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The Epstein Chronicles
Clemency Without Accountability: Who’s Really Backing Maxwell? (5/5/26)
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Reports surrounding the House Oversight Committee’s investigation into Jeffrey Epstein have revealed a quiet but deeply controversial dynamic behind the scenes: some Republican members have been internally discussing the possibility of a pardon for...
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I drive my bus in a busy city. That's why road safety is so important to me. I know that I must slow down and be extra careful when I make a wide turn. Buses need more room than cars. Everyone can help keep our roads safe. Next time you're driving, remember to give buses plenty of time and space to finish turning before driving ahead. Let's all plan to share the road safely. Learn how at www.sharetherodesafely.gov what's up everyone? And welcome to another episode of the Epstein Chronicles. For the past few weeks now, we've been hearing that members of the GOP who sit on the House committee that's overseeing the Epstein situation are divided on whether President Trump should issue a pardon to Ghislaine Maxwell. But isn't it odd that we don't have any names to attach to this? Like, if these Republicans are backing a pardon for Maxwell, shouldn't they go on the record? I mean, they should explain why they think the way they think, right? What exactly do you hope to gain from giving Elaine Maxwell a pardon? Considering she actually took part in the abuse herself, considering she was somebody that transported these girls to Jeffrey Epstein, and considering she's absolutely decimated as a witness, what exactly are you trying to gain? Well, they'll tell you they're looking to get her cooperation, but the truth is, what they're really trying to do is to continue with the COVID up. That's the most important thing. Not transparency, not justice, not shooting the American people straight, but bullshitting, lying and protecting the very people that they should be investigating. And if they really believe that Ghislaine Maxwell deserves a pardon, then put your name behind that and quit attributing it to anonymous sources. Don't be a coward. Instead, stand 10 toes down and stand on business. But we all know that these cowards will never do that. Today's article is from the Guardian, and the headline republicans Appear Split on Idea of Clemency for Glenn Maxwell. This article was authored by Victoria Be Kempis. The possibility of clemency for Jeffrey Epstein's accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell, however unlikely, has long outraged survivors and their advocates who view the former British socialites lengthy jail sentence as giving them some justice in the long running saga. Well, if you were one of those girls and you were abused and the only person that went to jail for it went to prison for it, is now being dangled as somebody that might get a pardon, wouldn't you be a bit upset as well? Wouldn't you be outspoken? Wouldn't you be raising holy hell? We all know the answer to that. So why shouldn't these women raise holy hell when this right here directly affects them? So maybe somebody should ask them how they feel. Recent reporting that a pardon for Maxwell is now being discussed supportively in some circles, however, has highlighted how Epstein and Maxwell remain a political minefield for Republicans and Donald Trump. While presenting yet another blow to survivors fight for transparency. News broke in late April that representatives on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee had split opinions whether the President should pardon the convicted sex trafficker Maxwell so she would cooperate with her investigation into Epstein. Survivors advocates responded with indignation, as they should have. Remember, Maxwell isn't going to give you any evidence that's going to be actionable. I know I've said this a million times, but I guess it bears worth repeating. Ghislaine Maxwell as a witness is cooked. And I know that some of you follow trials out there and I know that you've seen witnesses get up on the stand and get absolutely murked by the lawyer and think about the worst instance of that happening and then times that by about a hundred and that's what would happen to Glenn Maxwell. I mean, this lady is a known liar. Somebody that was charged with perjury would have been convicted of it. But the court dropped those charges to help streamline the main charges of human trafficking and the Man Act. But I don't think there is any lawyer in this country, you, even a terrible lawyer, that wouldn't be able to utilize all of that as a cudgel against Maxwell if she ever took the stand. And remember, if she's going to be some kind of witness, she has to take the stand. So good luck. Any talk of clemency for Glenn Maxwell in exchange for testimony turns justice on its head. It risks rewarding the very person who helped enable the abuse, said Goldclaw, CLO and litigation director Spencer Kuvin, who's represented numerous Epstein survivors and Spencer Kuven's been very outspoken this whole entire time. And he's not one of those lawyers that sits in a room, right, looks at paperwork and makes phone calls. He's a litigation specialist. That's somebody that actually goes into the courtroom and fights it out. And this man has been very vocal about what happened with Epstein, what happened with the COVID up, and certainly what happened with Prince Andrew. While Congress has no power to grant a pardon, even entertaining that conversation signals to victims that their suffering is still being treated as secondary to political strategy. Justice should never be transactional when it comes to crimes of this magnitude. I agree 1 million percent. There is no scenario under this sun where Ghislaine Maxwell should be pardoned. Unless, of course, you're looking to protect the administration. Because short of that, Glenn Maxwell has zero worth as a witness of any kind. And I want you to remember what she told Todd Blanche, that she had no idea about Jeffrey Epstein's behavior, that she wasn't around them, that she wasn't somebody that was locked in with Epstein after 2007. So if that's the case, then how could she have any information to give anybody? So either way, she's a liar, right? And if you think that that's going to fly inside of a courtroom with a judge or the jurors, you have not been paying attention. Credibility is the currency inside of a courtroom, and Glenn Maxwell has none of it. Sigrid McCauley, a managing partner at Boys Schiller Flexner, who has long represented Epstein survivors, voiced similar sentiments in a statement saying there could be no greater injustice to survivors