe now that he is not a sexual predator.
Mr. President, you just need to stay in character and take ownership and be proud of your sexual predator reputation.
Your base and Republican enablers will love you for it.
3
Victorian London only had Jack the Ripper to worry about when it comes to the height of misogyny and sexual violence towards women.
It would seem that NYC, Washington D.C. and Miami Beach have more than their fair share. Is it something in the water?
1
The Attorney General of the trump State refuses to recuse himself from this case!
We need eyes wide opened on this case. This adds to the many reasons why Barr must be impeached!
4
Has there been any investigation by the press about Barr’s ties to Epstein? He has known him far longer than Trump or Clinton or Acosta, right? Any trips together? Any visits to Epstein ‘s homes?
Authorities likely have any recording equipment that Epstein had in his homes. I wonder what’s there, and if we’ll ever learn about it.
Barr has known this creep a very long time. All this,coupled with Barr’s oddly obsequious actions toward Trump and his elevation to AG, make me wonder what Epstein may have to share about both Trump and Barr. Or it could be that Trump has damaging info on Barr.
4
I expect the next journalistic step here is to locate some of the 28 then young women who were at the "party" and find out what occurred.
It is too bad Maggie Haberman has to cover this sleaze when there are so many more important Trump related issues to be pursued.
It seems like the whole Epstein thing was an elaborate professional blackmail operation intended to ensnare the rich and powerful. But who was really behind it, who was really bankrolling Epstein? We really need to get to the bottom of this and then the dominos really fall.
4
There is nothing wrong with billionaires and political stars knowing and associating with Epstein - unless they had reasons to suspect his interest in underage girls. Until 2006 it was not public knowledge, and only personal observations would be expected to tip people off.
Clinton broke contacts as soon as he could reasonably be expected to know that something may not be right with this guy. Trump clearly had a substantial number of indicators of the problem long before he broke the connection - and then for other reasons.
1
It is surprising that the Medea always falls for Trump’s “I never new the guy” routine when an associate becomes a liability. When his former campaign manager was indicted he said he hardly new him. Now it’s Jeffrey Epstein and he recently said he never new Labor Secretary Acosta till he was nominated. How many days does he have?
1
Way to go Republican Party! You now officially stand for absolutely NOTHING if you continue to support this president by remaining silent. It almost seems quaint to think that Republicans actually used to lecture the rest of us on morality, national security, family values and fiscal responsibility.
2
Will some reporter, somewhere, investigate the possibility that Trump hired Costa in the first place to bring him under control and use executive privilege to conceal Trump's past ties to Epstein?
275
@Frank - It's deeper than that Frank.
13
@Frank, yes, yes, yes. How and when did Alex Acosta come into the Trump campaign's orbit? Who brokered "the deal," as Trump puts it, to bring him on as Labor Secretary, a job whose duties include regulation of sex trafficking?
38
@Frank
Isn't this what the House Judiciary or Oversight committee is supposed to do? Send Acosta a subpoena, compel testimony, or get him to declare the 5th Amendment as he already has...and push further for the truth. I assume there is a quid pro quo in Acosta's appointment to the Labor Secretary position.
And again, this kind of inquiry should be part of an overarching Impeachment inquiry.
Start impeachment yesterday Madame Speaker!
35
For someone who thrives in chaos, Trump is certainly predictable when it comes to denials.
Perhaps the title of his next book should be, “The Art of the Tell”
1
"I feel sorry for Secretary Acosta." Of course President Trump is more concerned about his employee rather then Epstein's victims. Acosta had nothing to do with Epstein's foul deeds. But he had the opportunity to put a sexual deviant behind bars for life and gave him a sweetheart deal that allowed him to continue his activities instead. And he broke the law by not informing the victims and allowing them to voice their objections in court. He needs to be fired, today. Acosta is going to resign, another of the "only the best people" forced to quit. And the only reason all those Trump administration workers were forced out was because the press exposed their actions. Trump rails against the so called fake news but the press does a better job of vetting Trump's employee's then the administration does.
3
President Clinton was also friendly with Jeffrey Epstein but there are no pictures of them together. He traveled four times on his private plane and Mr. Epstein donated to his Clinton Foundation. Clinton information was listed in the Epstein directory for a total of 21 times in the form of phone numbers, emails and addresses so obviously they were very close. They obviously were very chummy and I hope we hear more about their close association. It is also very relevant to this investigation.
@KMW - whataboutism is the cheapest form of argument. Clinton is not the president. Stop defending Donald Trump just because you like his stance on abortion or illegals or whatever else. Donald Trump is not a good guy.
4
@KMW
"They obviously were very chummy..."
You have zero knowledge or evidence of your statements.
Money and power corrupt. So far
the revelations are the exploitation of
women by the rich and powerful.Mr. Trump is clearly one of them but not
an exception. Sadly character matter
less in electing or selecting men for
the high office. The consequences
are bad. Hopefully there will be
more scrutiny and focus on the
character and values of the candidates
in 2020 races.
As the old adage states: "You lay down with dogs, you get fleas". And at this point, the president, already credibly accused by multiple women of sexual assault, must be covered with them. Jeffrey Epstein was obviously enabled in his despicable activities by such men as Donald Trump.
And who knows what actually transpired at these private "soirees" with underage women? Two powerful men and unscrupulous men obviously had all of the control in these situations, and the girls, for that is what they were, had none. The fact that Mr. Barr has now reversed his recusal in this case, speaks volumes about what activities his "special client" may have been involved in may yet come out in testimony.
1
I envision a time when Epstein sits before a sentencing judge who, like Judge Aquilina in the Larry Nassar case, gives each and every victim of his horrific crimes the opportunity to make a victim impact statement while he sits silently and can do nothing but listen. Since we don't yet know exactly how many girls he ensnared, it's anyone's guess how many days this would take. It can hardly bring full restitution, but it would bring at least some measure of healing to the (now) women who want their voices heard. Much credit to Julie Brown at the Miami Herald and SDNY for their tireless and continuing efforts to put daylight on this sick saga and bring Epstein, his co-conspirators, and fellow perpetrators to justice.
2
The quotes in this article regarding Mr. Trump and Mr. Houraney are extremely confusing .. I have read them many times. And have now asked others.
No one in my office is sure -- 8 people.
It seems to say that Mr. Houraney is saying that Trump did not want him at events for fear of a problem and did not care that Mr. Houraney had to ban him. But ... above it says that Mr. Trump dismissed the warning.
Who is "He said" ... it must be Trump .. earlier it's using the correct "I said" .
If you don't like someone and separate from them -- 20 years ago. Are you guilty of their crimes?
What stands out to me is the remarkable persistence of narcissism concurrent with the remarkable absence of anything even remotely resembling a moral compass. These rich white men are concerned with their reputations but not about the well being of females of any age, They are members of a creepy sub-section of our society that has been protected by money and powerful connections. But, eventually, Justice Louis Brandeis' words come into play in this ugly situation: "Publicity is justly commended as a remedy for social and industrial diseases. Sunlight is said to be the best of disinfectants..." Let the sun shine on these germs masquerading as men.
2
No matter the association, Trump is unaffected---Teflon Don. You wonder if any or all of his past and present misdeeds will ever catch up with him. Just another headline for Trump in an exhausting news cycle where he skates away, as always. Epstein deserves 45 years in the slammer, but our Commander-in-Chief will probably never see a day inside those four walls.
It is pervasive- the celebration of male narcissitic behavior embedded in our conception of what defines the American Man. Unfortunately, this conception of manhood includes a curdled and repressed conception of sexuality as transactional domination, similar to the ethos these type of men bring to their business dealings. Allowing the base libidinal drives we all possess to fester in ignorance fear and shame is a sure fire way to perpetuate the cycle.of sexual violence against women. A comprehensive sexual education that goes beyond demonstrating on to put a condom on a banana is the only way out. The Unitarian Universalist year long sex ed curriculum Our Whole Lives is a shining example of how an open honest and frank discussion about human sexuality can change men into better people and therefore better partners.
2
Once again, Trump is crowing over the scandal affecting the Clintons while he evades responsibility himself simply by denying. I hope the press won't let him get away with it. And hold him accountable for his constant harassment of the Clintons -- they are not his problem anymore and what he does to them on a continuing basis is sickening and dangerous, no matter of what people think about them. He needs to stop his harassment of all of his predecessors -- he has already incited bombings and assassination attempts, and his actions should be illegal. Someone stop this dangerous inciter of violence.
3
Let's put this into context shall we?
Remember all the controversy about Barack Obama's association with Jeremiah Wright (an outspoken minister certainly) and how the right-wing media was intent on destroying Obama's character over it?
Probably, at the same time Obama was attending church with Wright at the pulpit, Epstein and Trump were engaged in all sorts of creepy behavior, but no one (particularly on the right) seems to be concerned that our current president has a predilection for girls just like his friend Jeffrey. Where's the outrage? Where are all the righteous christians condemning Trump for associating with a rapist?
Trump may have "fallen out" with Epstein, but that doesn't make him any less guilty of encouraging and enabling him for many years.
4
“Trump said, ‘I kicked him out of the clubs when this stuff became public, and I made sure NBC knew,’” Mr. Nunberg recalled. Only when it “...became public.” Only when we got caught. Great guy back in the day. Not a fan now.
5
The National Enquirer aka New York Times keeps up with the hit pieces on Trump.
How about balancing it with some articles on how great the economy is? Or how ISIS is destroyed after Obama let them take large areas in the middle east.
I am actually interested in real news.
1
There’s a saying that “you get the president you deserve” but not even racists and yokels deserve this guy.
2
How’s Alan Dershowitz doing out there on the vineyard ?
4
Mike Pence is a disgusting hypocrite!
Ralph Reed, just the other day said DT was their president. Falwell, and followers, hypocrites, all.
7
Gee, and the classless slime that is Conald trump, previously stated what a great guy Epstein is and, how, nudge nudge wink wink he loves young women. You can just see these two perving away on the merits of this one's T's and that one's A. And as far as the now removed British ambassador to the USA, he got trump right in one stroke. For the sake of the UK, I sure hope the clown Boris Johnson, trump's twin idiot, won't be the next Prime Minister. The world is going to hell...
2
I have heard that sexual depravation of this magnitude, by narcissists of these magnitude, usually involves cameras filming everything for the predators’ enjoyment after the crime is complete.
I would not be surprise is the next shoe to drop is the existence of a treasure trove of sexually explicit movies of Trump and Epstein engaged in a Roman style orgy with many minors simultaneously.
Putin should hurry up with the release of his Trump pee tape. The pee tape will soon loose impact to the new films in the Epstein vault.
4
I'm surprised Cocked & Loaded didn't simply respond, "Uh-uh. Nope. Never heard of him. Fake news. All fake news."
151
Individual one does what he wants then pays off, threatens and sues. You witnessed his horrible behavior? Thugs come or you are offered a job to keep you close. It's worked for decades. He has been accused of raping violently a 14 year old girl at an Epstein fling. I hope this trial opens the floodgates of the presidential horror show. Dershowitz knows what happened at those parties, attended them and tried to cover his own butt by getting Epstein's deal of a lifetime. And why did Acosta work so hard to get Epstein a deal? And then get a job in our WH? The WH will need to be sprayed with bleach when these bums are removed. It's the mob, baby.
4
@Annie42
Why didn't you post a link to where the lawsuit was dismissed 34 days later?
I don’t feel too good about being an American when the president of the country hobnobs with pedophiles and other criminals and no one seems to give a damn.
12
Somewhere a squeaky clean ex-president must be wondering out loud, "My God Michelle, could you imagine if I had done ANY of this? Oh, but there was that TAN suit."
120
@rab And don't forget those "mom" jeans.
8
Epstein reportedly had a complex video recording system in his Florida mansion. Over the years, he also made sure to ingratiate himself with many rich and famous men and clearly liked to party. His light sentence is highly suggestive that he pulled some major strings back in 2008. My question is what evidence does he still have that could be traded for a lesser sentence this time around. There are reports he bought an industrial shredder after his prior conviction, but he only needed to destroy evidence of his own wrongdoing. He clearly wasn’t going to change his lifestyle and might need new legal favors down the line. Just saying...
18
There seems to be a bit of a mystery about how Epstein made his money. It occurs to me that perhaps he made it through the trafficking and sales of adolescent girls to the rich and powerful. That would go a long way to explaining how he got away with this behavior for so long.
