IHIP News – Episode Summary

Episode Title: The Epstein Elite Are Fighting to Keep Power and Pam Bondi Botching Cover-Up for Trump
Hosts: Jennifer Welch & Angie “Pumps” Sullivan
Guest: Tara McGowan (Founder and Publisher of Courier News)
Date: February 14, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode of IHIP News dives deep into explosive claims around the continuing Epstein revelations, the elite efforts to suppress accountability, and specifically Pam Bondi’s role in shielding Trump from scrutiny. With guest Tara McGowan, founder of Courier News, the discussion centers on the interconnectedness of global power, media complicity, and the critical importance of state-level action in this era of deep political corruption. The tone is unfiltered, urgent, and sharply critical, with a focus on mobilizing listeners for the 2026 midterm elections.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Epstein Files: Global Cover-Up and Power Structures

• Tara McGowan delivers a blunt assessment of the Epstein cover-up, characterizing it as potentially the "biggest cover up in American history, if not globally" (02:00).
• Pam Bondi’s appointment as Attorney General is cast as a strategic move to protect Trump, along with other underqualified loyalists.
  • "Her and Kash Patel have absolutely no business being involved in the highest levels of security clearance and investigations in this country." (02:21, Tara McGowan)
• The files confirm long-derided conspiracy theories about trafficking and elite complicity:
  • "There was a global cabal of human trafficking, sex trafficking of children that the most powerful people ... were complicit in." (03:16, Tara McGowan)
• Both Republicans and Democrats, as well as global leaders and oligarchs, are implicated.

2. Media Blind Spots and Alleged Foreign Intelligence Links

• Lack of mainstream coverage regarding Epstein's alleged connections with Israeli government and Mossad; media instead fixates on Russia/Putin.
  • "It appears that credibly, one could make the argument that Jeffrey Epstein was a Mossad agent... they're also honey potting and blackmailing people." (04:21, Jen)
• Corporate media’s inaction and complicity:
  • The Miami Herald’s local reporting was the impetus for broader coverage.
  • Ownership changes at CBS (Larry Ellison, Barry Weiss) are seen as consolidating pro-Trump and pro-Israel bias in media.
    • "That is a favor to Trump...they've been pretty unabashed and explicit about their pro Israel agenda." (05:43, Tara McGowan)
  • Media’s indifference to Gaza coverage tied into broader accountability failings.

3. Failures of Federal Accountability – Focus on Merrick Garland and DOJ

• Jen charges that federal authorities, and specifically Garland, stalled meaningful prosecution:
  • "Why weren’t we investigating the suicide?... Prosecutors don’t jack around with that stuff. And it was just stalled out." (07:31, Jen)
• Elite impunity a bipartisan phenomenon: Clinton administration, Democratic ‘old guard’, and Trump’s inner circle are all cited as having protected each other.
  • "This is much bigger than...a power play between political parties in America." (10:02, Tara McGowan)
• Peter Thiel, Steve Bannon, Elon Musk are named as "oligarch freak shows" appearing throughout the Epstein files.

4. The Role of State & Local Governments in Justice

• Emphasis on state-level criminal proceedings as federal accountability fails:
  • "State governments, state leaders need to take action...the federal government are the ones who are the perpetrators, the enablers and the protectors." (12:45, Tara McGowan)
• Example discussed: Oklahoma’s Governor Kevin Stitt breaks with Trump over a National Governors Association snub, suggesting cracks in the Republican monolith.
  • "If the dam is breaking with the Kevin Stitts of the world...governors are going to be a frontline..." (14:17, Jen)
• The importance of state authority over elections and ICE accountability.
  • "State and local leadership is also where any accountability related to ICE is happening..." (15:12, Tara McGowan)

5. Mobilizing for the Midterms – Grassroots Action and Allyship

• Advocacy for local activism and white allyship in ensuring voter access for marginalized groups, especially amid likely attempts at voter suppression.
  • "We need to mobilize real allyship and escort these people to the polls and use our complexion to be there with them..." (17:23, Jen)
• The “Too Big To Rig” mantra – turnout must overwhelm attempts at election subversion.
  • "Our turnout must be too big to rig. It has to be insurmountable." (17:58, Jen)

6. Public Response to Fear Tactics and Community Resistance

• Citing reaction to government violence in Minneapolis: increased community engagement and allyship rather than submission to intimidation.
  • "We saw more people show up in the streets in Minneapolis...people protecting their neighbors and their communities." (19:09, Tara McGowan)
• The backlash effect: “their fear tactics have not been working”.

