The Bulwark Podcast: Julie K. Brown – Hiding the Truth in the Epstein Files

Date: December 30, 2025
Host: Tim Miller
Guest: Julie K. Brown (Miami Herald reporter, “Perversion of Justice” author)

Overview

This episode features veteran investigative journalist Julie K. Brown, whose reporting reignited the Jeffrey Epstein investigation and led to his arrest. Amid a massive, chaotic release of Epstein-related files, Brown joins host Tim Miller to provide historical context, dissect current revelations, and confront the frustrating reality of ongoing cover-ups, redactions, and bureaucratic dysfunction surrounding the case. The discussion covers investigative challenges, victim perspectives, the muddled document releases, names of co-conspirators, potential political shielding, and the frustrations of unraveling the truth behind one of the most notorious abuse scandals in American history.

Episode Structure & Key Discussion Points

1. Setting the Stage: Why Julie Brown?

• [01:12] – [03:06]
  • Tim Miller introduces Julie K. Brown for her pivotal role in reviving the Epstein investigation.
  • Quote: "You begin this series and it kind of starts this cascade, including the investigation that ends up getting him arrested." – Tim Miller

2. The Origins of Renewed Epstein Scrutiny

• [03:08] – [06:24]
  • Brown recounts Trump’s 2016 campaign, a lawsuit implicating Trump with Epstein (Katie Johnson case), and her motivation to dig deeper as others ignored the story.
  • She treated it as a “cold case,” rebuilding investigation from raw police files, circumventing the “official record.”
  • Quote: "Nobody was really looking at it at this period of time... I wanted to start at the beginning and find out who this guy is and how he got away with his crimes." – Julie K. Brown [04:43]

3. "Sweetheart Deal," Alex Acosta & Re-awakening of the Case

• [06:24] – [07:53]
  • Appointment of Alex Acosta (Epstein’s prosecutor) as Trump’s Labor Secretary boosts journalistic urgency.
  • Police reports and new evidence contradict Acosta’s public claims; Brown kept re-engaging with the case despite other news assignments.

4. The Challenge of Reaching and Earning Victims’ Trust

• [07:53] – [11:51]
  • Brown details her laborious process to identify, track down, and gain the trust of Epstein’s victims.
  • Sent ~80 handwritten letters; only two responses, but both crucial.
  • Many victims act as researchers, picking through new files, bonding over shared trauma and the quest for justice.
  • Quote: "It's almost like we're in a club, you know, that we never really asked to join, but we're in this Epstein club." – Julie K. Brown [10:21]

5. Behind the Latest File Releases: Mess, Redactions, and Insufficient Transparency

• [13:08] – [19:17]
  • The new “salad bowl” release of files has been chaotic, disorganized, and full of unexplained redactions.
  • Example: An American Airlines flight record inadvertently included Brown’s name due to booking a victim’s interview travel.
  • Lack of supporting documentation (e.g., subpoenas not matched with records).
  • Victims suspect purposeful obfuscation to distract, delay, and conceal true accountability.
  • Quote: "They're throwing stuff out there and they're doing it in such a disorganized manner that it does distract from what the real story should be." – Julie K. Brown [17:13]

6. Redactions and Possible Political Protection

• [18:30] – [27:38]
  • Redactions “very favorable to Trump” noted–e.g., images with Ghislaine Maxwell removed and reinstated only after public pressure.
  • Survivors have reported 20 men’s names to Rep. Massie; official files only confirm 10 “co-conspirators,” including Les Wexner.
  • Brown says some "co-conspirators" were abused girls later kept as assistants.
  • Victims are reluctant to go public due to pervasive distrust in law enforcement and belief in government cover-up.

7. Political Ramifications, Trump’s Involvement, and Broader Fallout

• [27:38] – [47:57]
  • Marjorie Taylor Greene allegedly claimed Trump said “my friends will get hurt if abusers are named” during pushback on Epstein file release legislation.
  • Julie is aware of many names (off the record) but explains victim reluctance to go public amid fear and settlements.
  • The ongoing lack of clarity and transparency has political and reputational consequences.
  • Quote: "This is not a right versus left or Republican versus Democrat issue. This is sexual assault and it doesn't discriminate based on your political party." – Julie K. Brown [28:21]
  • Trump’s denials about flights with Epstein proven false by new manifests.
  • Debate on Ghislaine Maxwell’s “cozy” prison placement and speculation on future pardons.
  • Maxwell’s legal filings suggest up to 25 men made secret settlements with victims.