14
Trying to join these two at the hip is the best thing that can happen for Donald. Bad as he is, next to Epstein he looks like a choir boy. (That picture reminds me of Richie trying to look as cool as the Fonz, which we all know there's no way.) We hope to hear a lot more about their relationship in the days to come, especially their split, proving that even Donald has a limit for unacceptable behavior which no one thought could be possible. Redemption comes in strange forms.
5
@John Doe My unproven theory is that Donny split and became more careful when he realized that bad publicity rubbing off from Epstein could jeopardize his lucrative TV career and branding enterprises. In addition he licensed his name and it wasn’t much good if it was trash. I don’t think he got a soul or anything like that,
Trump seems to have known exactly what Epstein was doing and it was fine with him. If Clinton was hanging out with Epstein, too, then he knew as well. It’s sad but one must conclude that those who associate with people who do wrong so much are like them.
4
It is truly remarkable that so much sleeze, wherever in it emerges, so often has an association with Trump. The shear number of "incidents" obviates the possibility of mere chance. Corruption is Trump's middle name.
11
The Only President We Have seems to have falling outs with the friends of his past all the time. If I were a current friend, I'd be wondering when I would be falling out.
And what kind of friendship is that?
2
@Steve Feldmann
trump has neither friends nor a sense of humor, because in his "thought process" everything is about him (and his money, or lack of it), all the time, no matter what the topic might be.
2
@Joe From Boston
We are in agreement.
Don't forget his enablers like his office staff, friends and business associates. All need to be held accountable.
10
Funny how Harvey Weinstein and Epstein both large Democratic party donors who hob nobs with Bill Clinton and yet we associate Epstein with Trump. Are Democrats ok with this war on women from Democrat donors and former NY Attorney General Eric Schneiderman?
18
Trump is the current president with credible sexual assault accusations against him and continually disrespects women. You have a problem with probing the misconduct of a sitting president? I’m fine with the lot of them going down. Women - and people who are punished harshly for far less due to not being wealthy, or being POC, or women - are sick of it.
7
@greg
Difference: Trump’s currently the president.
6
@greg - Trump has a lot in common with Epstein (i.e. creepy behavior with young women) and Trump is the one who gave a cabinet position to the guy who gave Epstein a legal slap on the wrist.
6
You know, watching and reading about politics is a really, really fun spectator sport again. We haven't had this much entertainment since Monica and the stained blue dress, and the beauty of it all is everyone can self-righteously pretend that this is serious business and not just another level of professional wrestling.
The whole Epstein deal is another transparent strike at Trump from prosecutors in NY, just like Paula Jones was a strike against Clinton. No one in the mainstream press thought Jeffrey Epstein was that bad a guy when he was rubbing shoulders with Bill Clinton, just as no one on the right thinks Alan Dershowitz, the left-wing professor who was converted to conservatism by Fox News money, is a bad guy for rubbing shoulders with Jeffrey Epstein either. Just like everyone on the left was celebrating Roman Polanski.
Tabloid journalism has taken over the mainstream media. Trump is in his element.
Get out the popcorn.
16
It took one investigative reporter. You may enjoy the spectacle of teenagers being sexual abused. Not every does.
2
@Chuck French, There was plenty of nastiness about president Obama. But, as I recall, he was vilified by the Right for hanging out with "radical" ministers and not wearing his lapel pen. You know, serious stuff that FOX News and Limbaugh harped-on 24/7. But, I'm afraid your argument that Trump's association is somehow innocuous or unimportant. It's absolutely reasonable for us to consider that our current president condones the abuse and rape of young women.
And by the way, neither you nor I ever met anyone who "celebrated" Roman Polanski's behavior. Nice try at speaking for others.
2
@Chuck French
Actually, a lot of people thought Epstein was a really bad guy back when he was first accused, and a lot of people still think so.
News articles about pedophiles are not "tabloid" journalism.
4
Trump was accused too. Let’s admit that.
22
Donald Trump is an amazing guy. Honest, courageous and loyal to a fault. Trump is a selfless person on who you can depend, for he will always have your back. He's always prepared and takes the time to study and read to make sure he knows what he's talking about...I can't keep going with this, even writing this makes me sick to my stomach. I can't believe the type of people who surround Donald Trump, worse than swamp creatures. But even worse than them are Trump's deplorable supporters, for they knew what a horrendous, evil person he is, yet voted for him and still support him. There's a rot in our country.
72
Oh the selective moral outrage. Obama didn't disavow William Ayers and to this day counts him as a close personal friend. Apparently planting bombs and killing people (intentional, or not) is morally acceptable as long as you did it in the name of causes that you support.
@Justin Thyme
So basically this is your defense for Bone Spurs? Interesting but truly an epic fail on your part.
2
@Justin Thyme
Source for proof of this statement? Has there been some recent report of Obama socializing with William Ayers? They lived in the same neighborhood back in Chicago, yes, but the Obamas no longer live there.
3
It might be worth checking the date of this famous "falling out." I suspect it might have been yesterday.
83
" ... It is even said that he likes beautiful women as much as I do ... "
Is anyone else struck by the notion that the kind of behavior Trump and friends exhibit s a way of "liking" beautiful women?
30
Very amusing. "I'm not a fan of his, that I can tell you." That's about as mild a rebuke that he uses, compared to, say, his response to the British ambassador who was just telling the truth that he was incompetent in so many respects, or his viscious name-calling of others.
It's easy to see why Epstein and Trump parted ways, aside from the young girls aspect. Epstein had more money, had richer friends, was taller, was better looking, and had once taught math and physics, while Trump could barely read or mouth a declarative sentence, and needs to hide his school transcripts and tax returns.
It's worth noting that his Attorney General Bill Barr's father, a former headmaster at the elite Dalton School, had hired Epstein to teach at that high school
And Acosta, who slapped Epstein on the wrist for his violations against underage girls, was appointed by Trump to his cabinet as Secretary of Labor.
Trump's inaugural committee was headed by one of Epstein's wealthy friends.
Now, Barr will have his hands on the trial. Imagine the dirt that Epstein has to offer. Why else did Acosta make the NPA deal (because of issues with people "above my pay grade). Why else was Acosta given a plum job by Trump..
Enter Bill Barr.
62
Trump. Epstein. 24 young women. Now think about the infamous "Access Hollywood" tape. I think we are getting close to something here.
55
Did we read the same article ? Trump severed ties with Epstein when allegations about underage girls became public. Why equate the two men and their histories when the article clearly states they don’t share one ?
8
@Scott Sattler MD Can I ask you the same question. There was a falling out according to the orange buffoon. An we all know he doesn't lie.
4
@Scot Sattler MD
Why did Trump wait until Epstein’s behaviors became public? Sounds like Trump definitely knew about Epstein and girls, yet Trump didn’t think it was necessary to cut off relations with Epstein until the predatory behavior went public.
So, Trump had absolutely no moral qualms, just his own self-interest... worried about how public knowledge would affect Trump’s brand.
5
Also of note: Donald Trump, upon hearing of complaints regarding Epstein's behavior around young women at Mar a Lago, rescinded Epstein's membership and threw him out. President Trump stopped all interaction with Epstein at that time.
5
Not "upon hearing" of Epstein's behavior with young girls, only when it became public. Trump clearly knew exactly what his buddy was up to.
3
@G G Was that before or after Trump talked about being hot for his own daughter?
3
@G G Yeah, he's a real hero.
3
I never thought my respect for our president could get any lower, but it has hit well into negative territory. He is really a creep. Republicans, evangelicals and anyone who condones him are no better. Christian and moral standards are laughable at this point. The things they ignore in order to maintain power is like a knife in the back to what used to be the most respected office in the world.
56
The locker room, "lock her up" connection.
A deviant president only the National Inquirer could help create.
How many mess ups, misses, mistakes, errors, did it take to bring the US to its knees? The same idiocy that NBC brought to the 'Apprentice' brought Trump to the height of celebrity culture and the making of the presidency for entertainment value.
Trump, still a fan of Putin.
Signs of the fall.
21
This photo of alpha males in repose speaks a thousand words...and it was only a few years (decades) ago. The second coming of the (new) roaring 20's are coming real soon.
6
It’s great to see two friends, guys with shared interests, smiling and enjoying each other’s company. Thanks for the great pic.
16
He's probably "not a fan" after hearing about reports of a stash of lewd photographs that were found.
15
This is going to be great. Get lots of popcorn and settle down for this to all unfold. Talk about the fox in the hen house.
7
Guilt by association - an old journalistic ploy. I hope the NYT is going to 'take the high road' and focus on children. Avoid the 'click bait' journalism of FOX and MSNBC that only feeds conservative conspiracy theorists like Alex Jones, Hannity and the 'Q' outfit. For example, the Russian collusion investigation, the Kavanaugh accusations, the Pizzagate silliness, any Avenatti case, and the Sandy Hook conspiracy theories are almost alway proven to be either dead wrong, greatly exaggerated or thoroughly misunderstood. When Trump and Clinton are proven not to be pedophiles which is far more likely, the media will look foolish and Trump, as usual, will be largely vindicated. Then four more years!
3
Let's be honest about Donald Trump, aside from his thinking Jeffrey Epstein as a "Terrific Guy", we also know that the other thing Donald Trump has in common with the "Terrific Guy", is that Donald Trump also likes young beautiful girls, too.
14
Trump would throw his mother, his father and his children under the bus if he had to. The only person he would not accuse of anything is Donald Trump himself. He is of the lowest moral character, yet millions still approve of him as POTUS. There must be something wrong with the value system in America that such a flawed individual could have been elected as the "Leader" of the American government.
33
The old adage is proven more true every day: It’s easier to fool people than to convince them they’ve been fooled.
27
@RLW Uhhh, it's called the moral collapse of the United States of America.
2
Besides the exposure of Epstein’s predatory actions on children and Alex Acosta’s lame sentencing of Epstein, I struggled to find ANY possible good thing that came from this nauseating story. That GOOD THING IS THIS: we should ALL cheer for the fact that we have a FREE press as seen in the revealing series of stunning stories by Julie K. Brown in The Miami Herald. Kudos to Brown whose articles were acknowledged by the New York prosecutors in the actions they have taken.
33
Epstein is now in much the same corner as Cohen was -- namely, what can he trade with prosecutors to lessen his punishment? We shall see. Also interesting is the calculus Trump would have to make about whether to pardon the guy in exchange for keeping his mouth shut.
13
Who to believe? Are we to believe the Trump in the picture or the Trump who adjusts reality for his own benefit? I believe I'll take the picture. Pictures don't lie.
19
"The former president Bill Clinton has not been linked by prosecutors or officials to any of the current or previous accusations against Mr. Epstein", the Times said. Why Mr. Clinton has issued a statement?
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/09/nyregion/bill-clinton-jeffrey-epstein.html?action=click&module=Top%20Stories&pgtype=Homepage
2
What ... a surprise? Just Jeff, Don, and Bill hanging out. I mean when you're at the plutocratic apex that's what you do. After all, what should they do, just stay home and watch reruns of " Sex And The City "?
2
@BD
Except it is Donald Trump involved in actual litigation alleging that Trump and Epstein raped a woman when she was only 13 years old.
She filed as "Jane Doe" to retain her anonymity; yet, once Trump became the GOP nominee, she received numerous threats and for that reason she dropped her case.
I'd find it surprising if you could actually show me the litigation that accuses Bill Clinton and Epstein that Plaintiff "Jane Doe" filed.
When it comes to Trump, I can provide substantiation: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/nov/04/donald-trump-teenage-rape-accusations-lawsuit-dropped
So, when it comes to Bill Clinton, can you?
19
@Jbugko ... I readily admit that I often confuse names. Could this be the same woman that accused Judge Kavanaugh of sexual assualt?
@BD
Actually, it could be one of the 22 woman who have accused Donald Trump of rape or sexual assault.
1
What kind of creeps hire "calendar girls" to entertain for the two of them? I mean, this is seriously creepy, gross stuff. If these guys are so rich and as great and handsome as they think, why do they have to hire women to hang around with them? Aside from them being a pair of rapists, they're a pair of losers.
88
Within this article is a video entitled: “Who Is Jeffrey Epstein?”
The video explains how a man without a college degree is hired to teach math at an elite private school. Then, due to the “connections” he made as a math teacher, Epstein lands a job at an elite Wall Street investment bank (Bear Stearns).
