After Party with Emily Jashinsky

Episode: The Truth About Epstein's Connections, and Walz Bows Out, with Ryan Grim, Plus Shock Mary Cosby Docuseries
Date: January 6, 2026
Guest: Ryan Grim (Breaking Points, Drop Site News)

Overview

This episode dives deep into the latest revelations around Jeffrey Epstein’s entanglements with geopolitical actors (especially Israel and former Prime Minister Ehud Barak), the timeline and significance of recent document dumps, theories and reporting about how Epstein operated and amassed his wealth, and the cultural/political issues of the week—from the resignation of Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, to New York City’s new housing appointments, to the Mary Cosby docuseries. Host Emily Jashinsky is joined by investigative reporter Ryan Grim, who provides first-hand insights from his team’s original Epstein reporting.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Breaking News: Epstein Files and Geopolitical Connections

[07:00-21:00]

• Epstein Document Disclosures, Schumer’s Critique:

  • Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has been publicly pushing for full DOJ release of Epstein files; skepticism abounds regarding whether “smoking guns” would ever actually be released.

    “Schumer said Trump’s DOJ has failed to submit a report to Congress…Without redactions. What are they trying to hide?” – Emily [07:02]

• How Dropsite Analyzed the Data:

  • Drop Site News, using new search technologies and collaboration with JMail World, was able to make Ehud Barak’s hacked email inbox searchable, as well as Epstein’s Yahoo inbox—unlocking new connections and confirming suspicions about Epstein’s role as a geopolitical fixer.

    “With the help of this searchable inbox…we could search Jeffrey Epstein’s Yahoo inbox, the ones out through the House Oversight Committee…that really unlocked some answers.” – Ryan [10:08]

• Epstein & Israeli Officials, Gas Deals, and Broader Statecraft:

  • Direct evidence from emails confirms Epstein’s deep involvement with Barak and Israeli state interests, including arranging backchannels during the Syrian civil war, facilitating African deals, and brokering a consequential Israeli natural gas deal.

    “He helps JP Morgan get a meeting with Netanyahu…they end up financing this massive pipeline operation.” – Ryan [11:01]

2. Understanding & Differentiating Source Material: Hack vs. Official Releases

[12:14-15:39]

• On Hacked vs. Official Emails:

  • Hacked emails from Barak provide more unguarded (“wasn’t meant to be public”) insight; government-released docs are expectedly filtered and incomplete.
  • Signs of omitted/deleted material in Epstein’s Yahoo inbox, typical for someone covering tracks, but the Barak inbox likely dropped “as-is.”

    “It does seem like in Epstein’s Yahoo inbox…there’s a lot deleted…But the Barak emails are special in that sense because nobody…deleted anything from them.” – Ryan [13:21]

• Value of “Behind the Curtain” Access:

  • The combination offers a rare lens into the real commingling of geopolitics, elite networking, and criminality.

    “It’s going to be…important for us mentally…to delineate between the emails we weren’t supposed to see and…the info we are supposed to see.” – Emily [14:38]

3. Epstein’s “Work” for Israel, the Global Elite, and Financial Trail

[15:39-24:51]

• Cyberweapons, Surveillance, and Shadow Politics:

  • Epstein & Barak worked to build Israel’s surveillance/cyber-weapons sector, often moving sensitive business to face-to-face only.
  • Epstein acted as a “fixer”—not a traditional intelligence asset, but deeply trusted, albeit with a “gross” reputation.

• Window Into the Underworld:

  • The story’s salience derives from the collision of “unaccountable global elites” and “child sex trafficking”—feeding public anger at both.

• How Epstein Got Rich—The Arms, Drugs, Diamonds Web:

  • Evidence supports Epstein’s own boasts that he was enriched by arms, drugs, and diamonds transactions, especially in the Iran-Contra era, involving Adnan Khashoggi, Stan Pottinger, and links to shadowy global operations.

    “He made his money from ‘guns, drugs, and diamonds’…and that kind of tracks…the story we did on his involvement in IranContra…” – Ryan [20:04]

• U.S. Intelligence, CIA Connections, and More:

  • CIA “Southern Air Transport” airline (formerly flying Iran-Contra missions) was moved to Columbus, OH, allegedly with Epstein’s help, to serve the Wexner empire (Victoria’s Secret, Abercrombie & Fitch).