8. Continued Investigation, International Reach, and the Scale of Abuse

• [34:21] – [43:08]
  • Brown is still receiving global new tips and hearing from “new” victims, especially those outside the US.
  • Many describe Epstein leveraging poverty and illness to manipulate and abuse.
  • The number of victims is still growing, with Julie overwhelmed by the influx of tips and tech-enthusiast helpers.
  • Coverage is limited even as new revelations continue.

9. Money, Influence, and Untouched Avenues: The Many ‘Rabbit Holes’

• [40:49] – [43:08]
  • Money trails (e.g., Leon Black) and the semi-mysterious sources of Epstein’s wealth.
  • Epstein’s efforts to be a ‘connector’ among influential men, crossing into Hollywood, politics, and finance.

10. Epstein’s Death, Government Incompetence, and Lingering Questions

• [44:41] – [51:52]
  • Discussing allegations and skepticism about Epstein’s official cause of death.
  • Brown and forensic experts doubt it was a suicide given timing and context.
  • Widespread perception of investigation incompetence or indifference.
  • The lack of a full reckoning breeds cover-up theories and enduring mistrust.
  • Quote: "I actually don't believe it was a suicide because it was too soon for, I think, Epstein to give up...the way that it was investigated was so incredibly slipshod..." – Julie K. Brown [49:17]

11. Closing Reflections

• [52:12] – [52:24]
  • The scope of the Epstein scandal is so broad Julie expects to be reporting on it for years.
  • "This story is going to outlive me. You know, it's going to be like the JFK assassination." – Julie K. Brown [52:24]

Notable Quotes and Moments

• "To me it seemed like a cold case. Nobody was really looking at it at this period of time." – Julie K. Brown [04:43]
• "It's almost like we're in a club, you know, that we never really asked to join, but we're in this Epstein club." – Julie K. Brown [10:21]
• "(Victims) won't tell me it on the record...because they are afraid... the fact that then he got arrested and he ended up dead, to be honest with you, a lot of them don't believe that he committed suicide." – Julie K. Brown [24:02]
• "They're throwing stuff out there and they're doing it in such a disorganized manner that it does distract from what the real story should be...whether this was a corrupt deal and whether this is, is a cover up." – Julie K. Brown [17:13]
• "This is not a right versus Left or Republican versus Democrat issue. This is sexual assault and it doesn't discriminate based on your political party." – Julie K. Brown [28:21]
• "I haven't seen any evidence that Trump was involved with his sex trafficking network...But I think that the way that this has been handled by him and the Justice Department really should raise questions." – Julie K. Brown [45:24]
• "I actually don't believe it was a suicide...the way that it was investigated was so incredibly slipshod that you have to wonder..." – Julie K. Brown [49:17]
• "This story is going to outlive me. It's going to be like the JFK assassination, and it's definitely going to outlive me." – Julie K. Brown [52:24]

Key Timestamps for Reference

• Origins of Brown’s Investigation: [03:08] – [06:24]
• Cultivating Victim Sources: [07:53] – [11:51]
• Flight Record Confusion: [13:08] – [16:53]
• Chaotic DOJ File Release & Redactions: [16:53] – [19:17]
• Co-Conspirators & Named Names: [21:08] – [25:59]
• Political Stonewalling/Trump’s Alleged Warnings: [27:38] – [28:48]
• Ghislaine Maxwell & Secret Settlements: [30:53] – [33:34]
• International Victim Reports: [34:21] – [36:45]
• Sheer Scale of Abuse: [36:45] – [38:01]
• Money, Influence, and Modeling Agency Angle: [40:49] – [42:43]
• Epstein’s Death Skepticism: [44:41] – [51:52]
• Epilogue & The “Never Ending” Story: [52:12] – [52:24]

Tone and Style

Throughout, the conversation is candid and deeply serious, sometimes venturing into frustration and exasperation—especially regarding the incompetence or duplicity of authorities, and the traumas visited on victims. Where appropriate, Miller and Brown interject with dry humor or world-weariness, underscoring the daunting, almost surreal scale of the scandal.

Takeaway

Julie K. Brown’s relentless reporting and direct engagement with victims served as a catalyst for the belated reckoning with Jeffrey Epstein’s monstrous crimes. The latest batch of files remains incomplete, poorly handled, and ambiguous by design or ineptitude. Politically motivated redactions, ongoing government reticence, and the sheer volume of previously unheard victims keep the full extent of Epstein’s crimes and his powerful network shrouded in secrecy. Brown, despite years of reporting, is overwhelmed by new leads and tips, convinced the systemic malfeasance at work is even “worse than I thought.” The search for truth and justice, she believes, will likely continue for decades.

For further exploration:
Julie K. Brown’s substack and Miami Herald coverage, as well as investigative work on the financial and intelligence ties to Epstein, are recommended for listeners seeking to go deeper.