# 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:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2025, 11:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-epstein-the-scandal-that-has-stuck-and-why-now/1021460/121 "2025-08-08T11:44:17Z")
Some MAGAts are pretending that an island is necessary for indulgence in perversions. “Trump never went to ‘The Island’. Case closed!” ---
**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:** [August 8, 2025, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-epstein-the-scandal-that-has-stuck-and-why-now/1021460/122 "2025-08-08T13:19:35Z")
Then no issue with him releasing all the documents - with his name redacted or not. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2025, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-epstein-the-scandal-that-has-stuck-and-why-now/1021460/123 "2025-08-08T14:19:56Z")
> [@Sage\_Rat](#): > > with his name redacted or not If the only thing redacted is his name, that’s not really a redaction. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2025, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-epstein-the-scandal-that-has-stuck-and-why-now/1021460/124 "2025-08-08T17:27:00Z")
> [@Sage\_Rat](#): > > Then no issue with him releasing all the documents - with his name redacted or not. Grand Jury info has to get a court order to be released. I dunno if that has been achieved yet. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2025, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-epstein-the-scandal-that-has-stuck-and-why-now/1021460/125 "2025-08-08T21:27:50Z")
Whelp. > **[47% of Republicans would still vote for Trump even if implicated in Epstein's...](https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/trump-epstein-republican-voters/)** > > A majority of GOP voters said they would either stand by Trump or weren't sure, even if he were officially linked to the late sex offender's crimes. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2025, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-epstein-the-scandal-that-has-stuck-and-why-now/1021460/126 "2025-08-08T21:43:44Z")
The good news is two-fold. 1- The days of voting for Trump are over, right? Right? 2- Let the unmasking of Republicans erase any lingering doubt some may have regarding the general decency of Republicans. ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2025, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-epstein-the-scandal-that-has-stuck-and-why-now/1021460/127 "2025-08-09T00:24:30Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > Whelp. > > [47% of Republicans would still vote for Trump even if implicated in Epstein's crimes, survey found | Snopes.com](https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/trump-epstein-republican-voters/) Implicated? He’s already a lot more than implicated in 34 felonies. He’s convicted of them beyond a reasonable doubt. I guess the Republicans, who say they would turn against Trump if he was implicated, are confusing an implication with proof. In real life, if Trump is implicated, almost all Republicans will ignore the implication unless he is convicted, such as in a Senate impeachment vote. And that’s not happening. Personally, it would take a high level of proof – say, DNA evidence – for something involving Epstein or Maxwell to lower my already low option of Mr. Trump. ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2025, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-epstein-the-scandal-that-has-stuck-and-why-now/1021460/128 "2025-08-09T00:40:58Z")
There’s no way the number is as low as 47%. It’s easy to say no to a poll because you realize it makes you look bad if you say yes, but if they actually have to do it, they’d say yes. Because they did. We knew about Epstein before Trump was elected the first time. This isn’t a new story. Maybe it’s more widely known than it was before, but a large fraction of Trump voters would’ve known Trump was good friends with the biggest child sex trafficker in the world and voted for him anyway. If not as much in 2016, then definitely in 2020 and 2024. We could have a video of Trump raping a 13 year old and he’d only lose maybe 10% support. Everyone else would deny it’s real, or try to justify it as “well a lot of great men fucked kids, and if that’s what he needs to do to relax to do all the amazing things he did then that’s the price that’s worth paying” ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2025, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-epstein-the-scandal-that-has-stuck-and-why-now/1021460/129 "2025-08-09T00:44:48Z")
> [@PhillyGuy](#): > > He’s already a lot more than implicated in 34 felonies. He’s convicted of them beyond a reasonable doubt. > > I guess the Republicans, who say they would turn against Trump if he was implicated, are confusing an implication with proof. See, they accept some economic shenanigans, and many think this was targeted. But being a Pedo? Nope, that will lose him followers. But it wont happen, there just isnt anything that solid in the so-called “files”. ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2025, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-epstein-the-scandal-that-has-stuck-and-why-now/1021460/130 "2025-08-09T00:54:54Z")
> [@SenorBeef](#): > > We could have a video of Trump raping a 13 year old and he’d only lose maybe 10% support. My first thought is deepfake, and I’m not even a Republican. What could really lose Trump support is tariff-driven inflation. But there’s no sense in highlighting it until it hits a lot harder. So I guess there’s no harm in focusing on Epstein now. ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2025, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-epstein-the-scandal-that-has-stuck-and-why-now/1021460/131 "2025-08-09T01:27:09Z")
> [@PhillyGuy](#): > > What could really lose Trump support is tariff-driven inflation Economic factors are too complex and lag too much. That’s too nebulous for his base to turn on him. His propaganda network will have a hundred excuses blaming others. Ordinarily economic downtowns turn people against politicians, and this will have some effect, but we’ve never tested them against a cult and I have my doubts that will do too much. ---