    “When the CIA’s planes were done transporting Iran Contra weapons and the…diamonds…Epstein ships them to Columbus, Ohio, for Les Wexner.” – Ryan [22:53]

• Incidental Relationships & Power Brokering:

  • Epstein routinely arranged access to global heads of state—sometimes snubbing presidents (Putin, Sarkozy), serving as a “fixer” for various principals across the globe.

    “He turned down meetings with presidents…Putin wanted to meet him…he told them ‘it’s gotta be at the palace…not some sideline meeting’…” – Ryan [25:36]

4. Sex Trafficking & Blackmail Angle—What’s There, What’s Not

[27:46-31:42]

• Darkness and Pervasiveness:

  • The inbox is “very dark”—evidence of sex trafficking is ever-present, and anyone who spent time with Epstein “should have known.”

    “Anybody who hung out with him a second time should be given no quarter…your radar should go off.” – Ryan [28:47]

• No “Smoking Gun” Blackmail Evidence:

  • While no direct blackmail emails found (“I have this on you, do X for me”), the “shared grossness” provided mutual leverage.

    “Most of the things he’s getting people to do are in his interests and in their interests…Also if they’ve hung out, they’ve done gross stuff together and he knows it…it just sits there, implied.” – Ryan [30:50]

• Reporting Challenges:

  • The team breaks off the reporting into discrete stories/narrative arcs to handle the sheer volume and complexity of links.

    “Without the team we have, this would not be possible. We try to break off discrete stories around an individual theme.” – Ryan [31:21]

5. Venezuela & U.S. Foreign Policy Subplot

[36:47-55:08]

• Conservative “Maduro Stole It” Theory:

  • Exploration of right-wing claims that Maduro/Venezuelan interests manipulated U.S. elections.

    “The feds are fishing for that kind of information [from Maduro].” – Emily [38:24] “Rubio used it as an argument to Trump…’This guy threw the election for Biden!’” – Ryan [37:27]

• Maduro’s Legal Outlook and Indictments:

  • Discussion of the “cartel de los soles” (alleged Venezuelan military narco-organization), its real/nonreal status, and the difficulties in prosecuting Maduro.

    “What everybody understands is that the cartel of the Suns doesn’t exist…it’s a fake, made up thing.” – Ryan [44:39]

• Oil Economics, Sanctions, and Regime Dynamics:

  • U.S. foreign policy’s simplistic view of “war for oil,” misunderstanding what the oil industry even wants, and the internal fragility of Venezuela’s regime.

    “Trump doesn’t understand…the oil companies want higher oil prices, not more oil…” – Ryan [52:46]

• Transitions of Power, U.S. Influence:

  • Whether this is “new regime change” or just a face-saving step, and Trump’s unique approach to interventionism/non-interventionism.

    “This is a way, a face saving way out…But you also didn’t have to send the armada. There was nobody other than Marco Rubio demanding that this happen.” – Ryan [54:42]

6. N.Y.C. Social Housing, DSA Appointees & Left Politics

[55:24-64:15]

• Controversial Past Statements by New Appointee Cea Weaver:

  • Old tweets and video clips resurface about property as “a collective good”, and language about homeownership as racist public policy.

    “We’ve really treated property as an individualized good and not a collective good…transitioning…will require we think of it differently.” – Cea Weaver (clip) [56:54]

  • Debate over whether this rhetoric is mainstream on the left, politically viable, or just faculty-lounge Twitter talk.

    “That’s [impoverish the white middle class] the 2020-2021 lingo I’m thinking of…what political project is going to be successful saying impoverish the biggest segment of the population?” – Ryan [63:03]

• Context of Housing, Race, and Historical Fact:

  • Ryan highlights that racist housing policy and redlining are real and created the modern white/black homeownership wealth gap.

    “It’s the connection…in the US…between race and class…If your entire society’s wealth production for the middle class is organized around housing and you have actual racist policies around housing, you’re going to accumulate more white home ownership.” – Ryan [61:07]

7. Minnesota: Tim Walz Drops Out, Progressive Politicians and Fraud Scandal

[64:30-73:43]

• Tim Walz Bows Out:

  • Minnesota Governor Tim Walz steps down from his third-term bid amid fallout from pandemic-era fraud scandals (notably in childcare/aid programs), and progressive discomfort over addressing fraud within immigrant/minority communities.

