# Epstein Files =\> Trump Impeachment & Conviction? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Tags:** trump\ **Created:** [November 10, 2025, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/epstein-files-trump-impeachment-conviction/1024733 "2025-11-10T17:42:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 43
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2026, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/epstein-files-trump-impeachment-conviction/1024733/841 "2026-02-13T01:33:01Z")
Very good Q.Q. Switcheroo. I failed to realize that it could be someone who ran in another state and in a prior year: > **[Gwendolyn Beck](https://ballotpedia.org/Gwendolyn_Beck)** > > Ballotpedia: The Encyclopedia of American Politics ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2026, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/epstein-files-trump-impeachment-conviction/1024733/842 "2026-02-13T03:31:48Z")
Yeah, it was hard to map the letter to Trump. But, of the five men who beat Jeb in Iowa, the only one who would like Trump is Trump. Scuba diving seemed questionable and the “Love ya!” Seemed real questionable for a boy to write but that would be true for any of the five. Beck, though, that’s a lot better match. Good ID, I’ll bet that’s it. ---
**Author:** ![DWMarch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dwmarch/32/1010_2.png) [@DWMarch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DWMarch)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2026, 7:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/epstein-files-trump-impeachment-conviction/1024733/843 "2026-02-13T07:31:56Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > You know, I really dont like this “guilt by association” thing. Do you ever go to the airport? When you are at the security check, you are being scrutinized as if you are a terrorist. There are biometrics checking to see how sweaty and nervous you are because terrorists are sweaty and nervous. As you may recall, a quarter of a century ago some guys with boxcutters hijacked some planes and caused some major chaos. And so from now until forever, you and everyone else who attempts to pass that security checkpoint are guilty by association _of terrorism_. And if you make a fuss about it, you definitely won’t be making it on to your flight. However, this eternal vigilance is the price we have to pay to make sure more people with bad intentions don’t turn airplanes into missiles. It is simple due diligence, just as it would be simple due diligence to investigate the friends of a pedophile to see if they are also pedophiles. The innocent people at least theoretically should have nothing to worry about (although as we have seen in Minnesota, anything goes with this administration). As regards the innocents who are catching strays courtesy of the Epstein files, there are a couple of points. First, the Trump administration has outed several of the rape victims, seemingly out of spite. Unfortunately, that genie is not going back into the bottle. Personally, I think the best thing these victims can do to protect themselves is to loudly and publicly declare that they have no intention to commit suicide now or ever and if they are found to be the victim of a “suicide” it is actually a murder. I take no issue with going back to the files and covering their names up with Victim 1, etc. but the potential harm to these folks comes directly from Trump’s spiteful DOJ and that DOJ can and will continue to doxx them as it suits them. Second, anyone else who is named in the files but only has a peripheral connection to Epstein has every opportunity to explain that. What they do not have the right to do is to cover it up. If you knew the guy and hung around with him enough that people are going to ask questions, _be prepared to answer those questions_! It’s not like this is new information that should come as a surprise to the people who were there. Trump campaigned on releasing the Epstein files. It has been on TV every day for months. If you (royal) or someone you know is named in the Epstein files it is well past time to get your shit together and figure out an explanation! Hiding under black bars makes a person look guilty as hell. > [@DrDeth](#): > > trump isnt going to be impeached and removed from office. If he is driven (more) insane and he dies in office, that would suffice for me. And there are a lot of people like Bondi who are pedophile enablers who should absolutely be in jail for their part in covering this up. Guilt by association still has a lot of legitimate work left to do. ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2026, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/epstein-files-trump-impeachment-conviction/1024733/844 "2026-02-13T14:40:22Z")
Recent news: From AP via NPR: [Kathy Ruemmler, the top lawyer at storied investment bank Goldman Sachs and former White House counsel to President Barack Obama, announced her resignation Thursday, after emails between her and Jeffrey Epstein showed a close relationship where she described him as an “older brother” and downplayed his sex crimes.](https://www.npr.org/2026/02/13/nx-s1-5713309/goldman-sachs-epstein-ties-resignation) My comment: Looks like Epstein was extremely and unusually skillful at befriending people. Ruemmler used poor judgment. She’s too rich for an outsider to feel bad that she lost her job. I guess the high salary of such a job is compensation for the fact that you might be unfairly fired if you did something legal that generates bad publicity. But if the Epstein associate was, say, a unionized bank teller, I would say the firing was unfair. And I see no need to pile on by giving Ruemmler 15 minutes of internet hate. New York Times: [About two dozen journalists are working through the three million pages, 180,000 images and 2,000 videos contained in the trove of files released about two weeks ago — and so far they’ve seen only 2 to 3 percent of the material.](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/12/insider/jeffrey-epstein-files-documents.html?unlocked_article_code=1.L1A.8H2V.wUaKp8UXlBpj&smid=url-share) So – more to come. Maybe they will find clear and convincing evidence of criminality. But most of what they find will fit right into the guilt by association category. Re earlier comparison between guilt by association and airport security checks, we do not lose a job because of that. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2026, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/epstein-files-trump-impeachment-conviction/1024733/845 "2026-02-13T15:30:44Z")
Calling it “guilt by association” downplays what actually happened and is a way to poison the well. These people condoned his behavior by continuing to associate with him after it was known he was trafficking girls. Throw in “tacitly” if you need to, but don’t try to minimize it by using some term like “association” that absolves them of responsibility. ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2026, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/epstein-files-trump-impeachment-conviction/1024733/846 "2026-02-13T16:08:07Z")
> **Hidden off topic post** > > > [@DWMarch](#): > > > > Do you ever go to the airport? When you are at the security check, you are being scrutinized as if you are a terrorist. There are biometrics checking to see how sweaty and nervous you are because terrorists are sweaty and nervous. As you may recall, a quarter of a century ago some guys with boxcutters hijacked some planes and caused some major chaos. And so from now until forever, you and everyone else who attempts to pass that security checkpoint are guilty by association _of terrorism_. And if you make a fuss about it, you definitelywon’t be making it on to your flight. However, this eternal vigilance is the price we have to pay to make sure more people with bad intentions don’t turn airplanes into missiles. It is simple due diligence, just as it would be simple due diligence to investigate the friends of a pedophile to see if they are also pedophiles. The innocent people at least theoretically should have nothing to worry about (although as we have seen in Minnesota, anything goes with this administration). > > This is called “Security Theater” and it’s an utter joke, not a model to be applied to other aspects of life beyond the TSA. > > Countries with a much more credible terrorist threat to their airlines don’t do half the nonsense that the TSA does. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2026, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/epstein-files-trump-impeachment-conviction/1024733/847 "2026-02-13T20:00:15Z")
> **Hidden off topic post** > > > [@DWMarch](#): > > > > Do you ever go to the airport? When you are at the security check, you are being scrutinized as if you are a terrorist. T > > Sure. But oddly going thru Security doesnt blacken your name or cause you to lose your job. > > > [@DWMarch](#): > > > > If he is driven (more) insane and he dies in office, that would suffice for me. > > From your lips to Gods Ears. > > > [@Babale](#): > > > > Countries with a much more credible terrorist threat to their airlines don’t do half the nonsense that the TSA does. > > I know Israel does, who else? ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2026, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/epstein-files-trump-impeachment-conviction/1024733/848 "2026-02-13T20:04:52Z")
> **Hidden off topic post** > > > [@DrDeth](#): > > > > > [@Babale](#): > > > > > > Countries with a much more credible terrorist threat to their airlines don’t do half the nonsense that the TSA does. > > > > I know Israel does, who else? > > Israel does what? Sorry, it’s a double negative situation, do you mean “Israel does _not partake in security theater at airports_”? That’s correct, but neither do any of the other countries whose airports I have been to. Sometimes they have a special “Security Theater Included” section for flights to the US. > > Nobody else that I’ve seen makes you take your shoes and belt off or does any of the other nonsense Americans airport security does. > > But my real point is just that airport security is there to put a bunch of actions that _look_ like they have an impact in front of you so you feel safe, not because they are the best way of doing things. Applying airport security logic to other aspects of life is a recipe for disaster. ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2026, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/epstein-files-trump-impeachment-conviction/1024733/849 "2026-02-13T20:07:06Z")
> **Hidden off topic post** > > > [@Babale](#): > > > > Nobody else that I’ve seen makes you take your shoes and belt off or does any of the other nonsense Americans airport security does. > > The TSA stopped making passengers take their shoes off last year. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2026, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/epstein-files-trump-impeachment-conviction/1024733/850 "2026-02-13T20:10:54Z")
> **Hidden off topic post** > > > [@Babale](#): > > > > Israel does what? Sorry, it’s a double negative situation, do you mean “Israel does _not partake in security theater at airports_”? > > Israel has a vastly different airport security system. Who else? ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2026, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/epstein-files-trump-impeachment-conviction/1024733/851 "2026-02-13T20:15:30Z")
> **Hidden off topic post** > > > [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](#): > > > > The TSA stopped making passengers take their shoes off last year. > > Last time I was at the airport they did indeed not make everyone take their shoes off by they were selecting people at random and telling them to do so. > > > [@DrDeth](#): > > > > Israel has a vastly different airport security system. Who else?. > > Every airport I’ve been to outside the US: Canada, Germany, Spain, Italy, a number of other countries. ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2026, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/epstein-files-trump-impeachment-conviction/1024733/852 "2026-02-13T20:22:13Z")
**Moderating:** Airport security was originally discussed as an example of due diligence, and directly compared to association with pedophiles, and thus on-topic. The later examples are an unneeded hijack of this thread, and haven’t referred back to the subject matter in any of the last half-dozen posts or so. As such, I’ll hide them so they don’t encourage it further, and put a note on the originating on-topic post. Please avoid this hijack going forward. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2026, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/epstein-files-trump-impeachment-conviction/1024733/853 "2026-02-14T00:20:05Z")
Multiple school districts are cancelling their student picture day after the revelation that both the former and current CEOs of the nation’s largest student picture companies are in the files. > **[Schools scrap picture day after Epstein link to photo company uncovered](https://www.rawstory.com/jeffrey-epstein-2675267671/)** > > Parents and critics alike erupted in fury Friday after an alleged Jeffrey Epstein co-conspirator was linked to one of the nation’s largest school photography companies, prompting multiple districts to cancel picture days, HuffPost reported.That... ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2026, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/epstein-files-trump-impeachment-conviction/1024733/854 "2026-02-14T01:16:22Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Multiple school districts are cancelling their student picture day after the revelation that both the former and current CEOs of the nation’s largest student picture companies are in the files. No, wrong. Lifetouch is not in the “Files”. The assets management company that owns it, had a Ceo that at one time managed part of Epsteins fortune. The new CEO had one contact with Epstein. But neither is or was the CEO of Lifetouch. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2026, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/epstein-files-trump-impeachment-conviction/1024733/855 "2026-02-14T01:34:41Z")
