Is it the DOJ vs. the legal professional normal? Within the newest twist on Jeffrey Epstein, the Justice Division mentioned on Monday that he did NOT preserve a “consumer listing.” The company additionally mentioned it won’t make any extra information associated to the rich financier’s intercourse trafficking investigation public. Social media was immediately in shambles, on condition that Legal professional Common Pam Bondi had beforehand made totally different guarantees!
Epstein was discovered useless in his jail cell in August 2019, weeks after his arrest on intercourse trafficking expenses. His suicide ended the potential of a trial.
RELATED: Aht! Aht! FBI Guarantees Video Proof Of Jeffrey Epstein’s Demise Amid Viral Conspiracy Theories
Trump Administration Beforehand Fueled Epstein ‘Consumer Checklist’ Concept
Monday’s announcement marks a public retraction of a principle that the Trump administration had helped promote. Main as much as his demise, social media had floated the idea {that a} consumer listing of celebrities and high-status shoppers appeared to Jeffrey Epstein for the trafficking of underage ladies.
Earlier this yr, Bondi instructed in a Fox Information interview that such a doc was “sitting on my desk” for evaluate. The AG, for weeks, had instructed extra materials was going to be revealed.
“It’s a brand new administration, and every thing goes to return out to the general public,” she mentioned at one level. That assertion got here after President Donald Trump’s base wasn’t too glad in regards to the company’s first doc dump. That occurred in February after the White Home invited far-right influencers for a go to and gave them binders marked “The Epstein Recordsdata: Part 1” and “Declassified.” Regardless of the hype, the paperwork had been largely already public.
After the primary launch fell flat, Bondi mentioned officers had been poring over a “truckload” of beforehand withheld proof that the FBI supplied. In a March TV interview, she claimed the Biden administration “sat on these paperwork, nobody did something with them.”
“Sadly these folks don’t imagine in transparency, however I believe extra sadly, I believe a variety of them don’t imagine in honesty,” Bondi claimed.
White Home press secretary Karoline Leavitt and Justice Division spokesperson Chad Gilmartin mentioned Monday that Bondi was referring to the general Epstein case information.
Justice Dept. Is Finished With Epstein Recordsdata Launch
As not too long ago promised, the DOJ did launch video from inside a New York jail meant to show that Epstein killed himself definitively. Nevertheless, a memo additionally mentioned it refused to reveal different proof investigators had collected. Of their phrases: no “additional disclosure could be acceptable or warranted.” The division famous {that a} court docket positioned a lot of the fabric underneath seal to guard victims.
“Solely a fraction of it could have been aired publicly had Epstein gone to trial,” the memo added. “Certainly one of our highest priorities is combating youngster exploitation and bringing justice to victims,” the memo says. “Perpetuating unfounded theories about Epstein serves neither of these ends.”
A normal description of the proof the DOJ is holding again contains “pictures and movies of victims who’re both minors or seem like minors,” and greater than 10,000 “downloaded movies and pictures of unlawful youngster intercourse abuse materials and different pornography.” The memo doesn’t clarify when or the place the movies had been positioned, who or what they depict. It additionally didn’t make clear whether or not investigators not too long ago uncovered the proof or had it for a while.
The 2-page memo contained the Justice Division and the FBI logos, however no official signed it.
Right here’s What AP Has Discovered On Doable Movies Related To Epstein
Final week, the Related Press revealed a narrative about unanswered questions surrounding potential video proof. Bondi beforehand cited the existence of “tens of 1000’s” of movies that she mentioned confirmed Epstein “with youngsters or youngster porn.” A number of individuals who participated within the legal instances of Epstein and socialite former girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell instructed AP that they’d not seen and didn’t find out about such recordings.
Indictments and detention memos additionally don’t allege the existence of video recordings. Moreover, neither Epstein nor Maxwell was charged with possession of kid intercourse abuse materials.
The AP did discover reference in a submitting in a civil lawsuit to the invention by the Epstein property of movies and photos that might represent youngster intercourse abuse materials. Nevertheless, legal professionals concerned in that case mentioned a protecting order prevents them from discovering the specifics of that proof.
On one other notice, Elon Musk not too long ago shared images of a clown making use of make-up. His publish seems to mock Bondi for saying the consumer listing doesn’t exist after suggesting that it was on her desk months in the past.
RELATED: Say, WHAT?! Elon Musk Claims Donald Trump Is Allegedly Listed In The Jeffrey Epstein Recordsdata
Related Press Employees Eric Tucker and Alanna Durkin Richer contributed to this report.
What Do You Suppose Roomies?
