DOJ Update On The Epstein Files — What We Can Expect Going Forward

While everyone else was shouting everything they thought they knew about the Epstein file, Yours truly did not. With the DOJ’s newest update, it’s time to explain why.

[And yes, I realize some of our opinion contributors take a very different view of the Epstein story. That kind of clue is helpful in knowing a news source is not a flunkie repeating mindless talking points for a politician or position.]

As soon as it was announced that law enforcement is not in possession of anything resembling a client list or a blackmail folder, it was pretty clear how this was going to play out. It would take something a lot stronger than circumstantial evidence to tie some of the big names we hear swirling around to a felony conviction for exploiting children.

Grand Jury information, as we will remember from Mueller, cannot legally be released to the public because, by nature, it contains unchallenged allegations. All the damning evidence is collected, and none of the exculpatory. Release of such records could defame innocent parties — as we saw in the case of someone withdrawing an allegation against Dershowitz, admitting she may have erroneously named him.

We are also dealing with redactions of names for other reasons — including the protection of victims who do not wish to get caught up in a trial where they will have to relive their experiences. There is even the possibility that someone involved in the trafficking side might try to pass themselves off as a mere ‘victim’, which makes sorting out real testimony from fake even trickier.

‘Trickier’ still when you consider that Epstein himself is now deceased, as are his associate Jean-Luc Brunel and his best-known victim, Virginia Guiffre.

One critical detail that is getting precious little attention is the how the contents of Epstein’s safe went missing. As described from the details fo Maxwell’s trial:

Prosecutors showed jurors and members of the public a photo of the safe, which had been dragged by FBI agents to the middle of the dressing room. The hard drives Maguire said were found inside were piled on top of it. It also held jewelry, diamonds, CDs, and multiple passports, Maguire testified.

Maguire said that the scope of the search warrant didn’t permit the agents to seize the hard drives and CDs, so she left them atop the safe.

When she got a broader warrant and returned to retrieve them, they were gone. — Business Insider

Unless they miraculously turn up somewhere, we can only speculate as to what useful evidence might have been found on that hard drive and those CDs that could have helped advance the cases against other abusers on Epstein’s island. Absent that information, law enforcement has to build a case some by some other means.

All of this is why I was not particularly convinced the hoopla over releasing the Epstein file was going to achieve what people demanding justice for the victims would hope to accomplish.

Official statements made it sound like they had no more credible leads, something that seems to have been affirmed by the official statement we’ll be citing in a moment.

But that doesn’t mean all is lost for anyone demanding justice. As any fan of cold case stories can tell you, all it takes is one solid lead to get a case going again. And if corroborating evidence can be gathered to bolster that little lead, you’re once again off and running.

I’m pretty sure that’s what they are hoping to accomplish by bringing Maxwell into the story. Unlike the victims, Ghislaine Maxwell is in a position to give proper context — names, dates, business arrangements and other relevant information — that could (potentially) give the DOJ new lines of inquiry and opportunities to cross-reference other known data points to substantiate her allegations.

Since she is already serving time for these events and would be presenting evidence against her co-conspirators, it could lend greater credibility to her testimony.

Which brings us to the quote we’ve been talking about.

Statement from DAG Todd Blanche:

This Department of Justice does not shy away from uncomfortable truths, nor from the responsibility to pursue justice wherever the facts may lead. The joint statement by the DOJ and FBI of July 6 remains as accurate today as it was when it was written. Namely, that in the recent thorough review of the files maintained by the FBI in the Epstein case, no evidence was uncovered that could predicate an investigation against uncharged third parties.

President Trump has told us to release all credible evidence. If Ghislane Maxwell has information about anyone who has committed crimes against victims, the FBI and the DOJ will hear what she has to say.

Therefore, at the direction of Attorney General Bondi, I have communicated with counsel for Ms. Maxwell to determine whether she would be willing to speak with prosecutors from the Department. I anticipate meeting with Ms. Maxwell in the coming days. Until now, no administration on behalf of the Department had inquired about her willingness to meet with the government. That changes now.

Will  Epstein Island victims ever get the closure they deserve?

Sadly, no. At least not in this life, since at least two of the accused are already dead and beyond the reach of any court.

But if we can get some fresh leads, we still have a chance at some modicum of justice in the here-and-now, apart from what might await all parties in the Hereafter. And for all the overheated back-and-forth we’ve seen about Epstein in the past few days… something is STILL better than nothing.

And however the Dems might sharpen their knives, looking for some way to turn this story against Trump —  ‘nothing’ is what we’ve had until now, including 4 long years of Biden/Mayorkas running the show.

They were far more interested in arresting praying grandmothers than in finding out which of their many billionaire buddies might be implicated through Epstein.