# If Epstein information and testimony directly implicates Trump, what happens? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [July 10, 2019, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-epstein-information-and-testimony-directly-implicates-trump-what-happens/836850 "2019-07-10T17:47:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2019, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-epstein-information-and-testimony-directly-implicates-trump-what-happens/836850/61 "2019-07-13T21:07:22Z")
See post 25 for your answer to the OP. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2019, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-epstein-information-and-testimony-directly-implicates-trump-what-happens/836850/62 "2019-07-14T01:02:52Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > I think it’s likely Trump paid for an abortion or two. He probably paid hush money for that as well. If that is proven he might lose a few religious voters. Not to defend Trump, but I think anyone who had an abortion paid for by him would have spoken up in 2016. It’s not like he’s become more hypocritical in the last three years. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2019, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-epstein-information-and-testimony-directly-implicates-trump-what-happens/836850/63 "2019-07-14T01:12:31Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > Some hard core pro lifers would not ignore abortions paid by Trump. They would not vote for the Dem , they would probably stay home. That seems to be what happened in Alabama with Roy Moore. Generally women have a higher turnout than men, but among whites men had a higher turnout than women. I’m guessing some women who would’ve normally voted republican just stayed home. > **[Preliminary exit poll results: How different groups voted in the U.S. senator...](https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2017/politics/alabama-exit-polls/?utm_term=.5073ba689138)** > > See how different groups voted in the U.S. senator election in Alabama between Roy Moore and Doug Jones ---
**Author:** ![Ann\_Hedonia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ann_hedonia/32/319_2.png) [@Ann\_Hedonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Hedonia)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2019, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-epstein-information-and-testimony-directly-implicates-trump-what-happens/836850/64 "2019-07-14T01:29:20Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > If Epstein gives info on Trump to get a lighter sentence and there is no corroborating information, Trump supporters won’t believe him. It’ll be a he said-he said and Epstein was just saying it to get a lighter sentence. And they’d be correct. The guy is a notorious fucking liar and I am not going to pick and choose when he is telling the truth based on my biases. > > It’ll be interesting if he has real proof. And if he’s really the weasel that he is reputed to be, he does. I don’t think Epstein is going to be trading information for a lighter sentence. He’s not young. Even if they go easy on him, it’s still going to be an effective life sentence. Plus, it would really look bad for prosecutors if they go easy on Epstein in order to get Trump. But the people that aided Epstein may very well be in a position to bargain. I agree, their eyewitness recollections would probably be discredited and dismissed by Trump’s base and the Republican establishment. What possibly might bring him down is some sort of direct photographic evidence, like pictures or camera footage. That is the kind of evidence that might be seized during a search. If Epstein did have this type of evidence, I wonder if he would try to leverage it into a presidential pardon. He is a sociopath with giant balls, after all. Maybe he’ll make Trump fire Betsy Devos and appoint him Secretary of Education. And the Republicans would probably approve it. Drain the Swamp! ---
**Author:** ![Lamoral](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lamoral/32/16078_2.png) [@Lamoral](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamoral)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2019, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-epstein-information-and-testimony-directly-implicates-trump-what-happens/836850/65 "2019-07-14T02:02:53Z")
Trump may act like an idiot but he is by no means stupid enough to not realize how bad the optics of pardoning Epstein would be. There is absolutely no way in hell he would do that. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2019, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-epstein-information-and-testimony-directly-implicates-trump-what-happens/836850/66 "2019-07-14T02:04:27Z")
Trump can only pardon for Federal crimes. Epstein is being prosecuted by the State of New York. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2019, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-epstein-information-and-testimony-directly-implicates-trump-what-happens/836850/67 "2019-07-14T03:07:42Z")
> [@Lamoral](#): > > Trump may act like an idiot but he is by no means stupid enough to not realize how bad the optics of pardoning Epstein would be. There is absolutely no way in hell he would do that. Hmmm… taking under advisement the phrase “by no means stupid enough” WRT Donnie. That remains to be seen. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2019, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-epstein-information-and-testimony-directly-implicates-trump-what-happens/836850/68 "2019-07-14T03:09:09Z")
> [@Lamoral](#): > > Trump may act like an idiot but he is by no means stupid enough to not realize how bad the optics of pardoning Epstein would be. There is absolutely no way in hell he would do that. Haha. I don’t think there is a bottom to Trump’s stupidity. Also even if Epstein is pardoned, NY state will just prosecute him there. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2019, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-epstein-information-and-testimony-directly-implicates-trump-what-happens/836850/69 "2019-07-14T03:17:26Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > Trump can only pardon for Federal crimes. Epstein is being prosecuted by the State of New York. He is? I thought SDNY was a federal investigations unit and he was indicted in federal court. Either way, I’m guessing his crimes can be prosecuted on the state level if he is pardoned. Also recently NY state passed a double jeopardy law allowing prosecutions for state crimes if they are pardoned at the federal level. > **[New York Assembly Passes Bill Closing 'Double Jeopardy' Loophole As Rebuke To...](https://www.npr.org/2019/05/21/725495478/new-york-assembly-passes-bill-closing-double-jeopardy-loophole-as-rebuke-to-trum)** > > Top Democrats in the state are framing the change as a way to stand up to President Trump and allow for state prosecutions of those he pardons for federal crimes. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2019, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-epstein-information-and-testimony-directly-implicates-trump-what-happens/836850/70 "2019-07-14T19:29:52Z")
Oh, and > [@](#): > > Quoth **Ambivalid** : > > As young as these girls were, they were always teenagers. Words mean things. Or at least they’re supposed to. Teenage=/ prepubescent. Yes, words mean things. And “puberty” does not mean a specific number of years. Most people go through puberty in their early teens, but not everyone. The calendar age of his victims might be relevant for determining just what crimes he committed, and what the legal sentences are for them, but they are not relevant for diagnosing his pathology. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-epstein-information-and-testimony-directly-implicates-trump-what-happens/836850.md?page=3)