7. Courier News: Growth and Mission

• Tara McGowan shares Courier's expansion into 20 states, focus on social media news delivery, and its commitment to accessible, independent local journalism.
  • "We are now reaching ... over 150 million Americans a week...in a way that they’ll consume it with all of our very limited attention spans these days." (21:19, Tara McGowan)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

| Timestamp | Speaker | Quote | |-----------|---------|-------| | 02:00 | Tara McGowan | "It is absolutely the biggest cover up in American history. It might be the biggest cover up globally and it is a global story." | | 03:16 | Tara McGowan | "There was a global cabal of human trafficking... that the most powerful people, primarily men around this world... were complicit in, if not completely engaged directly in." | | 04:21 | Jen | "...one could make the argument that Jeffrey Epstein was a Mossad agent. And so why are they doing all of this pedophilia stuff? Not only are they sick fucks... but they're also honey potting and blackmailing people." | | 05:43 | Tara McGowan | "...They've been pretty unabashed and explicit about their pro Israel agenda with CBS News and with how they are reorienting the news organization there." | | 07:31 | Jen | "Why weren't we investigating the suicide? And for those of you that are listening, I say suicide in quotations. Why weren't we investigating that?" | | 10:02 | Tara McGowan | "This is much bigger than that ... this transcends politics... the corruption is everywhere and it is everywhere on the surface." | | 12:45 | Tara McGowan | "State governments, state leaders need to take action. They need to pursue criminal proceedings because we know the federal government will not." | | 15:12 | Tara McGowan | "States run our elections... The states run these elections and they were the ones, Republicans in state leadership were the ones who held the line in 2020..." | | 17:23 | Jen | "We need to mobilize real allyship and escort these people to the polls and use our complexion to be there with them and to say, you know, I'm not registered in this precinct... But I'm going to partner with my friend here and stay the whole day with them and live stream it." | | 19:09 | Tara McGowan | "We saw more people show up in the streets in Minneapolis. We saw hundreds of thousands of people join trainings to learn how to be witnesses and observers of ICE." | | 21:19 | Tara McGowan | "We are now reaching between national and our local network over 150 million Americans a week through vertical video explainers, graphic carousels, headlines." |

Key Timestamps for Important Segments

• 01:25 – Beginning of Epstein Files discussion
• 02:00 – Tara characterizes the cover-up’s scale
• 04:04 – Jen highlights media blind spots on Epstein’s links to foreign intelligence
• 05:43 – Corporate media’s bias and CBS ownership changes
• 07:24 – Garland & DOJ’s failures on both Epstein and January 6th funding
• 09:35 – Tara: "This transcends politics" and critique of both parties
• 12:45 – Focus shifts to state and local legal action
• 14:17 – State governments possibly breaking with Trump
• 17:23-17:58 – Grassroots election mobilization and allyship strategy
• 19:09 – Backlash against federal intimidation tactics; community mobilization
• 20:22 – Courier News’s state expansion and mission

Conclusion

This episode offers a raw, incisive look at the interlocking crises of elite impunity, government complicity, and media failure surrounding the Epstein files and Trump-era corruption. Jen, Tara, and the show adopt an unabashedly progressive stance, focusing not only on exposing wrongdoing but also on empowering listeners—especially at the local and state level—to fight back, protect democracy, and build new systems of accountability. The urgent call: massive, united action for the 2026 midterms and beyond.