The video fails to reference Vicky Ward’s reporting on Epstein, which dates back to 2003:
https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2003/03/jeffrey-epstein-200303
Ward’s recent piece penned yesterday states the following:
““Is the Epstein case going to cause a problem [for confirmation hearings]?” Acosta had been asked. Acosta had explained, breezily, apparently, that back in the day he’d had just one meeting on the Epstein case. He’d cut the non-prosecution deal with one of Epstein’s attorneys because he had “been told” to back off, that Epstein was above his pay grade. “I was told Epstein ‘belonged to intelligence’ and to leave it alone,” he told his interviewers in the Trump transition, who evidently thought that was a sufficient answer and went ahead and hired Acosta. (The Labor Department had no comment when asked about this.)”
https://www.thedailybeast.com/jeffrey-epsteins-sick-story-played-out-for-years-in-plain-sight?ref=scroll
The video explaining who Epstein is appears to be lacking some pertinent information.
28
Epstein's case is sordid and will ensnare a lot of high fliers, but probably not Trump. Though sleazy and lascivious, Trump's real focus has always been money and status. Teenage girls have neither so my bet is that Trump was on the periphery of Epstein's universe.
If he gets removed, it will be due to taxes and corruption. If he resigns, it will won't be from shame but to protect his family in some way. Trump is more thief than pervert.
7
@EE
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/nov/04/donald-trump-teenage-rape-accusations-lawsuit-dropped
Honestly, I'm just sick of Trump being the Teflon Con.
19
Clinton flew on Epsteins' jet dozens of times for "boys" outings, sans wives. Yea, Bill isn't a predator either. Forget all the women he fooled around with and who Hillary vilified. Yup, he and Epstein are NOT cut from the same cloth. Trump has a history of not being faithful to his wives and to say ugly things about women, if not actually committing assault. Yup, Trump's cut from the same cloth as Bill and Epstein. Powerful men, white and non-white, abuse women. Period. Politics has nothing to do with it. It is misogyny. It's statutory rape. It's a crime.
17
@ricocatx
Bill Clinton is still the only one who has actually sexually assaulted women. This is not in contention. Hillary tried to cover for him and destroy his victims. Not in contention either.
Anyone who voted for either of them should realize their moralizing is totally discounted. Just like the MeToo claims of Hillary's supporters.
2
This Epstein case makes it obvious that wealth and power essentially makes depraved, predatory, illegal activity legal in the USA. Harder to make the argument that Clintons have never been prosecuted is proof they have not done anything illegal, in good faith, isn’t it?
@AACNY Bone Spurs has a rape allegation from a 13 year old child. But keep playing whataboutisms if that makes you feel better. Neither Clinton is in office by the way.
Your morals must be missing if this is all you've got to defend your guy.
3
Much will be made of Trump’s comments excusing him from being a friend of Epstein for years. But this is just the way Trump rolls: If it happened years ago he knows that most people will shrug off unethical and immoral behavior. The Republicans have been doing it for decades and see no reason to stop. It’s such a winning technique for them.
13
@B. Rothman. It is ironic that the Party of Christian, moral and family values, of personal responsibility, of " All life is sacred", of anti-choice, of "character counts!", and of "real Americans" and patriotism, is also the party excusing the bottomless pit of Trump venality, immorality, even criminality, his saying he's the only one who matters...while then blaming someone else when things go wrong for him, which stays completely silent at every eruption of Trump sleaze, including this one, has turned its head to Trump's fealty to Putin and Putin's determination to take down our democracy, which is working....and a base which itself is so corrupt and amoral that all they care about is "whatever makes libs cry." We are truly a broken country, and the irony is that it's the Republican Party that broke us.
22
@Virginia
I've often wonder how the evangelicals manage to convince themselves that this is all ok. I truly wonder are they jealous and just dismiss all of this disgusting behavior? I can't reconcile this. Not that the Dems are pure of heart either, but the chest thumping bible clinging people still love the man and I don't understand how they manage to go to church every Sunday and make peace with themselves. Wonder still why no one from that side of the fence doesn't comment on this conundrum.
4
Is there anyone in Washington who is not found to be crook or sleazy when subject to simple vetting ?
Trump was elected by promising to clear the swamp. Clearly, he chose to surround himself with swamp creatures like himself.
However, the voting public still craves for honest government. Is there anyone worthy ?
8
No, I don't think so....
Barak Obama. Eight years of zero indictments, zero scandals.
93
@D.S.
This is not true, but I'm sure we will disagree on the definition of "scandal". No sexual scandals, sure, but at some point having made the "Lie of the Year" does count.
1
I love it that Mitch McConnell finds the humor in being the grim reaper, but when you think of Mitch McConnell his legacy aside from being a absolute Obstructionist who has presided over a completely Dysfunctional Republican Party; Mitch McConnell will be known as a totally corrupt man and as the Republican Leader that assisted Donald Trump in turning today's Republican Party into the Party of Pedophiles, Rapists, Sexual Predators, Misogynists, Abusers, Racists, Bigots, White Supremacists, Neo-Nazis and protectors of gun rights of Mass Killers.
73
Yes! Mr. McConnell would have been the consummate 1890's Democrat
1
@Bill
Well, Bill, he's todays prototypical Republican and Trump supporter.
You know Bill, Donald Trump, the rapist, sexual predator and racist.
3
@Bill
Well, Bill, it's 2019 and that's the consummate Republican Party Leader and supporter of the Sexual Predator and Rapist, Donald Trump.
2
There was no reason for Epstein to connect with Trump for business reasons. It sounds like the connection to Clinton had to do with money and the Clinton Foundation, while the connection to Trump was purely social. It also sounds like Trump knew well what Epstein was up to, re: young girls, and was not the least bit bothered by it and was even amused by it, while the Clinton statement at least notes Epstein's horrific crimes. Trump's statement on Secretary Acosta makes no mention whatsoever of Epstein's victims or crimes, yet again showing Trump's pattern of sociopathy when it comes to women being on earth for male pleasure. Add to that Trump's support of Roy Moore during his Senate run, also showing no concern whatsoever about the accusations of pedophilia against him, and Trump's admission that he would walk into pageant dressing rooms, with girls as young as 15 dressing, "because he could." The other pattern: Silence from Republican leadership on this, and the Trump base defending Trump while also trying to shift all Epstein Attention to Clinton. Quite a tightrope for the Trump Cult.
48
You didn't mention Putin. He elected Trump single handedly, and the White Supremists elected him also. And voter Suppression was the number one reason he was elected. Gerrymandering was the cause of Hilary's loss. And racism. Sexism had a major role too. A whole lot of excuses and now you're trying to tie him to Epstein and little girls. It never stops, and looks more pathetic every time.
6
Except for the inconvenient fact that all of the things you listed were each a piece of how Trump was elected. When you don't have an argument, brave straw men attacks will do.
2
@BorisRoberts. I mentioned Putin in another comment. This article is about Trump's ties to Epstein, so I limited this comment to that. But, since you mention it, I think gerrymandering is more about Congressional voting, not presidential; I think there is no doubt that Donald Trump was not only the choice of white supremacists (one of only three newspaper endorsements was the KKK's paper),but that he has brought simmering racist rage to a raging boil, backed up by a 17% increase in hate crimes since he became president, and certainly the irrational emphasis during the campaign on building a wall to keep brown people out, despite illegal crossing being at their lowest in decades. Sexism definitely played a huge role in Hillary's loss, and I think that is now backed up by what we've seen from Trump and Trumpers and Republicans where women are concerned, between the vulgarity spewed at women, calling women who accuse Trump and Kavanaugh liars, ugly, etc. - while absolutely believing Clinton's accusers, as well as the Draconian and Taliban-like taking away of a woman's right to choose to take a pregnancy totem or not...I'm not trying to tie Trump to Epstein. He is tied to him. We know that. And I simply stated facts, that Trump did campaign for Roy Moore and was completely unbothered by the accusations of pedophilia against him; and Trump did himself admit that he would go into pageant dressing rooms "because he was the owner and could do things like that."
1
Are you now or have you ever been a friend of Epstein? Liberals used to denounce guilt by association...now they embrace it. I am afraid Donald Trump has messed them up beyond repair.
6
A question, if you knew that a friend/co-worker had a thing for young girls would you report him/her to the authorities? Trump knew and made jokes about it.
26
@Hank
Liberals used to denounce a lot of things that they now embrace. Innocent until proven guilty is their biggest about face, sure. Now it's "I'm with her!" and "not enough evidence to indict but still guilty." There are myriad other values they've abandoned.
That is because they are now progressive ideologues and ideology dictates principles.
1
Epstein has already admitted his guilt.
2
The Fake President knew this was coming. Remember that he, along with Epstein, was accused in a lawsuit of raping one of the child victims who was part of Epstein’s network of girls. The lawsuit was mysteriously dropped just before the 2016 election (others have posted comments about this with links). It is no coincidence that Dershowitz is now one of Trump’s greatest defenders (and a past lawyer for Epstein) and that Acosta has a position in Trump’s administration (and negotiated with Dershowitz the sweetheart deal that Epstein got in Florida including non-prosecution of unnamed co-conspirators). And it is also no coincidence that one of the first executive orders implemented by the Fake President and a number of bipartisan Congressional bills signed by him address human trafficking. The “not a fan” of Epstein comment, the banning Epstein from the Fake President’s clubs and the White House’s focus on human trafficking as a human tragedy is all a set up for the Fake President to proclaim “fake news”, “witch hunt”, etc. when the bright lights are shined, more Epstein victims come forward, and Epstein (hopefully) tells all to save his own skin.
53
@Joel
"Fake President"??
What a joke.
The Left will never accept the fact that our President was legally elected to his position.
I'm sorry if you can't accept the fact that the electoral college is the body which puts a President into office from the results of an election. Hey, you can try to change generations of elections...good luck with that.
But, hey, I get why you are living in denial...it's very hard to accept the fact that the Dems blew it in 2016 And their embarrassment is scarring them beyond any level of objectivity. All the Left stand for is hatred of our President - nothing else matters.
And because of this hatred ... our President to be reelected in 2020..and you know it.
Thank you!
1
@DB
I voted for her ok. I accept her loss due to her hubris. What I will never accept is 10,000+ lies and counting from a man who lies as he breathes; has alienated our allies and has no clue as to what he is doing. And hopefully he will be removed from office by whatever means necessary whether it be by impeachment or losing the election. if this is all you've got then that's pretty sad.
5
It should be perfectly clear: Children are not 'young women'
62
Great photo. Is this picture the 2020 equivalent of Willie Horton?
Lock him up?
8
Trump and Epstein were co-accused of raping ...
..Katie Johnson
..a 13-year old girl in 1994.
Though the affidavit is searchable online, it was withdrawn because of death threats.
I hope Katie feels safe enough to come forward to SDNY now.
85
@GVB
I believe she was all set to come forward in 2016, but the death threats frightened her from coming forward, hopefully she will feel safe and compelled to come forward and tell her story.
33
@GVB
There was no affidavit. All there is is an unverified complaint, which was dismissed -- twice -- in NY and CA.
Doesn't it make sense that one sexual predator would discount the similar activities of another?
So Bill Clinton and Trump had no problem with this "terrific guy". Of course they didn't.
I would care more about Clinton's sleaze if he was still governing us...but it is Trump that shows over and over again what presidential corruption - both personal and professional - looks like today.
The worst president in modern history. The worst.
52
Why has there been no mention of the civil suits brought in 2016 (in CA and NY) by Katie Johnson (an alias) who accused Trump of joining with Epstein in soliciting sex acts from her at the age of 13? The suit was dismissed on a technicality in CA (she represented herself and put in a wrong address) and she rescinded the charges in NY saying she and her family had been been threatened. But in light of recent events, would this not bear more scrutiny?
83
I concur! She withdrew the suit no because it wasn’t true, but because of the threats. PLEASE let this see the light of day so that her rapists never do again.
16
Lest we forget the numerous stories of Trump entering the dressing rooms of his pageants, unannounced, to see the girls and women in various states of undress. Is it that our President shares more than just a “love of women” with Epstein, could it be that both share a fondness for those below the legal age?
31
Most of us probably don't know anybody in prison but people associated with Trump seem to get shipped out on a regular basis.
42
Not so much as a peep here from anyone representing Trump’s evangelical base. No surprise there since they long ago decided to ignore Trump’s history of sexual assault. Now they can ignore pedophilia and human trafficking. What’s next on the moral majority’s list of things Trump that they choose to ignore? Cannibalism?
83
@Victor James
Likely because they don't despise him and look for any opportunity to trash him?
1
@Victor James I'm surprised more every day at the lack of anything coming from the bible thumpers. Why the silence?
1
“But through a mutual appreciation of wealth and women,“ Predators plain and simple.
16
These are the Elites, people we emulate and aspire to be. I think not. They should aspire to be us.