    “Tell me if I’m wrong…this is just a right wing theory…but it does really seem like people were tentative about asking questions and it’s coming back to bite them…” – Emily [70:45] “Some of the fraudsters affirmatively used [race/xenophobia accusations] to cover their fraud…we know that for a fact.” – Ryan [70:45]

• Progressive Dilemmas When Addressing Fraud:

  • Dangers of hesitancy to call out sympathetic fraudsters; how it undermines public support for welfare/social democratic programs.

    “It’s corrosive to the social democratic fabric…if people think programs are too easily gamed, that undermines public support.” – Ryan [73:43]

8. Culture: Mary Cosby Docuseries & Bravo, CNN NYE Clip

[77:02-end]

• Amy Sedaris on CNN NYE:

  • A clip featuring Amy Sedaris’ irreverent “ladies room” joke on CNN’s New Year’s Eve sparks commentary on the current limits of mainstream humor and the ongoing culture clash over gender & language.

    “If you can’t laugh at it, then we have nothing but misery. So props to Amy Sedaris for letting that one fly.” – Emily [78:36]

• Mary Cosby & TLC Docuseries:

  • Recap and analysis of the new “Mary Cosby” docuseries detailing accusations against the Real Housewives of Salt Lake City star, including spiritual abuse and financial coercion in her church.

    “There’s a major difference between somebody who believes something you don’t like… and somebody who is actively perpetuating an abusive scheme…” – Emily [80:41]

    • Raises the broader cancel culture question: Should networks platform stars facing grave allegations?

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Epstein’s Big Reveal:

  “Nobody likes an unaccountable global elite, and nobody likes child sex trafficking. And you had it all in one. And then people think, how are these people getting away with this?” — Ryan [18:08]

• On Blackmail Myths:

  “Most of the things he’s getting people to do are, are in his interests and in their interests; like, he doesn't need to blackmail them. But also if they've been hanging out, they’ve done gross stuff together and he knows it and they know that he knows it. So it just sits there and kind of implied in the background.” — Ryan [30:50]

• On the Academic-Left to Government Pipeline:

  “People are going to get burned by their 2021 quotes for the next 50 years…” — Ryan [56:16]

• On Progressive Reluctance to Address Fraud:

  “Progressives should be much more willing to call out fraud…It's corrosive to the social democratic fabric that you need to stitch together these programs. If people think that they're too, too easily gamed, then that undermines public support…” — Ryan [73:43]

Highlighted Timestamps by Topic

• Epstein new findings, tech breakthrough: [10:07-11:01]
• Israel state-level connections, gas deals: [11:01-12:14]
• On deletion, manipulation of the “inboxes”: [13:21-14:38]
• Epstein’s global fixer role, state power: [15:39-19:08]
• Iran-Contra, CIA arms, Epstein’s fortune genesis: [20:04-23:35]
• Meeting with world leaders, fixers’ power: [25:36-27:46]
• Blackmail, sex trafficking dynamic: [27:46-31:42]
• Maduro, Venezuela, and U.S. politics: [36:47-55:08]
• Housing, DSA staffer’s statements, race/class: [55:24-64:15]
• Tim Walz, progressive fraud scandal: [64:30-73:43]
• Amy Sedaris/CNN, Mary Cosby docuseries: [77:02-end]

Tone & Style

The conversation is big-picture, wide-ranging, irreverent, and candid, with both host and guest blending serious investigative insight with humor and quick asides about culture and the absurdities of the news cycle. Ryan Grim is detailed and historically contextual; Emily Jashinsky presses both on narrative clarity and on bridging knowledge for listeners less immersed in the deep-dive journalism.

Conclusion

For listeners seeking to understand the ongoing significance and complexity of the Epstein saga (beyond tabloid conspiracies), alongside crucial context for contemporary U.S. and global politics, this episode brings clarity, hard reporting, and a dose of fun. Culture-watchers will also find the discussion of cancel culture, reality TV, and evolving norms around race, property, and public language especially insightful.