All posts tagged: Epstein

The Epstein reckoning hits the campaign trail

The Epstein reckoning hits the campaign trail

Published by Sam Flores

This story was originally reported by Grace Panetta of The 19th. Meet Grace and read more of their reporting on gender, politics and policy. As Republicans gathered in Dallas, Texas for their pre-midterm convention last week, Democratic Senate nominee James Talarico focused on survivors of Jeffrey Epstein.  Talarico got a tour of the Reading Room, a traveling exhibit of the nearly 3 million files that the Department of Justice released from its investigation into the late disgraced financier and convicted sex offender — the result of a hard-fought battle by survivors of Epstein’s abuse who are still seeking justice and transparency from a government they say repeatedly failed them.  Speaking alongside Epstein survivors Annie Farmer and Sharlene Rochard, Talarico praised them for their courage in coming forward and attacked his Republican opponent, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, for not meeting with the survivors and what he said was “a history of covering up abuse.” Talarico called on Paxton to use his authority to sue the Justice Department over its handling of the release of the …

“GTA VI” leaks draw more scrutiny than Epstein files

“GTA VI” leaks draw more scrutiny than Epstein files

Published by Sam Flores

A version of this essay first appeared in Crash Course, Salon’s free morning newsletter. Sign up for early access to articles like this, plus more of Salon’s bold journalism on how policies, movements and culture wars affect real people. On Aug. 31, Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., finally delivered on his threat to read the names of the late convicted sex offender and financier Jeffrey Epstein’s alleged accomplices on the House floor. Massie has long pushed for the release of the Epstein files, backing the Epstein Transparency Act alongside Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., which President Donald Trump signed into law last year. But the Justice Department has dragged its feet in releasing the documents, and what has been disclosed so far has been heavily redacted — except for some cases where victims’ names were exposed — and is apparently not complete. “The government continues to withhold over three million files,” Massie said. “That’s why we’ve introduced the Epstein Files Transparency Act II, to bring the fight to the state courts, accountability to the Department of Justice and closure …

Andrew ‘committed sex crimes in US’, Congress hears

Andrew ‘committed sex crimes in US’, Congress hears

Published by Sam Flores

Credit: X/@RepThomasMassie Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor “committed sex crimes in the US”, a congressman has told the US House of Representatives. Representative Thomas Massie, a Republican, named the former Duke of York as he demanded that men who were friends of Jeffrey Epstein be held accountable. “We want perpetrators of these crimes to be investigated and prosecuted,” Mr Massie said, reeling off a list which included Jes Staley, the former Barclays chief executive, and David Copperfield, the stage magician, both of whom knew the late paedophile and financier. “And Prince Andrew, who committed sex crimes in the US,” added Mr Massie, pointing at the floor as he spoke. Mr Massie delivered the minute-long speech in the House as he pushed to have three million more files related to Epstein released by the Trump administration. A similar number has already been made public after Congress passed a law forcing the US government to do so. “Perhaps hearing these names will shame the Department of Justice (DoJ) into delivering justice,” said Mr Massie, who was instrumental in orchestrating the …

Influential Wife Of Anthropic CEO Pitched Post-Conviction Epstein On ‘Luxury Porn’ Company, And Claude Has No Idea

Influential Wife Of Anthropic CEO Pitched Post-Conviction Epstein On ‘Luxury Porn’ Company, And Claude Has No Idea

Published by Jenni Sidey

Anthropic has filed confidentially for what could be the largest public offering in history. Yet, one of the most influential voices shaping its chief executive holds no official position at the company, appears in no regulatory filings, and has been quietly scrubbed from the internet. She also pitched a porn company to Jeffrey Epstein – less than two years after he got out of prison for sex trafficking minors. Her name is Cami Clark, wife of CEO Dario Amodei. According to a Wall Street Journal investigation published Thursday, she has spent five years operating as a strategic adviser to the head of a company now seeking public capital at a valuation north of $2 trillion – all without a title, a salary, or formal disclosure. Her marriage to Amodei has been scrubbed from Claude too… Ask Anthropic’s own chatbot about Amodei’s marital status, and Claude replies that it “doesn’t seem to be clearly confirmed.” Someone actively worked to keep it that way. Amodei’s Wikipedia page did not mention his marriage until this summer, and it still omits …