16
After a brief meeting with our president , who explained that 'truth' was simply what he(our president) said it was, Diogenes ended his search for an honest man. Coincidentally, he was given a small residence to spend his remaining time.
5
Won't stick this time either Epstein just has too much money to do serious time. I see lots of public money spent on prosecution and a LOT of billable hours for a lot of attorneys and a lot of time spent writing about it from every angle with little help for his victims while all this is unwinding......
6
Trump lies like a rug. On inconsequential matters as well as everything else. So, why should anyone believe him now? I am sure his relationship with Epstein was, at minimum, mutually beneficial. These guys are completely transactional people. There is always a "fair exchange". So, were girls involved?
15
"I'm not a fan?" That sounds like something someone would say about a second-string shortstop, not a guy convicted of, and now accused again, of sex crimes involving under-age girls. Does nothing outrage Trump (other than having to slink around everyday in Obama's expanding shadow and young men of color accused of, but not guilty of, crime)?
18
Michael Cohen can likely shed some light on the relationship between Mr. Trump and Mr. Epstein.
26
Is it possible that there's an even bigger sleazebag than Donald Trump?? Epstein has been accused of abusing hundreds of girls, whereas Trump has only been accused by 22 women (some of them girls at the time). Yet they both retained legal teams to "handle" these situations.
17
You would be surprised by how many Democrats hate Clinton. But negative opinions about the Clinton are not allowed in the neoliberal Democratic Party.
@JePensec
Clinton is not president, is he?
4
@Zejee So wrong. At least the naysayers aren't blocked on twitter. Sad your guy can't accept criticism. He can sure dish it out though. Poor snowflake.
2
Somewhere a squeaky clean ex-president must be wondering out loud, "My God Shellye, could you imagine if I had done ANY of this? Oh, but there was that TAN suit."
19
@rab
Yes, that sounds exactly like an Obama.
2
"In those days, if you didn't know Trump and you didn't know Epstein, you were a nobody." Coming from a guy who was a distinguished Harvard law professor in those days, this fatuous boast says a lot about Alan Dershowitz, renowned for doing legal work for the likes of Harry Reems, Jim Bakker, Claus von Bulow, O.J. Simpson and, more recently, Harvey Weinstein. I guess if you didn't also know those guys, you were a super-nobody.
30
Lots of drama from Liberals.
Anything to take a swipe at President Trump.
The President who has made life better for every one of them.
7
Funny how criminality is just drama when it's your Republican President, but lies are somehow devastating truth when it's a Democrat. Hypocrisy, thy name is Republican,
6
@Dr. John Yes, tiki torch marches in Virginia accompanied by the chant “Jews will not replace us” was a secret dream all liberals were secretly hoping for. Along with the Wall That Mexico Paid For, thank goodness Trump is making our lives better.
4
So the sexual abuse of teenagers is fine as long as the stock market goes up.
5
“In those days, if you didn’t know Trump and you didn’t know Epstein, you were a nobody,” said Alan Dershowitz, the longtime Harvard University Law School professor who later served on Mr. Epstein’s defense team when he was charged with unlawful sex with minors in 2006.
I've never been a huge fan of Dershowitz, and after reading that pitiful statement, I know why.
What a sad, pathetic comment.
Based upon the ostensibly brilliant career as a Harvard Law professor and high profile attorney that he's enjoyed, to make a comment such as that reveals much about the man, none of it positive.
Who knew one's life couldn't be complete without knowing those two?
27
@JayK
If you read the contents of Esptein's black book, you'll see names like Eli Wiesel.
So Derschowitz seems to know what he's talking about.
2
@Viv It's likely that a player like Epstein asked for the phone number of everyone he met at high flyer parties in NYC and Palm Beach. That he could had run across Eli Wiesel at some point is hardly a 'connection.'
However, Dershowitz sought out and slavered over contact with Epstein, Trump, and OJ (would YOU want to be in the same room as an accused knife murderer with an anger management problem?) Dershowitz seems inordinately attracted to uber-rich criminal perverts. Does he just like their money or is something else at play here? How much you wanna bet ALL these players have every room in their mansions bugged for sound and video? There's undoubtedly so much kompromat floating around that both Christopher Steele and Vladimir Putin would be shocked.
3
@Viv You'll also see the likes of Alec Baldwin, and even Ivanka.
At least Trump isn't trying to deny he even knew him...
11
@Barry Williams
He can't he's quoted in NY Magazine. He can't very well call that fake news.
1
@Margo Channing Such hasn't stopped him before. How many times has he lied about things about which there is even video proof?
Trump to Epstein he is a 'Terrific Guy', fast forward to 2019, Trump to Epstein 'Not My Type '.
Which is is Mr President.
11
Barr is stepping back in... NOT RECUSED. No bail for Epstein. That means Trump is guilty of deeds with Epstein and they fear he or the accomplices will turn on Trump. OBVIOUS! What is the AG afraid of?
23
@Ms M. There is no logical reason for Barr to unrecuse unless he is about to become, once again, the President's attorney instead of the United States's attorney.
Barr is one of those people who thinks a President IS the United States, which is the thinking of a royalist - so NOT what the Founders had in mind, presumably. I say presumably, knowing that there was that moment at the start when they would have allowed Washington to be hailed King...
12
This creep got off too lightly last time, and if possible should get more time for those earlier convictions. He also seems to have done more crimes since and should never see freedom again assuming those charges are true.
Anyone who was his long-time pal—I’m thinking Barr and Trump now—should be investigated to see if they were involved in doing the same horrors, and to see if they helped Epstein evade justice. To be fair, even though they apparently knew Epstein for a far shorter time, guys like Clinton and Prince Andrew should come under scrutiny.
It makes the Barr elevation to AG even more interesting, doesn’t it? Barr has known him for a very long time. Hmmm.
I wonder what secrets Epstein knows about Acosta, Trump, Barr and Vance.
18
Mr. Epstein is about to find out what kind of “friend” he has in Mr. Trump.
7
Let's hope what Mueller failed to do in his written report on Trump Epstein's prosecutors will nail, with photographic evidence.
14
One "a terrific guy," now "not a fan." But why is Barr injecting himself into the Epstein case?
21
@Christy
Maybe Epstein knows a few secrets about Barr, who has known Epstein even longer than Trump
17
Interesting how Trump had a falling out, or otherwise stopped talking to Epstein 10-15 years ago, which would be around the the time Epstein was being investigated and charged, leading up to his 2008 plea.
16
I don't know if Trump and Clinton ever had criminal sexual contact with females of an age too young to give consent.
I don't know what happened at an exclusive party whose guest list was limited to 20 or so young females and the adult and old Trump and Epstein.
I do know that Trump's Evangelicals base personify the hypocrisy Rhett Butler succinctly captures when he tells Scarlett, "...all virtue is merely a matter of prices."
To Evangelicals, with Trump, it's not too high a price to pay to abandon their self-proclaimed virtues of strict adherence to sexual fidelity and avoidance of debauchery.
At any price, their pre-occupation with how consenting adults achieve their orgasms must be protected from anti-discrimination laws and they must legally invade and interfere with the private medical decisions of women.
And yet, they find it easy to look the other way when it comes to a man who paid off a sex worker just after his third wife gave birth to his fifth child, bragged about his inappropriate interactions with women, and has it insinuated about him, fairly or not, that he violated boundaries by knowingly walking in on young beauty pageant contestants while they were changing their clothes.
Be careful, Evangelicals. Trump has a well-established record of abandoning those he no longer finds useful. If he's re-elected, with not another election to worry about, he'll want to save his brand and you might be the first on his list to be cut-off.
32
@Jung and Easily Freudened
Trump's Evangelical base is smart enough to elect a president who delivers for them.
2
@AACNY
Their blind, fawning support of Trump makes them hypocrites of the highest order. But, apparently, they don't have a problem with it. If that's the case, they need to stop calling themselves "Christian." Jesus Christ had a rather dim view of this kind of "moral" expediency.
3
@AACNY
Any means justify the ends doesn’t sound much like Jesus.
4
No question, Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein are birds of the same feather. Trump's statement says very clear when he says in the open: Jeffrey is "a terrific guy who likes beautiful women as much as I do." But why has the American Law not been applied to Donald Trump yet? Is it because he is president of the United States of America? I feel sorry for my American friends who cannot feel proud of their president.
30
Thank you Ottawa for your empathy. Our Canadian and Mexican neighbors have been very restrained in their criticism of the USA under Trump. We continue to endure this President’s term and have largely become deadened to revelations about his behavior. The fact that not a single Republican politician will condemn his actions is particularly disheartening. Please try to remember the America before Trump. Hopefully we’ll return to a political system that works after the next election and a President we can all support.
12
Reminder: the role of the people in a democracy is to hold our electeds accountable. Pride? Secondary.
2
“Trump said, ‘I kicked him out of the clubs when this stuff became public, and I made sure NBC knew,’” Mr. Nunberg recalled.
And there you have it. Trump didn't care about "this stuff" until "it became public."
61
"Terrific Guy,’ Donald Trump Once Said. Now He’s ‘Not a Fan.’ That says everything about trump. Matter of fact, everytime mr trump has a friend or an appointment to his great cabinet, They are the best, then he forgets he ever knew them. UK ambassador has it right! Too bad UK won't stand up. Sounds familiar in our own congress.
12
Where is the surprise? Trump evaluates the heroes of World Unity with contempt. Killers and National leaders who threaten our very existence are:"Really Good Guys."
When will this USA destruction expert stand down? Does anyone doubt who the true enemy of the people of America is?
That person just cost taxpayers nearly 5 million dollars (considering National Parks contribution) to magnify his glory of the same military he lied and projected false medical reports to serve himself during Vietnam. What a remarkable hero.
13
Yes, Bill Clinton is going to be stained by his connection to Epstein.
But Clinton is gone from office and Trump isn’t.
Trump appears to have barred Epstein over a business deal not over the young women.
That fits the pattern. Women, ok but don’t mess with Trump’s money.
Hopefully SDNY will be able to make a case against Donald as being aware of Epstein’s actions and not reporting it or maybe even taking part in them.
663
@Qcell Just because Trump admires a pedophile’s taste in victims (see the quote attributed to Trump regarding Epstein), that doesn’t mean Trumps is also a serial sexual assaulter. It just means Trump admires a pedophile’s taste in victims.
But, yeah...just another “tiresome effort to associate” Trump with well-reported behavior. We know his supporters don’t care. That’s why we call them hypocrites.
42
@Tom
It is all about business and brand for trump.
Similar to his stand on climate change. It's just a bunch of young girls (it's just climate change)....why should he worry?
22
I don't know if you are dense, but the 22 year old photo is not the last evidence of contact between them in the article.
35
I love the way the president is backtracking when there's ample evidence that he partied with Epstein, likely frequently at these "gatherings" of young girls and only two leches.
It's totally creepy, frankly. Trump was surely aware of this guy's predilections, given how he made sure to include exactly what type of "beautiful women" Epstein preferred. To call underage girls "women" is a travesty.
I'm sure evidence will surface in discovery at his trial that a number of the rich and famous were associated with events involving bad behavior. Potential witnesses to Epstein's crimes might also surprise many.
Donald Trump's bad boy behavior is catching up with him, but this time, possibly as even just an extraneous part of a sex ring. I'm curious to see how he absolves himself from this one.
538
@ChristineMcM
I can't wait for the day when it will be almost impossible to find anyone who voted for Trump.
30
@ChristineMcM
Its not backtracking. Its lying.
29
@ChristineMcM
Trump and Epstein are forever linked.
And where are our moral evangelicals today?
41
“Trump said, ‘I kicked him out of the clubs when this stuff became public, and I made sure NBC knew,’” Mr. Nunberg recalled.
That's the nutshell version of Trump's life. His whole family keeps blathering about the "brand" and as soon as someone starts to stink up the joint, no matter whether it's due to personal misfortune or rancid behavior, and regardless of how tight they were the day before, they're history. Forgotten history, to be exact.
Trump is loyal to the core, but only to Donald Trump.
740
@KJ "When this stuff became public" and he knew he was in danger, but not before.
67
@Ms M.
Because Trump and Epstein were abusing the teens together. He said at the Taj Mahal about a 10 year old girl going up the elevator i will be dating her in a few more years. Disgusting ,man we have as a President.
94
@D.j.j.k.; Remind us of what he said about his own daughter!
5
So many chances to save these children by alerting the authorities. But Trump's response to a pool full of underaged girls is a one-liner rather than action.