than for President Trump departing. Ghislaine Maxwell as Jeffrey Epstein's co conspirator. She was found guilty and convicted by a jury for incredibly serious sex crimes against minors. McCauley said there is nothing credible that you will offer the government. And the assertion that she will provide information is simply a smokescreen. And that's really what it comes down to. If Maxwell had anything of note to offer up, she would have done it when she was under suspicion and facing prison. The second you're convicted, the second that that gavel comes crashing down, that's it. You're now a convicted felon with a lot to gain by lying. So why should anyone ever believe you? Jennifer Freeman of Marsh Law Firm, who represents Epstein and Maxwell survivor Annie Farmer said that no form of clemency could ever be justified. Any pardon or commutation of Glenn Maxwell's rightful sentence would betray the survivors, mock the gravity of their suffering, and fundamentally undermine the integrity of our judicial system. She added the survivors advocates are by no means alone in their views, with many oversight members, including Republican Chair James Comer, reportedly opposing clemency. So who are the people that are supporting it? Or is it just a made up story? Remember, we have to be mindful of that, too. Look, there's a lot going on here and a lot of people are trying to control narratives, but I'm not interested in any of that. I'm only interested in getting as close to the truth as possible. So if people are out here saying they're going to support Glenn Maxwell, put your name behind it. Don't be a coward. If that's what you truly feel and that's what you believe and you think that we're going to get something from it. Let's hear your side of the story. Or is it that nobody really supports that kind of pardon and this is a made up story by the legacy media? Very possible. I don't discount anything. I've told you that from the very beginning the legacy media has been very duplicitous when it comes to Jeffrey Epstein, this story and reporting on it the right way. And look, they've done a better job recently, but that doesn't forgive all of the deceit from the past. Right? And if they think I'm just going to trust them, I'm not. The days of trust us, bro, are long over. And that's why I always show you guys my work, give you the source and, and then show you where I'm getting the information that I'm getting. And look, even if you disagree with my opinion, at least you have the source material to look at for yourself. And for me, I think that's the most important thing. Opening the door. I'm not some genius who knows everything about the story. I'm not some, you know, expert who never misses anything. And honestly, I feel like my job, if you want to call it that, is to open doors for you folks and then if you walk through them, great. If you don't, that's cool too. I'm not here to convince anybody of anything. Like I always tell you. What I'm here to do is shine a light. And the best way to do that is not to just give you my opinion, but to show you how I got to that point. And that's why we read the court documents all the way through, even when they're boring. Sometimes I feel like you folks deserve to have that information. And the only way you're ever going to get to a point where you have an educated opinion on anything is, is if you have the information in front of you, right, or whatever is available and then you dive into it and you figure out what's what. You know, there's facts, there's speculation, and then there's what we know and what we can prove. And here on the podcast, I've always tried to stick to the things that I feel like we can prove. Now, that doesn't mean that the other stuff isn't true or it didn't happen, or I don't believe it. But I'm not going to get caught in that snare. You know, the snare of salaciousness, the snare of chasing things that might be when there are so many things already sitting here in front of us that are. So if we devour those things and prove that those things actually happened, it's going to open the door for everything else. Trump vowed while campaigning that he would release the Epstein files. And this promise firmed up Trump's already extensive support of among far right Republicans, many of whom think that Epstein was among a cabal of global elite who sex traffic children with immunity. So people who think that are far right. Victoria, have you not been on the Internet recently? Because I assure you there are people on the left that feel the same exact way. There are people on the left that sound very, very much like QAnon people now, and I don't even blame them. People on the left were lied to for a very long time by the legacy media about this topic. And then when the reality hit these people like a thousand pounds of bricks, it was unnerving. And then of course, you get a look at the emails for yourself and it's obvious that there's something going on. Now I'm not going to sit here and tell you that it's a global cabal. You know, I've never prescribed to that. But what I will tell you is this. The financial sector is evil and all the people that are wrapped up in it, as far as, you know, the big shots, I don't mean the regular people day to day, you know, processing your bank fees. I'm talking about the big shots. The Jamie Dimons of the world, etc. Those are the people that are evil, in my opinion. You want to talk about who runs the whole world? Not the wef, it's not the Rothschilds, it's the financial institution as a whole. Trump's Justice Department repeatedly failed to deliver these files as promised. Meanwhile, Maxwell was moved to a low security prison camp in Texas one week after her controversial Interview with now acting Attorney General Todd Blanch. Fomenting conspiracy theories and cover up allegations. Well, what else could it be? Victoria? Is Victoria going to position herself as if this isn't a cover up? Is that what she's really saying here? Because in my opinion, there is more than enough evidence pointing to a cover up. And I think the onus is on people who say there's no cover up to provide the evidence to prove it. Sorry. Because that's what we're doing here on a daily basis, providing receipts.
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Congress members then took it upon themselves to seek answers on their own. These efforts culminated in the bipartisan Epstein Files Transparency act, which mandated that justice release all documents by December 19th. Which they didn't do. Which is while considering the Justice Department of all places, should be compliant with the law. While one tranche was released on that date, other disclosures came past the deadline. And these releases also contain numerous redactions. