My pure speculation: Because you go to prison for that, and it’s an endeavor that would require hundreds of complicit rank and file nobodies. So long as Trump can limit his cover-up to his inner circle, he’s probably okay. But career DOJ staff ain’t going to prison for this dickhead.
Another thing to keep in mind if they just redact the shit out of the files: That doesn’t mean they’re pouring India ink over the names (destruction of the files also creates legal jeopardy). Files are redacted for specific audiences, but the DOJ still has the unredacted originals.
Bottom line: Scrubbing the files clean of any Trump stench would require lots of complicit conspirators, many more than the hardcore loyalists. Such a cover-up always comes out.
Let’s say the discharge petition is voted on and the House votes to release. Is that it, or does the Senate need to vote as well? And if so, will DJT have to sign it, and if he vetoes, are there enough votes to override?
Extensive redaction may also have unintended consequences. Blacked out names that actually refer to other people could easily generate speculation that they refer to Trump.
Yes the Senate needs to vote and then Trump needs to sign it. No one knows if there’s enough to override yet. The House seems to be moving in a veto-proof direction, but there’s nary a peep from the Senate at this point. Each chamber needs 2/3 of the voting members, not 2/3 of the total number of seats, to override.
I always enjoy MAGA Mike standing before the press lying his ass off about why the Republicans are trying to do one thing or another. I really loved it when Mike explained the Republicans have always been 100% in favor of full transparency with the Epstein files, but they can’t release them because there are so many women victimized by trafficking. We’ve been misunderstanding this the whole time. Republicans are the party that protects women.
Trump could do it himself, he’s never shied away from illegally destroying documents in front of witnesses. Sometimes by eating them.
If he wanted them destroyed I’m sure he’d have no problem just having them piled in a heap, pouring gasoline on them and burning them. If they still exist there’s some reason for it.
The notion that an early menstruation constitutes capacity to consent to sexual relations is grotesque. The men involved were rapists, plain and simple.
The thing is, “clinical” pedophilia is not in the books as a crime.
Statutory rape, Mann Act violations, trafficking of minors, even common vulgar pimping, OTOH, ARE. And they are specified in terms of age and of actions, not of developmental biology.
Since we will have 218 signatories for a Discharge, can we assume that if there is any wrongdoing Trump will be impeached? (note I did not say convicted)
There is zero chance that a GOP-majority House impeaches the president. The members’ MAGA voters have been clamoring for the Epstein files for years, so they’ll go that far, but no further.
Yeah, this is hurting trumps popularity- and it can hurt the GOP in 2026. But nothing is in there which will cause trump to leave office early unwillingly- unless he gets so angry he has a stroke and dies. or he resigns- due to “health issues”. That last is a reasonable thing to think could happen- but an Impeachment and removal? No way. 25th? Nope.
It wont be mentioned like that, of course. But it will be hinted at, and mentioned. It will hurt the GOp in 2026.
Not leaders or else trumps cronies would have already leaked that. But we do know that Clinton did accept a few free jet rides- to me, no big deal.
I agree, except i would use the term “sycophants” not “loyalists”.
Technically it is “ephebophilia” but it is still the same crime, no matter what name you put to the perversion. So, a weak argument, but not totally fake.
IIRC, only one person was convicted- per wiki- Another case, United States v. X-Citement Video, Inc., was brought against video store owner Rubin Gottesman on charges of trafficking in child pornography by selling and distributing videos featuring Lords while knowing that she was under the age of 18. Gottesman was later convicted and incarcerated.[27]
I dont think any of the actors were convicted.
Two Los Angeles–based producers, Ronald Kantor and Rupert McNee, as well as talent agent Jim South, were charged with filming a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The prosecution eventually failed, as all three defendants argued that—based on Lords having shown government-issued ID showing a birthdate in 1962—they could not have known she was underage
Right. Name the perversion what you want, the crime remains the same.
More than zero, but NO chance of a conviction and removal in the Senate. So a third mostly pointless impeachment/indictment.
I keep circling back to the many opportunities the GOP has had to rid themselves of Trump. Why abandon him now? That’s really a rhetorical question because at many points the Republicans had plenty of good reason to abandon him. I have no faith in either Republican politicians or American voters to make the right decision.
Trump’s political positions are closer to Democratic than Republican. E.g. just this week, his people announced that they were abandoning credit ratings as a criteria for offering loans at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, in order to be able to offer loans out to underserved communities.
Throw into that worker protectionism, populism, a desire to reduce the military and not get involved in foreign affairs, skepticism of law enforcement, support for the Confederacy, friendship with Bill Clinton, comparing oneself to Franklin D Roosevelt - the Great Satan - and putting up Andrew Jackson - founder of the Democratic Party - on the wall behind the Resolute Desk, etc.
The average Republican politician - particularly in the Senate - probably started their career decades ago as fans of Reaganomics, NAFTA, union-busting, and business. Under the performative requirements of holding office, I’d assume that they’re all spending most of every day biting their tongue and looking for the moment to snatch things back for the true Republican party.
The closest that Trump comes to being a Republican is in supporting what benefits his own businesses. To be sure, he resembles a 1960s style Southern Democrat, not a modern one, and that’s a long jump to make but it’s still wildly far away from anything Republican, as well.
I see Republicans are trying to distance themselves from their boy.
Trump’s political positions are to damage the enemies of Republicans. His racism is Republican rasicm. His sexism is Republican sexism. His transphobia is Republican transphobia. He is a Republican 100%. Republicans have been building to elect someone like him for decades.