Oh. Well, that makes it perfectly OK that Epstein’s associates are running a business that takes professional-quality photos of millions of children, then. Move along, folks, nothing to see here. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2026, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/epstein-files-trump-impeachment-conviction/1024733/856 "2026-02-14T02:27:51Z")
I didn’t think of that angle. Certainly school districts can come up with an alternative. Even if it’s just a couple of parents with digital cameras. ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2026, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/epstein-files-trump-impeachment-conviction/1024733/857 "2026-02-14T02:48:22Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Oh. Well, that makes it perfectly OK that Epstein’s associates are running a business that takes professional-quality photos of millions of children, then. > > Move along, folks, nothing to see here. This is getting to be a classic moral panic. AFAIK we are just talking about one Epstein associate, Leon Black – not associates. Black was kicked out of the holding company five years ago for Epstein guilt by association. He ran the holding conglomerate, not the picture-taking. A lot of innocent people are going to lose their jobs on grounds of an association that never more than barely existed and hasn’t existed at all in five years. If you showed that Black was actively sexualizing the appearance of children in their school photos, and that they never remedied this when they fired him, I’d agree with you. But that’s absurd. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2026, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/epstein-files-trump-impeachment-conviction/1024733/858 "2026-02-14T12:49:14Z")
Here’s an article that gives a good overview: > **[Parents Demand Answers After Rumors Billionaire With Epstein Ties May Have...](https://www.huffpost.com/entry/lifetouch-school-photo-company-epstein-rumors_n_698ddd31e4b0d2244f54aa25)** > > Parents panicked as school districts across the country said they are investigating Lifetouch over unsubstantiated rumors related to the late sex offender. My takeaway: the concerns here are _really_ stretched thin. As a society we should focus on the strong evidence that our political leaders were knowingly involved with Epstein, just like as posters we should (IMO) focus on whether Epstein File =\> Trump Impeachment and Conviction. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2026, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/epstein-files-trump-impeachment-conviction/1024733/859 "2026-02-14T21:20:19Z")
In general, I’m focused on the fact that only half the documents have been released. To be sure, some of it might be duplicates but we’ve been told, expressly, that there’s no one to investigate and nothing that’s sensitive to national security so… What exactly is the basis for withholding? ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2026, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/epstein-files-trump-impeachment-conviction/1024733/860 "2026-02-14T21:51:23Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Oh. Well, that makes it perfectly OK that Epstein’s associates are running a business that takes professional-quality photos of millions of children, then. They are not. Just read your own cite. > [@PhillyGuy](#): > > This is getting to be a classic moral panic. > > AFAIK we are just talking about one Epstein associate, Leon Black – not associates. > > Black was kicked out of the holding company five years ago for Epstein guilt by association. He ran the holding conglomerate, not the picture-taking. > > A lot of innocent people are going to lose their jobs on grounds of an association that never more than barely existed and hasn’t existed at all in five years. Right. > [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > My takeaway: the concerns here are _really_ stretched thin. As a society we should focus on the strong evidence that our political leaders were knowingly involved with Epstein If any. And here’s another good reason why this Epstein blacklist panic is a bad idea- > **[Four men in unredacted files named by Ro Khanna have no ties to Epstein](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/13/four-men-unredacted-epstein-files-no-ties-ro-khanna)** > > Men appeared in photo lineup assembled in New York and had no apparent connection to late sex offender _Four men in unredacted files named by Ro Khanna have no ties to Epstein_ _Men appeared in photo lineup assembled in New York and had no apparent connection to late sex offender_ _The Guardian spoke with two of the men whose names Khanna read out on the floor. They both strongly denied knowing Epstein at all; one said he didn’t realize his name had been mentioned on the House floor in connection to Epstein until the Guardian contacted him. The two men acknowledged they were arrested by the NYPD in the past for unrelated crimes, which could explain how their photos ended up in a photo array assembled by law enforcement…Salvatore Nuarte, of Queens, New York, said he called Khanna’s office after hearing that his name was mentioned. “I don’t know if they know what they are doing over there at the justice department,” he told the Guardian. “But how can I clear my name?”_ The answer is- you cant. No matter how totally innocent someone is, once their name has been mentioned in these bogus files- your reputation is blackened forever. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/epstein-files-trump-impeachment-conviction/1024733.md?page=42) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/epstein-files-trump-impeachment-conviction/1024733.md?page=44)