Judge shows signs of frustration with DOJ attorneys over handling of Epstein files

Judge shows signs of frustration with DOJ attorneys over handling of Epstein files

Published by Sam Flores

WASHINGTON — A federal judge overseeing a case focused on the Justice Department’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files pressed government attorneys Thursday about their compliance with his court orders and warned that he has held lawyers in contempt before. U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan, a 41-year veteran of the bench, convened the hearing seeking answers about whether the Trump administration had complied with his previous orders in the case, including one about the need for the Justice Department to publish justifications for the numerous redactions in the released Epstein files. Justice Department official Andrew Block told Sullivan he was not in a position to commit to a time frame, saying that it was out of his control and that information would be “forthcoming.” “Christmas is forthcoming,” Sullivan quipped. Sullivan called his orders “straightforward” and said he was willing to work with the government to obtain compliance. “You want me to issue another order and say, ‘I really mean it this time’?” Sullivan said at one point. The case stems from a lawsuit journalist Katie …

Judge shows signs of frustration with DOJ attorneys over handling of Epstein files

Judge shows signs of frustration with DOJ attorneys over handling of Epstein files

Published by Sam Flores

WASHINGTON — A federal judge overseeing a case focused on the Justice Department’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files pressed government attorneys Thursday about their compliance with his court orders and warned that he has held lawyers in contempt before. U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan, a 41-year veteran of the bench, convened the hearing seeking answers about whether the Trump administration had complied with his previous orders in the case, including one about the need for the Justice Department to publish justifications for the numerous redactions in the released Epstein files. Justice Department official Andrew Block told Sullivan he was not in a position to commit to a time frame, saying that it was out of his control and that information would be “forthcoming.” “Christmas is forthcoming,” Sullivan quipped. Sullivan called his orders “straightforward” and said he was willing to work with the government to obtain compliance. “You want me to issue another order and say, ‘I really mean it this time’?” Sullivan said at one point. The case stems from a lawsuit journalist Katie …

New Mexico sues DOJ over Epstein files and releases “truth commission” report

New Mexico sues DOJ over Epstein files and releases “truth commission” report

Published by Sam Flores

While Jeffrey Epstein’s island or his various mansions get a lot of attention, the late sex offender and financier’s New Mexico Zorro Ranch was also allegedly the site of extensive abuse and criminal activity. Now, in a lawsuit filed Wednesday, the Department of Justice and acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, are accused of “stonewalling” New Mexico’s criminal investigation of Epstein’s activities at the ranch outside of Santa Fe. New Mexico’s Attorney General Raúl Torrez, who is behind the lawsuit, argues that the DOJ unlawfully withheld records, therefore delaying justice for victims. The lawsuit accuses Blanche and the DOJ of perpetuating “that disgrace” of failing to investigate or hold Epstein accountable before his death. The suit requests the court to order the DOJ to provide the requested unredacted records. “USDOJ and Acting Attorney General Blanche are refusing to facilitate the investigation of state law crimes by hiding information about Epstein and his co-conspirators from Attorney General Torrez and state law enforcement, when New Mexico is one of few jurisdictions that still may have an opportunity to …

Bill Gates Ignored Repeated Warnings And Met Epstein Thirty Times

Bill Gates Ignored Repeated Warnings And Met Epstein Thirty Times

Published by Jenni Sidey

Authored by Steve Watson via Modernity News, An independent review has confirmed what many long suspected: Bill Gates and senior figures at his foundation met with Jeffrey Epstein roughly 30 times between 2011 and 2014, brushing aside repeated internal warnings about the reputational and ethical risks of associating with a man already convicted of sex crimes involving a minor. The findings, released by the Gates Foundation after a months-long external examination by the law firm WilmerHale, show that foundation staff “raised on multiple occasions the risks of associating with Epstein because of his prior conviction,” and that those concerns reached senior leadership, including Gates himself. Gates was aware of the reputational issues tied to Epstein’s 2008 conviction and sentencing when the conversations began in 2011. Meetings took place on the foundation’s campus and at Epstein’s Manhattan residence. Interactions centered on potential philanthropy ideas that never materialized and ended by December 2014. The review found no evidence that the foundation paid Epstein, no evidence of knowledge or participation in his sex-trafficking operations, and no evidence the …