These children could not give consent. How many rapes could have been avoided if one of the high placed and powerful witnesses had a conscience? But who did Trump alert once he saw that it was going to become public? Not the police but NBC - out of concern for his reputation, not the children.
992
Do you think the same about Bill Clinton?
20
@JJ
If the same level of involvement and knowledge about Epstein surfaces from Clinton, sure.
Barr has known Epstein even longer than a Trump. I wonder about his elevation to AG. To protect Trump and himself, maybe?
144
@JJ. Nancy Pelosi has already been on record as stating that this case may reveal culpability by DEM party favorites and that we will have to let the chips fall where they may. I fully agree with her. Anyone who turned a blind eye to Epstein's criminal behavior should be held accountable.
217
"I can’t have him going after younger girls,’” Mr. Houraney remembers. “He said, ‘Look I’m putting my name on this. I wouldn’t put my name on it and have a scandal.’” Houraney's concern was for his own reputation. Not the girls involved. Not even the morality. Just himself. These men are all the same.
1072
@klr. In the matter of child sexual abuse, it is my experience that people close the perpetrator and victims have some awareness and fail to act. They hope someone will but do not themselves want to become involved.
34
@klr:
>>> “He said, ‘Look I’m putting my name on this. I wouldn’t put my name on it and have a scandal.’”
>>> Houraney's concern was for his own reputation.
You misread the quote, which has an *included* quote: Houraney quoting Trump. Nothing reported by or quoted in the article suggests that Houraney's concern was for his reputation. That was Trump.
Apparently, more than 300 others either also misread it or simply accept your misreading. I understand: Trump is so toxic that people tend to abandon critical thinking, and even careful reading. But we shouldn't.
69
@Douglas Thanks for the correction. I did indeed misread it -- it was the first "I said" that threw me. I thought Houraney was quoting himself again. Your point is well taken.
45
It has been reported that Epstein’s private airplane was nicknamed “The Lolita Express.” Donald Trump, Bill Clinton and many more celebrities were known to have partied with Epstein. Were they ever on that airplane?
10
Interesting that Trump didn't see a problem until Epstein's depravity became public.
59
"Only the best people."
Judging from what we know so far, the "best people" include child sex offenders, porn stars, wife-beaters, tax cheats, trash publishers, professionals who engaged in sexual harassment, free-wheeling spenders of taxpayer dollars (Pruitt, Price, Mnuchin et al) and white supremacists to name but a few.....
If we are known by the company we keep, what we know about Donald J. Trump should make anyone run for cover whenever he uses that term.
45
So Trump knew children were being sexually abused and didn't speak up. I wish a reporter would ask him about this.
38
Having stated his lust for his daughter Ivanka, and being known for not liking to share, I'm sure Trump would never have let Epstein near her.
@DR
Trump will just say "Fake news! Fake news from the failing NYT!"
Thanks for your excellent reporting Annie Karni, Maggie Haberman, NYT. We owe you.
The report quotes: “In those days, if you didn’t know Trump and you didn’t know Epstein, you were a nobody,” said Alan Dershowitz, the longtime Harvard University Law School professor who later served on Mr. Epstein’s defense team when he was charged with unlawful sex with minors in 2006.
That's a perfect example of the priorities, lack of character, and intellectual shortcomings of Alan Dershowitz.
Despite knowing Trump and Epstein, Dershowitz always was, and always will be ... a nobody.
As for Donald Trump, he swims in the sewers.
57
You would think Alan Dershowitz would have decided to sit this one out when he was asked for a quote. (Also: Why hasn't the Times been investigating Epstein for years? People say, 'Everyone knew.' Well, if everyone knew that he was messing around with underage girls and running a sex trafficking operation, why didn't you investigate? Why didn't you investigate Trump?)
15
@Amelia
Those are good points. The Miami Herald did the painstaking work here and deserve all the credit. The Times has done some great work documenting what a fraud Trump has always been, but they didn't bother with any of that until he became President. The common response in both cases is "everyone knew"....
15
Respectfully, there are dozens of pressing issues for the Times to cover and the obsession with Epstein is feeding some sort of symbiotic need between the Times and certain of its readers. Any astute reader got the issue already. I wonder whether such tabloidism promotes our eroding polity.
10
@Michael
It's called the "Trump bump", which The Times experiences whenever it can gin up a controversy on the president. The more salacious the more ammunition it provides the anti-Trump warriors. And they'll pay for it.
2
@Michael No, there is more to this story that involves Trump and the public must read it in the media. You need to read it too since you are minimizing it's importance to the national discussion about Trump's fitness for office.
https://www.scribd.com/doc/316341058/Donald-Trump-Jeffrey-Epstein-Rape-Lawsuit-and-Affidavits
16
@Michael "Certain of its readers"= women.
5
Well, what did you expect. Very predictable. We know that Predator Don has been a great admirer of Epstein; he is a fellow Predator and rapist; Epstein is uber-wealthy, well-connected and avoids paying taxes--Donnie's kind of guy. Turning his back on his old pal is not surprising--I am sure he wants to distance himself from an investigation of Epstein's exploits-criminal acts, since Donnir may be implicated. Fasten your seat belts, it could become a very bumpy ride for the Donnie, Bill and other members of the political/celebrity class who hobnobbed with Epstein.
25
@Sage The reporter who broke the story for the Miami Herald says Bill Clinton won't be implicated. "There is no there there," she stated firmly on the Rachel Maddow show.
9
Just a reminder that the President of the United States in a joint TV interview with his daughter was asked what they had in common. He said “Sex.”
79
“Before a show, I’ll go backstage and everyone’s getting dressed, and everything else, and you know, no men are anywhere, and I’m allowed to go in because I’m the owner of the pageant and therefore I’m inspecting it,” he said. “You know, I’m inspecting because I want to make sure that everything is good......You know, they’re standing there with no clothes. ‘Is everybody okay?’.....and you see these incredible looking women, and so, I sort of get away with things like that."
- Donald Trump in 2005 on beauty pageant management
Jeffrey Epstein's kind of guy.
318
@Socrates. Again, widely reported prior to the election but appears to send up no red flags with so many voters. For the life of me I will never, ever understand his appeal. His own words consistently confirm that Trump is a sewer rat, and they always have.
89
@Socrates
To be fair, adult beauty pageant contestants are at least 18. That seems to be too old for Epstein.
6
@Viv
Trump also "owned" the Miss Teen USA pageants - which were girls from the age of 14 - 18, so he also walked in on partially clothed girls as young as 14.
28
Any chance that Emperor Trump might be lying about that ‘Terrific Guy’ — or the Emperor’s relationship to this other “Empire-thinking” sex abusing fellow insane billionaire.
9
Not to say that Trump is wrong to throw Epstein under the bus. Only to say that the space under Trump's bus is getting very crowded.
75
“Trump said, ‘I kicked him out of the clubs when this stuff became public, and I made sure NBC knew,’”
10
Would the DNC or some 2020 candidate (or even a PAC - thanks, Citizens United) start running national ads that shed light on Trump-Epstein connection? Please!
13
No, Trump is not a fan
More like an air conditioner
He needs hair conditioner
How very cool is that?
5
What would you expect from Trump, a man who built his life on lies, betrayal, selfishness and cowardice?
In any case he would be ready to revert his “I am not a fan” to “Epstein is my close friend” if the wind would change in favor of the pedophile.
Yes, this is the integrity of the president.
12
Why didn’t the SDNY turn the case over to the State AG? I can see that if there’s a chance that Epstein can implicate The President or his cronies in illicit behavior, a presidential pardon will be dangled and we will never know the truth. Maybe these are the hidden reason Acosta agreed to such a light sentenceto begin with.
8
It's interesting in that it seemed like Trump and his campaign were all frothed up over the forthcoming issue of the National Enquirer on Epstein's connection to the Clintons, but now it looks like the Epstein connection to Donald Trump went a lot deeper and much more perverse than anyone could have imagined.
I wonder if the Evangelicals still stand with Trump and his perverted taste and lifestyle?
14
Sure they do.
1
Epstein seemed to have lots of friends in high places, including Bill Clinton and Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr., who as the prosecutor in 2011 sought to downgrade Mr. Epstein’s sex-offender status in New York where he was required to register because he had a home.
This isn't a Republican vs. Democrat issue, but rather evidence of how politicians seem to coddle up to rich folks who can help them financially or otherwise.
30
This isn't politics. This is a full-scale tragedy.
19
What is clear from Epstein's Florida agreement is that some very powerful, well-connected people were involved in that settlement. As I see it, there are four important elements: 1) Epstein was getting a very lenient punishment for his known offenses, removing any incentive on his part to expose other participants; 2) he was being shielded from future prosecutions, again reducing future exposure, embarrassment, or legal culpability for others; 3) four known accomplices were shielded from investigation, and; 4) and legal protection was provided for any unknown participants discovered in the future.
This unusual arrangement was noteworthy for the level of protection afforded unknown principals. It seems clear that Epstein had powerful extortionary leverage over extremely influential people that enabled him to enlist their help in arranging this deal. It also appears that he may have had similar leverage over the South Florida legal community, allowing him to force through a secret deal which would not have withstood public scrutiny.
Who has the kind of power to marshal such an agreement? One can speculate, but there is simply not enough information presently available for anything but a guess. This sordid affair must be investigated thoroughly, and the culpable parties must be exposed and punished, no matter who they may be. It is safe to assume they will be prominent people, but so be it. Anything less than unemotional justice is unsatisfactory.
49
@hhhman
Worth looking into any promises made to, or connections with, Cyrus Vance Jr. Prosecutors in NY have been known to skew their prosecutions based on big promises.
2
You don’t seem to be the slightest bit concerned about the gross immorality of sexual assault abuse of young girls and the cover up.
Reminiscent of the language and quotes in “Fire and Fury.” I’m not even slightly surprised. I’m sure Trump envied Epstein and wondered how he could compete despite much smaller resources.
9
I don't think Trump was into such young girls. I'm not a fan of Trump, but this would surprise me and lower my opinion of him below what I thought was even possible. What this situation brings to mind is: Why are so many in power protecting Epstein? Who else are they also protecting this case? Epstein has videos. What a movie this is going to be!
7
@Sharon Levine
Don't think. Use your intuition.
A grown man with a pool full of underage girls?!? To joke about it is to condone it. To condone it is to be complicit. This is our president. Our president. No morals and no spine.
That's why he is so boastful. Just another super rich kid getting another pass....
9
Following Trump's public treatment of the FBI when he first took office, it's not out of the question that the agents looking through the goodies in Epstein's safe won't look they other way if they find something with Trump's name or pictures.
23
@AG
It doesn't help that the same people "shocked" turned a blind eye when it suited them, even as recently as the last presidential election. And I'm not talking about Trump.
3
@JS
Reading these comments is sobering but very strange. The idea that somehow America has no moral compass now, all of a sudden, because of Epstein, or Trump, is way off. Our country has exploited each class of people in turn its entire existence starting with the native Indians. It has used and abused any and all without power, from women to immigrants, to gays, to blacks, to workers, to the poor. This simply pulls the veneer of gentility from what has been a very unsavory enterprise. Look closely: you look in a mirror America.
268
Hello Ag,
I have been a student of the genocide committed by the first USA settlers against the Indians and right up until this moment-as you know- it continues as a national disgrace as to how they are treated.
I never have been a supporter of our economic system and our policiies regarding ownership of land and those two things were always at at the root of our inhumanity as a nation.
I appreciate your comment but I ask you to go farther in your own search for justice and truth:
I now study in phenomenally well taught courses, all of which are free and open to the public, at the historic Henry George School of Social Science on E. 38th st. in NYC, and I recommend you and any of the public to go there. It is a place of true enlightenment..
1
it's all about Trump. it's not about Epstein or anyone else. it's all about Trump. classic narcissism.
11
It seems like site these small time Billionaires ( below 5 B ) are paying politicians from both parties to spin in their orbits. After all T rump was giving to opposite sides so he could have the ear of whoever won.
Interesting that in Texas even in low level races those who need political favors give equal amounts to both sides.
The bigger Billionaires like the Koch Brothers tend to align themselves with conservative agendas whereas folks like Soros go the other way.
Me, I have never made a monetary contribution to any politician. Of course my net worth was never over 600 K. and that was two decades ago. It's much smaller now.
3
Let’s recap.
Trump praises Epstein as a ‘terrific guy’.
Trump hails Alex Jones for his ‘amazing reputation.’
We could go on. But you get the picture.
