# Why is Epstein the scandal that has stuck, and why now? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Tags:** trump\ **Created:** [July 29, 2025, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-epstein-the-scandal-that-has-stuck-and-why-now/1021460 "2025-07-29T11:47:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 13
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2025, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-epstein-the-scandal-that-has-stuck-and-why-now/1021460/241 "2025-12-24T01:23:36Z")
This news will stick in our minds for years or decades: > **[Redacted Material in Some Epstein Files Is Easily Recovered](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/23/us/politics/epstein-files-redactions-doj.html?unlocked_article_code=1._E8.Mn_H.ADYZs7mu7P8G&smid=url-share)** > > The ease of recovering information that was not properly redacted digitally suggests that at least some of the documents released by the Justice Department were hastily censored. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2025, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-epstein-the-scandal-that-has-stuck-and-why-now/1021460/242 "2025-12-25T20:45:14Z")
[https://www.npr.org/2025/12/25/g-s1-103685/doj-says-few-more-weeks-epstein-files](https://www.npr.org/2025/12/25/g-s1-103685/doj-says-few-more-weeks-epstein-files) A million more Epstein files have been found. My guess is that most of those are duplicates of documents already released. And a bunch are unrelated to any crimes. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2025, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-epstein-the-scandal-that-has-stuck-and-why-now/1021460/243 "2025-12-25T20:59:05Z")
> [@dtilque](#): > > A million more Epstein files have been found. What was that famous comment from a children’s show host? “That should hold the little bastards for a while.” ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2025, 9:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-epstein-the-scandal-that-has-stuck-and-why-now/1021460/244 "2025-12-27T09:54:28Z")
Epstein has taken hold because it’s big and exciting and easily condemned and understood. It’s not meaningful or important in a national or policy sense, and if Trump and Epstein never met Trump would still be a Class-A creep and unqualified to any leadership role whatsoever. it’s also both a great distraction from the other stuff Trump does AND a distraction from any “good” things he wants to crow about to the MAGA faithful. Tricky. Sorry if much of this has been discussed, I just got inspired. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2025, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-epstein-the-scandal-that-has-stuck-and-why-now/1021460/245 "2025-12-27T14:06:17Z")
Going back to very early in the thread: > [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > That doesn’t mean that the scandal won’t stick or won’t affect his popularity with his base. It just means that there won’t be any consequences for him beyond the humiliation. Sure looks that way. And that only leads to him thrashing harder to shake it off himself, at worst only getting him angrier and wanting to take it out on someone else yet. As to why it has had “legs” , yeah, the salaciousness and the way it reaffirms the “cabal of powerful perverts” narrative is what kept it alive. EVERY side of the discussion has someone influential or powerful they’d love to humiliate or intimidate or turn public opinion against and why, will you look at this extensive list of rich putzes we can associate with this a-hole. ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2025, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-epstein-the-scandal-that-has-stuck-and-why-now/1021460/246 "2025-12-27T19:07:18Z")
> [@JRDelirious](#): > > EVERY side of the discussion has someone influential or powerful they’d love to humiliate or intimidate or turn public opinion against and why, will you look at this extensive list of rich putzes we can associate with this a-hole. It’s bringing about reckonings on all sides, willy-nilly (like it or not). For example, Noam Chomsky is not anyone I’d have wished to be implicated, but since he is, I say down with Chomsky. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2025, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-epstein-the-scandal-that-has-stuck-and-why-now/1021460/247 "2025-12-28T01:37:04Z")
> [@Johanna](#): > > For example, Noam Chomsky is not anyone I’d have wished to be implicated, He exchanged a lot of emails, etc, He is not implicated- AFAIK- in the “island” or the sex scandals. Many famous people got free jet rides, too, ---
**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:** [December 28, 2025, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-epstein-the-scandal-that-has-stuck-and-why-now/1021460/248 "2025-12-28T15:27:14Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > He exchanged a lot of emails, etc, He is not implicated- AFAIK- in the “island” or the sex scandals. I don’t know if he was on the island, but he and Steve Bannon seemed extremely chummy at Epstein’s estate. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-epstein-the-scandal-that-has-stuck-and-why-now/1021460.md?page=12)