**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:** [August 9, 2025, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-epstein-the-scandal-that-has-stuck-and-why-now/1021460/132 "2025-08-09T03:25:23Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > But it wont happen, there just isnt anything that solid in the so-called “files”. If this is the case though, why is Trump reacting like a guilty man? Why a cover-up if there is nothing to cover up? Why move Maxwell to a cushy new jail? Why a thousand FBI agents scrubbing the files for any mention of Trump’s name? Why black his name out if the files say he’s innocent? All Trump has to do to make this go away is _be honest_. And that is true whether he is into sex with girls who legally cannot consent (seems likely) or if he just stood there with his arms crossed and a frown of disapproval on his face every time Epstein did something creepy (seems less likely). But since Trump isn’t actually capable of being honest he just keeps making the situation worse for himself. And in the end, _we will find out anyway_. This story is never going away, at least not in his rapidly diminishing lifetime. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2025, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-epstein-the-scandal-that-has-stuck-and-why-now/1021460/133 "2025-08-09T06:00:07Z")
> [@SenorBeef](#): > > His propaganda network will have a hundred excuses blaming others. Ordinarily economic downtowns turn people against politicians, and this will have some effect, but we’ve never tested them against a cult and I have my doubts that will do too much This is exactly right. Even in the depths of a catastrophic depression, the messaging machine would be fiercely on point: “Trump has a brilliant plan for leading us to prosperity, but the (((enemy))) is continuing to obstruct and sabotage him, and that’s why you’re suffering! Give Trump _more_ power to root out the traitors!” It’s a cult, pure and simple, full stop. This message will work. The base will remain loyal. ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2025, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-epstein-the-scandal-that-has-stuck-and-why-now/1021460/134 "2025-08-09T12:48:08Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > But it wont happen, there just isnt anything that solid in the so-called “files”. Cite? ---
**Author:** ![Tired\_and\_Cranky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a87d85/32.png) [@Tired\_and\_Cranky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tired_and_Cranky)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2025, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-epstein-the-scandal-that-has-stuck-and-why-now/1021460/135 "2025-08-09T13:25:42Z")
Who expects the dumbest conspiracy theorists in the country to look at the evidence of Trump interfering with the investigation and breaking his promise to release investigative files and suddenly break with Trump? Why would they suddenly weigh facts dispassionately, make reasonable inferences, and have an epiphany about Trump? They won’t. They are going to plunge to new depths of stupidity and invent even dumber conspiracy theories to justify their continuing support of someone who is, at best, pedophile adjacent. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2025, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-epstein-the-scandal-that-has-stuck-and-why-now/1021460/136 "2025-08-09T16:02:13Z")
> [@DWMarch](#): > > If this is the case though, why is Trump reacting like a guilty man? Why a cover-up if there is nothing to cover up? Like I said- nothing solid, no smoking gun. That doesnt mean that there couldnt be something which might embarrass trump- like evidence he visited the island, without any evidence of “activities”. > [@BlankSlate](#): > > Cite? The files are Grand Jury records, so if there was any solid proof it would have come out my now. That doesnt mean something might be embarrassing to trump and others. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2025, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-epstein-the-scandal-that-has-stuck-and-why-now/1021460/137 "2025-08-09T16:08:27Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > The days of voting for Trump are over, right? Right? Absolutely. If Trump stays in power, it won’t involve voting. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2025, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-epstein-the-scandal-that-has-stuck-and-why-now/1021460/138 "2025-08-09T16:29:56Z")
> **[What do we know about the Jeffrey Epstein files?](https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c20r07dg6kro)** > > The clamour is growing for the Trump administration to put documents related to the Epstein investigations before the public. We know quite a bit about what is in them, in general. ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2025, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-epstein-the-scandal-that-has-stuck-and-why-now/1021460/139 "2025-08-09T18:18:22Z")
So you’re saying that ‘grand jury records’ are public? They’re not, on top of which not all the evidence collected in the Epstein investigations were used in court proceedings. Hand-waving away the totality of the Epstein files really doesn’t explain the full-court panic in the Trump admnistraion. You don’t know the contents, so I’m not sure why you keep insisting there is no there there. ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2025, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-epstein-the-scandal-that-has-stuck-and-why-now/1021460/140 "2025-08-09T18:21:43Z")
Wow I hope this thread stays relevant. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-epstein-the-scandal-that-has-stuck-and-why-now/1021460.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-epstein-the-scandal-that-has-stuck-and-why-now/1021460.md?page=8)