35
Trump would be far worse than this criminal, if investigated properly. Many of the symptoms and proof are already there. But political and religious (far worse than political, it seems), mainly Evangelical, allegiance of so many Americans seem to care less either about self-declared high moral of religion and even the security and development of our country.
Just check this TIME article-
//On June 21, the writer E. Jean Carroll came forward with a vivid and disturbing claim that Donald Trump raped her in a department store in the 1990s. She is the 22nd woman to allege that Trump committed acts of sexual misconduct..
..But why? The American evangelical church isn’t so weak that it needs Trump’s version of secular salvation. It has become so strong that it exercises veto power over the political prospects of any Republican nominee.
Yet the church is acting as if it needs Trump to protect it. It’s repulsive. And so long as this fear continues, expect the church’s witness to degrade further. In seeking protection from its perceived enemies, the church has lost its way.
It’s time for evangelicals to exercise their political veto power. America’s conservative people of faith should seek a primary challenger to Trump and send a message to the GOP that it will not compromise any longer. And it should do so from a position of confidence–and faith. //
https://time.com/5615617/why-evangelicals-support-trump/
9
@bonku, ddid you not read the recent article about the son of Liberty University's founder needing to get out of a jamb in Miami, FL? The religious choice and backing was for Ted Cruz, until jr and his wife needed the services of Trump's former fixer, Michael Cohen. The price was switching allegiance to Trump and away from Cruz.
2
@sj. Thanks. Did not know it before :)
BTW, are you talking about this- https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/trump-jerry-falwell-jr-miami-beach-pool-boy-evangelical-explained-850380/
Two days ago I predicted Donald Trump would now say he did not know Jeffrey Epstein. But this time he cannot seem to wiggle out of this one.
Donald Trump is a sleaze. Imagining this culprit with girls the age of my granddaughter makes my skin crawl. Nauseated.
Trump has stolen so much from us: the safety of our country by becoming buddies with Russia, North Korea, Saudi Arabia; environment protection by appointing cabinet members who put money over long term resources of our country; public school education by defunding mandated by Betsy DeVos who does not even have a college degree in education; friendship of long time foreign allies, and more.
But putting this country in continued moral jeopardy around the world, fooling around with underage girls, partying with a pedophile in a private “showing” who he has acknowledged, is inexcusable.
Trump gave warning about his disrespect prior to the 2016 election. You think he was kidding when he laughed with Billie Bush about groping? He thought it was hilarious. You think the women who accused him of sexual encounters were kidding when they spoke out about these encounters, not to mention Trump’s third wife with a new child of his?
We Americans who treasure this country are disgusted to say the least with Donald Trump. Voters knew going into the election about his demeanor. Trump might have forsaken us, but our fellow Americans who voted for him really threw the rest of us right under this bus.
113
@MIMA: The whole US political system looks like psychopathy to people who live in parliamentary democracies that can hold snap elections when confidence in an administration is lost.
19
@MIMA
You're angry? Imagine how angry Trump voters were at the rigged system to have voted him in. They new all about him: he's been around for a generation.
It was a "none of the above" vote, meant to to poke a finger in the eye of the government and pull the pillars of the temple down. Given he is a constant cheat and a billionaire, to have believed he was the working man's advocate was beyond foolish.
9
@AG more like a thousandaire
1
The reason that these stories seem to many to go light on Clinton and hard on Trump is simple. They may or may not both be guilty, but Trump is the biggest star in the world, which is exactly what he wanted all along.
7
Apparently, Epstein’s perverted and illegal behavior was observed by numerous individuals who did nothing to protect the children involved. Those persons who avoided or refused to work with Epstein did so only to protect their own reputations or women or girls they knew personally. No one cared about the young girls. This attitude now infects the GOP as they ignore the despicable treatment of children on the border or Americans kids living in poverty.
62
This article kind of leaves Trump off the hook. There are no details about the alleged “falling out”, and instead we get a Roger Stone anecdote printed verbatim!
Leave it to Maggie Haberman to help the White House with the spin!
Even the language used: “A mutual appreciation for wealth and women.”
Making sexual abuse sound quaint, like collecting wine or cigars.
Shame!
94
@Corbin
Yes. What's with this woman. She's been a Trumpists opinion writer - not a reporter.
1
Epstein, Roy Moore, Bret Kavanugh, Trump himself, it is OK to molest women no matter their age and virtually no Republican appears to pay a price. Acosta is still the labor secretary. And guess what? Trump is still the President. It appear there is no crime that a Trump administration official or ally can commit, conspiracy to subvert democracy, obstruction of justice in plain sight (including murder) that will make any difference to the Republican cognoscenti. At long last they have no shame. The Republican solution? Hyper partisan gerrymandering, other suppression, stealing votes, you name it and they will do it.
31
Isn’t there a single Republican brave enough to condemn this beyond heinous tragedy?
23
Obviously not
Anyone connected with Jeffrey Epstein is permanently stained by the connection, and that obviously includes Donald Trump.
There has never been an adequate explanation of Epstein’s ability to engage in sex with underage girls with seeming immunity in Palm Beach and in West Palm Beach.
There also has never been any credible justification for the ridiculous sweet-heart plea deal given to Epstein by the prosecutor, whereby Epstein had only to sleep a few hours in the local jail each night for about a year.
That deal, of course, was brokered by our current Secretary of Labor, Alex Acosta, appointed by Donald Trump, who was very familiar with Epstein and with Acosta’s role.
Perhaps the New York crimes of Jeffrey Epstein will be prosecuted with fairness to Epstein’s victims, but that still will not expunge the Trump connection.
390
@sdw
Don't forget the Bill Clinton connection, nor the Cyrus Vance connection. It was Vance, who as prosecutor in 2011 sought to downgrade Epstein's sex offender status in New York.
23
@J. Waddell
The Bill Clinton Connection has been documented and is NO WHERE near or the same type of sexual escapades that Epstein and Trump enjoyed as buddies.
55
@J. Waddell
You're absolutely correct, but the devil is in the details. Without going into those details now, J. Waddell, the important fact is that neither Clinton nor Vance is our current president. Nor is either man is running for president in 2020.
Donald Trump is both our current president and the presumptive Republican nominee for president in 2020. Trump's supporters would love to distract voters from the Epstein scandal by dragging in anyone else they can.
80
As much as Trump doth protest too much about his past relationship with Epstein (even relating that their friendship soured/ended after Epstein hit on the daughter of another Trump buddy at Mara Lego), and although Epstein doesn’t seem to be the sharpest knife in the drawer, vis a vis the hoard of material he held onto and that was seized Monday, is it not likely that Epstein proffered dirt on MANY, including Trump, to Accosta, who then went easy on Epstein years ago, but was able to call in his marker once Trump slimed his way into the presidency? Can Trump cut Accosta loose, knowing what Accosta knows that Epstein may (or may not) have on Trump et al?
If, as has been given as the reason for Trump’s rape accuser backing off of bringing a suit against Trump, these people play for keeps, like, you know, the mob, why did Cyrus Vance try and press for a reduction in Epstein’s offender status? Who does Vance know or care about that Epstein has dirt on? Or was he just flat out threatened? Who else leaned on Vance and why?
6
Let me put a big surprise face on---Donald knowing Jeffrey..Come on, of course they were buds--both have the same taste and broken moral compass. I wonder if Donald is a bit nervous about all those CD's and pictures floating around in Epstein's townhouse? Sadly, even a questionable photo was found, his base, yes, even with minor children involved, would give him a pass.
19
Twenty-eight women/girls flown in just for Trump and Epstein, huh?
And both trying to set up a modeling agency racket.
[Did you say one of them is the president of the United States?]
112
I suppose Epstein is "not his type".
12
So Jeffrey Epstein has gone the way of Michael Cohen. Inner circle, to hardly knew, to cast aside. Selective amnesia to distance oneself from the crime scene.
One would wager that Epstein too, has information that would make Donald very uncomfortable, at a minimum an understanding of the inner machinations of Trump Models, which was thought by many to be a very sleazy operation in a notoriously exploitative industry. Recall that David Pecker was granted immunity by the SDNY in its investigation into Individual 1’s campaign finance violations, the investigation that ultimately sent Michael Cohen to jail. David Pecker is a treasure trove of information. And it is the Public Corruption Unit of the SDNY that is involved. If my recollection serves me correctly, the last time they intersected with the sex crimes unit was in the Eliot Spitzer case.
There is much at stake here. No doubt Epstein cultivated a panoply of wealthy, powerful men. He was bipartisan, for sure. And we need to be, when the names get named. Let criminal defense lawyers defend the accused, not talking heads or the twitter sphere. Anyone who abused these underage girls needs to be brought to justice.
12
Good. Don't let the media circus about Jeffrey Epstein let Donald Trump off the hook, especially after the recent charge of rape by E.Jean Carroll who's the 24th women to accuse him of sexual assault. We must never lose focus that we have a Predator-in-Chief who slithers away from all charges as the 24/7 media moves on to the next outrage. And as disgusting as Epstein is; Trump trumps him! He rapes then claims "she's not my type" which is a tacit admission that he has type. We need a true reckoning, but, at best (worst?), Jeffrey Epstein is the poster boy for Donald Trump.
38
Trump walks into a party with 28 young girls and one other middle aged man and stays? And Clinton walks into a house where painted eyeballs designated for wounded warriors and figurines of half naked servants grace shelves and doesn’t immediately walk out?
These guys are pigs: rich entitled and powerful pigs. May they all rot in Hell.
77
The persistent presidential characteristic seems to be that he believes none of us has the ability to remember (which could be a reflection of his own capability). And that previous actions have consequences ONLY for his enemies. Of course, his "friends" seem to move to the enemies list pretty quickly once any backlash theirs (and his) actions starts to emerge.
Did I say friends? He's the fastest to disavow any friendship with, or even knowledge of, people who he's spent documented time with, on whom he's lavished praise and compliments, and who (presumably) have contributed in some way to Trump's successes. But there's always a bus handy, and Trump always has the banana peel ready to help people under them.
3
And they're off! Epstein's indictment quickly became an indictment of Trump. Perhaps this was how he got that pass to begin with. Nobody wanted to go there because of Bill Clinton.
Is it too much to ask journalists to keep from ricocheting off every time Trump is involved and to...focus?
15
@AACNY - Trump gave a cabinet position to the guy who treated Epstein with kid gloves. That's relevant. Do try to keep up.
36
@AACNY
If the trafficking and repeated sexual abuse of underage children doesn't outrage American voters, then there is just no hope for our country.
We have lost our conscience, our moral compass and our soul.
11
@DR
Oh, all this sudden outrage now! As if Senator Schumer, et al, wasn't well familiar with everyone who treated him with kid gloves. It wasn't Trump who did this, BTW. It was the prosecutor Cyrus Vance Jr.
It doesn't take much to set you off when it comes to the GOP, but you're really reaching on this one.
3
Interesting. Despite multiple instances of connections between Trump and Epstein, this hit piece repeatedly downplays their relationship, tries to distance Trump with quotes from his friends/employees but manages to bring in Bill Clinton with no supporting evidence. Keep up the good work?!
28
Trump, like everybody else, is allowed to change his mind once facts emerge warranting a change of mind.
It appears that Epstein was good at acting like a good guy only to discover that it was a ruse which fooled many people including customers who made him very rich.
Very Madoff-like.
6
@MIKEinNYC
Except Trump was making jokes about Epstein's predatory tendencies long before he made any public show of displeasure. So Trump didn't change his mind when the truth was known; he changed his mind when he realized that he couldn't run for president and pal around with pedophiles.
6
If the New York Times is reporting that William Barr's father was headmaster of the Dalton School when Jeffrey Epstein taught math there early in his career, I'm not finding it. It should be more widely reported, and William Barr should recuse himself from all matters involving this case.
97
@Charlotte Abramson. Barr did recuse himself recently.
2
I believe Barr has done so.
1
I read that he un-recused himself. I guess he recalled how well Sessions’s recusal went over with the boss man. Shocking.
5
Yes, do the right thing when it becomes public.
13
Trump isn’t the president who needs to be worried.
It’s Clinton
6
@Luciano . . I remember the article stating that it was 28 young women at a party of only two middle aged guys and Trump was one of those guys.
10
@Luciano
They both should be worried.
5
There are a great many Jeffrey Espsteins in the world. The individuals and the institutions who have enabled them invariably choose to ignore or downplay the permanent and life shattering damage that these men do to children whose lives they touch. (Those children, by the way, include boys as well as girls.)
