Journalist: Mainstream Media Complicit in Normalizing Epstein File Revelations |
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Lawmakers on Capitol Hill are accusing the Justice Department of covering up the names of co-conspirators of the deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein as fallout from the Epstein files grows across the globe. Millions of pages remain unreleased. As many prominent U.S. figures evade accountability following mentions in the Epstein files, a number of European figures have resigned for their relationships with Epstein. “The most extraordinary and worrying thing of what is going on in the United States is the scale of normalization that is happening, in which the press is absolutely a structural part of this,” says Carole Cadwalladr, award-winning investigative journalist. “I have been shocked — deeply, deeply shocked — by the absence of headlines.”
This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.
AMY GOODMAN: Lawmakers on Capitol Hill are accusing the Justice Department of covering up the names of co-conspirators of the deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, as fallout from the Epstein files grows across the globe. Last week, the Department of Justice just released over 3 million pages of files, but many contained major redactions. Millions of more pages remain unreleased.
On Monday, lawmakers were granted access to unredacted versions of the documents. Democratic Congressmember Jamie Raskin spoke out after seeing some of the files.
REP. JAMIE RASKIN: You know, I saw the names of lots of people who were redacted for mysterious or baffling or inscrutable reasons.
NERMEEN SHAIKH: The co-authors of the Epstein Files Transparency Act, Republican Thomas Massie and Democrat Ro Khanna, held a news conference after viewing some of the files.
REP. RO KHANNA: Our bigger concern is that there’s still a lot that’s redacted. Even in what we’re seeing, we’re seeing redacted versions. I thought we were supposed to see the unredacted versions. And that’s because the documents produced to Justice from the FBI, from other — from the grand jury, was redacted when they got it. So, we kept doing the searches for the unredacted information. It’s the identical redactions that they have. Now, I don’t think that’s nefarious on the career attorneys that were reviewing it, but they obviously haven’t gotten the production, because our law says that the FBI and the original grand jury needs to be unredacted.
REP. THOMAS MASSIE: I mean, what we’re after is the men who Jeffrey Epstein trafficked women to. We want those names published. We’re not out to embarrass people. And the problem is, we went in there hoping to see that in 302 forms. What we found out is those 302 forms were redacted before they got to the DOJ.
AMY GOODMAN: In related news, Epstein’s co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell, who’s serving a 20-year sentence, refused to answer lawmakers’ questions in a closed-door virtual deposition before the House Oversight Committee Monday.
JACK EMMER: Have you ever facilitated the sexual abuse of any minor or adult woman by Mr. Epstein?
GHISLAINE MAXWELL: I invoke my Fifth Amendment right to silence.
JACK EMMER: Have you ever participated in the sexual abuse of any minor or adult woman?
GHISLAINE MAXWELL: I invoke my Fifth Amendment right to silence.
NERMEEN SHAIKH: During the hearing, Maxwell’s attorney, David Markus, said Maxwell would speak fully and honestly if granted clemency by President Trump.
DAVID MARKUS: If this committee and the American public truly want to hear the unfiltered truth about what happened, there is a straightforward path. Miss Maxwell is prepared to speak fully and honestly if granted clemency by President Trump. Only she can provide a complete account, and some may not like what they want — what they hear, but the truth matters. For example, both President Trump and President Clinton are innocent of any wrongdoing. Miss Maxwell alone can explain why, and the public is entitled to hear that explanation.
AMY GOODMAN: This all comes as the release of the Epstein files threatens to bring down the British Prime Minister Keir Starmer over his decision to appoint Lord Peter Mandelson as U.S. ambassador despite Mandelson’s close ties to Epstein.
We go now to Britain, where we’re joined by Carole Cadwalladr. She is award-winning investigative journalist whose Substack is How to Survive the Broligarchy. She gained international recognition for her exposé on the Facebook-Cambridge Analytica data scandal in 2018. Her most recent piece is headlined “We all live in Jeffrey Epstein’s world.” She’s also the co-founder of an independent news outlet called The Nerve, launched with five former Guardian journalists.
Carole, welcome back to Democracy Now! I want to first get your response to Ghislaine Maxwell, the co-conspirator of Epstein, who you call in your piece a “monstrosity,” invoking the Fifth Amendment so she wouldn’t incriminate herself, but saying if Trump granted her clemency, in exchange, she would exonerate him. Can you respond to all of this latest news?
CAROLE CADWALLADR: Thanks, Amy. It’s so good to be back with you.
I mean, I guess what we see with Ghislaine, which is naked transactionalism, the offer of a quid pro quo arrangement with Trump, which is what this was, that is a pattern of behavior which we see all through the email correspondence of Ghislaine, of Jeffrey Epstein, of what’s been laid out there. So I don’t think that should come as any surprise or shock to people. You know, we know........