The unfolding story of Mr. Epstein and his well placed pals is long overdue. But silently, without press notice, I am watching a not dissimilar story unfold about a predatory teacher who started here in Connecticut, went onto Massachusetts and New York followed by a string of towns across the country where he was able to practice his own dark arts quite unmolested.
The institutions who helped to facilitate this trail of human destruction (and the individuals who now represent them) are reluctant to confront the devastating impact of the rapes that occurred over and over again at school after school. Every aspect of their response is intended to trivialize the emotional trauma the survivors will carry with them their entire lives.
An industry of respected and highly paid lawyers and consultants are there to protect and serve these institutions as they avoid taking unambiguous responsibility for the crimes they have enabled. This is the result when the values of the marketplace govern our response to a moral crime of unimaginable horror.
I hope that Jeffrey Epstein and his famous pals are held to account for the most unforgivable of crimes against defenseless children.
14
This might not be the time to bring it up, but legalized prostitution...mutual agreed sex for money, might be a way to control some of this behavior. As crazy as it seems, why not let men/women decide what they do with their body's ?? Make minimum age 19 and regulate it. Pedophilia is not the same and should still be punished to the full extent of the law.
2
@wallace - Pedophiles aren't going to use prostitution as an alternative.
Epstein had plenty of ways to get sex (legal and illegal) with consenting adults anywhere in the world, including places like Nevada where prostitution is legal.
5
@wallace
You think that this behavior is because of lack of access to sex? You think Epstein, Trump and Clinton couldn’t have had a pick of their women in the 90s even without trying? You might not understand the concept of sexual predation. It’s about power, it’s about control. A transaction gives a woman agency—these animals need women with no agency to exploit. That’s what gets their rocks off.
5
Dirty old men. They have been around for centuries. It is time to educate our daughters and stand up to the disgusting reality of male privilege and entitlement. I discuss this with my 3 daughters all the time. There are many good men out there, but there are also predators. They now know what to look for and avoid at all costs.
30
@RP
There's a difference between 'dirty old men' and criminals who assault children. This is the latter.
Decades of shadowy money laundering, mafia connections, conspiracy, abuse of power … blah, blah, … too complicated.
Sex stories with older wealthy men, private pleasure islands, private jets, and underage girls … disgusting and if the AG allows a light to be shone on it ... simple to follow.
15
Is anyone surprized that trump is associated with such a person?
69
@Misou Is anyone surprised that Bill Clinton associated with such a person. Simple answer is NO.
2
Trump, Clinton, women (young, old, or in-between) is frankly yesterday's news.
But those who blessed the 2008 plea deal which allowed this predator to continue to abuse children.......
Now, there's the real story. Where is The Times when we really need you?
16
@John
Yes, like an attention-challenged teenager, Maggie Haberman, et al, cannot stop themselves from veering off into their little Trump world.
5
@John There is no "yesterday" if a woman has been subjected to this kind of sexual predation no matter how old she is. Get real.
5
@Betsy Herring
Let's not pretend that this is a new issue. Everyone know what Epstein was up to. Everyone turned a blind eye, including the prosecutor. Now there's suddenly outrage and calls for Acosta to resign? Excuse me if I'm skeptical of the motives behind this newfound distress.
1
Guess we had to expect the NY Times to corrupt this story into yet another anti-Trump angle. Never mind all the big shot Dems who were his friend until suddenly they're not now. Never mind that Bill Clinton now claims he only flew four times in Epstein's private jet even though flight logs show 26. Never mind it was big shot Dem Cy Vance Jr who sought to undo restrictions on Epstein's Level 3 sex offender status -- the restrictions as a result of Alex Acosta's successful prosecution of Epstein in 2007 despite being burdened by uncooperative witnesses. But of course, Acosta is now 12 years later in Trump's cabinet.
Never mind that Trump banned Epstein from Mar a Largo after Epstein's untoward behavior with a young woman in Trump's resort came to light.
But Trump is Trump; and I suppose the Trump-deranged who make up much of the NY Time's readership need their morning dopamine fix (or as Orwell would have put it: their 2-minutes of hate), especially considering the Mueller report seeking to prove the vast Trump-Putin Treason Collusion Conspiracy was a bust. And watching old YouTube videos of Hollywood's Dem elite including Oprah Winfrey gushing in the presence of Harvey Weinstein who were once all his pals until suddenly they weren't is just not that satisfying.
10
@JW Agree with you! The fact that the Clinton article is kind of hidden on the side (unlike this one) and is not even open for comments speaks volumes...
6
@JW
To take the pro-Trump side of this, we have to do a lot of not minding things, it seems.
Never mind the agreement that that your counting as Acosta's "successful prosecution" of Epstein included violating the law by keeping it a secret from the victims and their lawyers. Never mind that Acosta's "successful prosecution" hobbled an on-going FBI investigation. Never mind that Acosta's "successful prosecution" attempted to kill further cases in the crib by casting a blanket protection over accomplices. Never mind that the NYTimes not only reported the Clinton travel information, but actually provided access to the flight logs so that readers could judge whether the trips mentioned by Clinton involved multiple flights and see who flew with Clinton each step of the way. Never mind that the reporting clearly shows that Trump repeatedly mentioned Epstein's preference for young women multiple times - and facilitated Epstein slipping past bans to other events - long before he ever banned him from his own clubs.
15
Why is it important to note that Trump once said something nice about Epstein 30 years ago?
Is it an attempt to minimize the damage from the Democrats that were frequent flyers to Epstein’s island?
Why not discuss some of the people that participated in Epstein’s little games?
Perhaps it might be worth noting that when Trump heard that Epstein had molested a girl, he immediately banned Epstein from Mar a Lago?
Surely you can dredge up some more relevant stories about his co-conspirators.
Oh, I see. They are all Democrats.
9
@Ken; I'm guessing that many in this comment section would happily trade a Clinton indictment for a Trump impeachment.
2
@Ken
"Perhaps it might be worth noting that when Trump heard that Epstein had molested a girl, he immediately banned Epstein from Mar a Lago?"
That is not true.
They had a business falling out.
4
@Ken
The only people repeating that statement are those desperately seeking attention.
1
Trump supporters go to great lengths to delude themselves by denying the obvious fact that their hero is personally debauched.
Trump bragged on tape about being a sexual predator, and about trying to bribe a a married woman into bed by buying furniture for her.
He publicly stated Jeffrey Epstein was a "terrific guy," and spent plenty of time with him, including at a private party where more than two dozen women were brought in--Trump and Epstein were the only two men at the party. I wonder what they all did there, lol.
Trump said publicly that Epstein was known to prefer very young women.
Trump is known to have walked in on teenage minor beauty pageant contestants in their dressing room, so he could view them nude.
Trump is as sleazy as Epstein--just another rich, immoral playboy who views women as toys.
Now he also views them as gestation chambers whose wombs the government should control.
Sick!
143
I don’t think they deny it. I think they casually accept it and then deflect it towards the Clintons and Democrats. When you hear that Trump supporters like his honesty, I think they’re referring to his staying true to character. His lies are part of his character and so that’s him being honest. I think that’s part of Bernie’s appeal to some Trump voters as well. Not the lying, but the character and saying and acting like he is rather than how he thinks he should act to get elected, unlike Romney or Hillary.
4
@Steve Davies
"Trump is known to have walked in on teenage minor beauty pageant contestants in their dressing room, so he could view them nude."
So why is Trump NOT be prosecuted for this admission?
5
@Steve Davies
And the ironic part is that Clinton apologists do the exact same thing. Funny isn't it? Clinton also accused of rape and yet adoring him still after all these years, and his wife denigrating these women. And I'm a Democrat. Clinton who has travelled many times on The Lolita Express several times without Secret Service Detail tagging along. Hmmmmm. Please men in power do these things until they are caught. Bone Spurs and Clinton belong together. Rotten to the core.
1
“In those days, if you didn’t know Trump and you didn’t know Epstein, you were a nobody,” said Alan Dershowitz”
And Dershowitz wonders why everyone has disavowed him? I can only imagine that he’s having a lonelier summer on the Vineyard than usual.
26
@Cousy
How is this an indictment of Dershowtiz? It's a statement about how popular they were.
No one wonders why you've disavowed Dershowitz. We know it's because he stood up to Trump's critics and refused to cast off all his principles to be on their team.
1
@AACNY, I hope you saw the other comment here that he was the reason the Miami Herald reporter that put together this info didn't receive the Pulitzer Prize because he formerly said it was "fake" news. His credibility should be ZERO rather than being some overpaid shill at Harvard Law School.
5
Can’t wait for “J.E. - the movie”!
1
“In those days, if you didn’t know Trump and you didn’t know Epstein, you were a nobody,” said Alan Dershowitz, the longtime Harvard University Law School professor who later served on Mr. Epstein’s defense team when he was charged with unlawful sex with minors in 2006.
Is not Alan Darshowitz along with Prince Andrew, among the list of people accused of having sex with minors at Epstein residence as per one of the victims ?
15
Ideology is a disease when it defends the pedophile but suggests it’s wrong for two old women, or old men to marry. And to dare suggest this fake righteousness is of God further reveals that too many have exchanged the truth about God for a lie, Regarding the man in the Oval Office, we’ve still not seen his Baptismal Certificate!
5
The article clearly states that Bill Clinton never went to Epstein’s private island. If you have evidence to the contrary, like flight logs, you should contact SDNY.
8
Now would be an opportune moment to recall 45’s vile comments about the fact he would date he own young daughter if he could.....
Birds of a feather flock together.
45
“Mutual appreciation of women”?? Trump does not appreciate women, he hates them... and loves nothing more than degrading them.
116
@Kathy Bee
He's okay with them momentarily if they're 'his type.' He hates them because without his money, none would have anything to do with him; in fact he was such a laughingstock in NYC society circles that he had to pose as his own PR agent to brag about all the women he was 'dating', all of whom denied it when it hit the lurid papers Trump was famous for being famous in.
11
@Kathy Bee Mutual appreciation of CHILDREN as sex objects. Let's call this what it is. SICK.
5
Two grown men hosting a private party for a plane full of "young" women, ostensibly for a "calendar girl" competition.
I suppose that's where Trump got his idea to purchase the Miss Universe pageant so he could walk unannounced into the contestants' dressing room. What fun he had ogling and murmuring! He said so himself, many times.
And then there's the Access Hollywood tape, to say nothing of Trump's well-publicized liaison with a woman not his wife. It's all on record, and rather than feel shame, Trump is unrepentant.
Stormy Daniels. Michael Cohen, the "fixer."
Do we see a pattern here? Yuck!
70
You say they had a "fallout". Was Ivanka involved ?
15
Corruption, corruption, corruption....all the way down, from top to bottom of this Washington society.
12
This piece is a nice bookend to yesterday's story on the Bill Clinton connection to Epstein.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/09/nyregion/bill-clinton-jeffrey-epstein.html?action=click&module=RelatedCoverage&pgtype=Article®ion=Footer
At the end of the day I sjuspect that the rich and powerful will dodge the bullet.
4
Lordy, I wonder what's on those tapes.
14
@Dominic - A circular firing squad of kompromat? Does Epstein have tapes on Trump have tapes on Clinton have tapes on Dershowitz have tapes on Stone?
Are we beginning to fathom that Michael Cohen may be the least slimy person in all this? What we're reading about is a library full of textbook predatory psychopathology greased with millions of dollars sourced from where, exactly?
1
Epstein, Clinton, Trump; all cut from the same cloth. Just a bunch of self promoters and abusers of women and girls. Every American should be shamed by the fact that these men are allowed to have become powerful, influential, and wealthy in our democratic, capitalistic society. Shame on us. From what I know, and what I understand of the behavior of these three, they should rather be locked up in prison or a sex offender treatment facility. Instead we have revered them? How can that be?
9
@Patrick Stevens
Money. And a facility for self-promotion combined with -the media's never-ending capitalist quest for eyeballs. Remember the 90s? We were supposed to emulate these criminals, be jealous of their 'lifestyle'.
1
Don’t kid yourself, Trump’s still a fan of Epstein. And he’s probably on Epstein’s client list.
29
The Donald is never a fan of those who get caught, as shown by his disdain for McCain. He's a big fan of spitting in other people's soup (little people: those who pay taxes), along with his affluenza invested plutocrat buddies. But should they touch his ratings, well, the Donald the Dandy is about as loyal to them as soft Mick to a hot potato.
24
I wonder what happened to the 28 young girls when they participated in a calendar girl competition at Trump's place attended by just himseld and the guy who was known to prey on young girls? Is it normal to have an event with 28 young girls just for two middle-aged guys?
30
Stunning. Trump distances himself and is the article’s main feature. Clinton, with a much closer relationship, gets barely a mention. Hmmmm.
6
@Thomas Hobbes Guess which one is President?
9
@Thomas Hobbes Yep! I noticed that too!
True, but the bigger point to me is that the NYTimes is doing far more to re-elect Trump than his defenders are. This is a very biased piece of reporting. It is very likely that Trump, as well as Clinton, when they became aware of Epstein’s misconduct, distanced themselves from him. That’s what happens when you find out someone you know is involved in ongoing criminality. On the Acosta issue, I commend you to the Wall Street Journal article on the same topic today. All I’m saying is that we need a bit of balanced reporting here because when everything is an outrage, nothing is an outrage, which plays into Trump’s game-plan. In my more cynical moments, I wonder whether the New York Times is secretly praying for Trump to get reelected because I can’t think of anything better for its business.
1
The Times is trying very hard to make the Epstein scandal and his sex crimes about an ex president Bill Clinton who has been out of public office for 20 years while diminishing any connection to the current president Donald Trump. It’s almost as if the Times is trying to shield Trump and distract media focus away from Trump with guilt by association innuendo of the former president. Anyone with critical thinking skills can see that the Times is once again acting as Trump’s PR machine. The question is why?
5
@RJ Shearer
I'm pretty sure, from the years of credible allegations combined with their own behavior and words, that:
1. They're all sex addicts.
1.1. Especially with underage or very young females.
2. They're all guilty of massive amounts of criminal behavior and without loads of money, would've been serving life terms starting a long time ago.
3
Once Trump kicked him out that is in effect a retraction of his positive statements. What more could he have done ?! What more could Bill Clinton have done to retract his friendship?! I’m sure we can find quotes from good people praising Bill Cosby. When you slant a story so far you leave yourself open to the accusation of being fake news.
4
@Mel. "What more could he have done ?! What more could Bill Clinton have done to retract his friendship?" Maybe they could have contacted the FBI right away if he/they/anyone who knew underage girls were being sexually abused?
2
I hate to say this, but it looks as if Trump is having a Joe Biden moment...or is Joe Biden having a Trump moment...?
I see, I was a scrum bag for 20 years but when the bigger scrum bag crossed me in business I stopped talking to him. Aren't I great.
43
I’m waiting for the bigger reveal. I can only imagine that Epstein has been brought into the news because he knows, has damaging information on Trump.
7
This is a very odd-feeling article. It has the feeling of a piece meant to distance Trump from Epstein, much as Trump's enablers have been doing in the past week. It would please them. It also continues to honor Alan Dershowitz, "long-time professor at Harvard Law School" and member of Epstein's legal team. We now know that legal team obtained an infamous deal for Epstein, a fact the writer excludes. Reported also this week is a letter written by Dershowitz to the Pulitzer committee when it was a considering a prize for the amazing reporter at Miami Herald for her work on the Epstein story. Dershowitz is said to have told the committee that she was promoting "fake news." She did not get a prize. An article about Dershowitz would be of interest to readers.
246
@blgreenie Dersh has also be accused of raping a 16 year old 6 times. Let's print that.
9
Isn’t it telling how Trump admitted to changing his attitude towards Epstein - “kicking him out of the clubs” - once his questionable behavior “became public?”
Why not just do it based on his own, private moral code?
Oh, right.....
Trump doesn’t even realize how much he gives away about his true character.
18
"Not a fan" is tepid damnation for a child-sex trafficker—but revealing of Trump's obsession with audience, media, and ratings. It's all about the fans cheering, the crowd size, how many people are watching.
Everything Trump says about this is to distance himself from culpability. It's all dropping Epstein as a friend when he was worried about the filth rubbing off on him publicly. Where is the presidential speech about moral rot and social ills and women's rights? Where's the leadership?
(Purely rhetorical question.)
6
If properly investigated, Trump would be far worse than this criminal with his closeness to so many needy workers as the autocratic head of a huge business empire, beauty pageants around the world, and entertainment industry, all are known to attract and full of such creepy people.
7
Trump feels bad for Acosta. Not a word about the many under age girls who were abused. His evangelical base continues to support him in great numbers. We live in strange times.
67
@Pigenfrafyn The evangelicals are morally bereft. They are desperate to reverse Roe V. Wade, subjugate women, protect white supremacy, and support radical GOP policies that favor business. And to gain those things, they're willing to sell their souls to support Trump, perhaps the most immoral and corrupt creature to ever serve in political office.
9
@Pigenfrafyn True, but only if you define "evangelical" as a person who uses that term to reference themselves without actually being religious. Surveys show evangelical Christians who actually attend church regularly are far less likely to support Trump. That does not mean they support Democrats either for a whole host of cultural and sociological reasons.
1
This nonsense is neither surprising nor unusual. Just plain disgusting. But let's focus on something that could make a difference.
For example, how about a fund started to help ex-cons pay off whatever fines and fees they're required to pay, so that they can vote in Florida. Just saying.
1
The article describes the relationship between trump and Epstein as “....a mutual appreciation of wealth and women”. The most important adjective “young” is missing. Epstein is clearly a pedophile, who apparently did little to hide such behavior.
While there is certainly insufficient evidence yet to even suggest that trump acted inappropriately, his association with Epstein along with his involvement with Miss Teen USA and reported behavior at Ms Teen events is concerning.
12
It properly investigated, Trump would be far worse than this criminal with his closeness to so many needy workers as the autocratic head of a huge business empire, beauty pageants around the world, and entertainment industry, all are known to attract and full of such creepy people.
3
Let's just pour fuel on the raging fire. Who did more disgusting things with Epstein? Bill Clinton or Donald Trump?
Is this really what we should be arguing about?
We will never know all the truth about Jeffrey, Bill and Donald. None of them will ever tell the whole story, the whole truth. So let's fight over who took more flights with Epstein!! Yeah, that'll really turn things around.
Epstein takes the prize for King Pervert. Bill and Donald can follow with silver or bronze medals? Both men will rewrite history to suit their needs.
What about the victims? Was the sweetheart deal legal? If not, why was it allowed? Who was trying to influence this 2008 deal? Was it so that Epstein would not spill the dirt? Was Acosta influenced by others who wanted Epstein silent? The Miami paper is not the only one that could do some deep investigative reporting, hint hint.
What is going on with the victims? Who are they and do they have proper legal representation? Are they healing? What would they have to do going forward in the new case? How many new victims since Epstein was 'released'?
Epstein's violence and prededation has been whitewashed, hidden and accommodated for decades. It is time to expose this slime and make sure all the sordid facts of his crimes reach a court so that he is tried under the full force of the law.
That is what is important.
22
"The swimming pool was filled with beautiful young girls.
How nice,' [Trump] thought, [Epstein] let the neighborhood kids use his swimming pool."
As Michael Cohen remarked. "He speaks in code".
The degree to which sexual degenerates like Epstein, Trump, and Clinton obsess over beautiful young girls and what they do to them cannot ever be underestimated.
20
People who live near Little St. James Island have been warned to to not go anywhere near that place and the locals call it “Pedophile Island.” The place literally oozes corruption and depravity. Even some military people who have inadvertently landed there have said that the place wreaked of evil. Check it out on google. The placed looks like it was designed for the sex trade, replete with a big “E” on one of the dwellings so the helicopters know where to deliver the sex slaves.
6
Why do you write “underaged girls”? This is dangerous ‘doublespeak’. “Underaged girls”= “CHILDREN”! See what a difference using proper nomenclature makes for social discourse.
69
@Matthew Waldman - I understand the nomenclature because they probably had the physical attributes (breasts, hips, etc..) of a grown woman, having reached adolescence. What they did not have was the emotional maturity - that's what makes it a crime. Sex criminals like Epstein are good at getting around this, saying "well it's not like it was a toddler or small child, now THAT's sick." It's all sick. But they justify it by saying that they had the body of an adult, which they surely did. That's why at the legal level we stress the word UNDERAGE.
1
Why does the New York Times continue to do these pieces without mentioning that Trump has been accused of raping a 13 year old while Epstein was present? Instead, we get Trump distancing himself and trying to lay it at Bill Clinton's door. Let's be real: who believe either of them?
116
@OnlyinAmerica
There are plenty of Trumpists and assorted R-apologists at the NYT. We should not fool ourselves.
3
Let's all pause for a minute and consider what the howls of outrage from the Republicans and Fox and Breitbart would have been if President Obama, as a sitting President, had even the slightest, most distant association with a convicted child molester. Now, crickets. Their hypocrisy knows no limits.
184
@Andy Dwyer
Here are the horrific and sadistic acts that trump AND Epstein did to a 13 year old girl.
Read the entire court document in the 2nd one down...
Epstein AND trump were charged in the SAME Fedeeral lawsuit:
https://m.dailykos.com/stories/2016/6/29/1543742/-Why-Recent-Child-Rape-Case-Against-Trump-Should-Not-Be-Ignored-Victim-Has-A-Witness
https://heavy.com/news/2016/06/donald-trump-rape-sexual-assault-federal-lawsuit-documents-thomas-meagher-attorney-lawyer-katie-johnson-epstein/
https://theslot.jezebel.com/the-woman-who-accused-trump-of-raping-her-at-13-just-dr-1788603598?utm_campaign=socialfow_jezebel_twitter&utm_source=jezebel_twitter&utm_medium=socialflow
https://www.insider.com/jeffrey-epstein-everything-we-know-about-his-relationship-with-trump-2019-7
18
@Andy Dwyer
This is indeed the age of monumentally epic hypocrisy.
9
@Andy Dwyer Congressional Republicans' silence can only mean one thing: they're involved in some of the same scandals (Russia, money laundering, foreign money in their campaigns, lewd parties, etc) as the president and they want to keep the lid on Pandora's box. I'm not saying all of them, but they are definitely closing ranks and keeping mum before that lid blows off and some of their most exalted members are outed.
7
Well this certainly explains why Alan Dershowitz has become a Rudy Giuliani clone, and given The Little Dictator's propensity for a lack of control with women who are his type, it would be reasonable to think there's more here than a steak or a better table.
5
i am trying so hard to wrap my brain around the wicked machinations of this president, former president clinton, and the cowardly men and women who protect these vile men, that i'm sick to my stomach. This is the biggest scandal out of them all. To even be in the same room as this pedophile whether you are innocent of partaking in any related crimes is guilty by association as far as i'm concerned. i sincerely pray the NYT and the Herald keep digging into this story and take each one down leading all the way up to the president and those who have been complicit around him.
10
@Angela
These guys did not hang together just because they were rich, their common thread ran straight through their private parts.
3
More gross behavior by the President accused of rape and assault and just plain being creepy around women...the GOP has sold its soul and will never be known again for any moral high ground.
14
The big question here is why did our present Secretary of Labor cut this Epstein such a sweet deal in Florida?
He will undoubtedly be forced to resign.
Another example of "draining the swamp"?
8
I had a dream last night that this scandal, roughly number 752 since the Trump presidency began will be the one that either forces him to resign or be impeached. It was one of those dreams that seemed real. And then I woke up.
8
Follow the money. Who got large donations after the plea deal? This 'club' is an exclusive you scratch my back and I've got yours. That would put to rest the speculation of who was a friend with benefits and who wasn't.
5
Trump was the only guy who did the right thing when it came to helping the Feds investigate Epstein. He cooperated and was interviewed long ago. No wonder Epstein blamed Trump for his troubles. The media and Democrats are trying to tag Trump with Epstein, while ignoring/burying the Clinton ties to Bill and the Clinton Foundation. If liberals can ignore enough facts, they just might manufacture a scandal here. As for Trump, the liberals see a scandal in that he has a thing for beautiful women, which naturally inflames a large part of their base. There are a lot of angry, bitter Democrats out there.
1
Saying that Trump and Epstein “share an appreciation of women” when one is charged with the sex trafficking of young girls and the other has been accused by upwards of thirty women of rape or sexual assault is not how I would have elected to describe their mutual admiration society.
18
Trump has gotten away with disavowal before, why wouldn’t he now?
We shouldn’t be surprised by things that fit a pattern.
6
How sordid does this presidency have to become before the GOP wakes up and withdraws the cover they provide for Trump’ s ongoing misdeeds? He provides - on a daily basis - unequivocal proof that he is mentally, emotionally and morally unfit to fulfill the duties required of his office. Based on Trump’s behavior both in office and in business, conventional wisdom suggests there is no longer anything that would disqualify a person from becoming President of the United States.
15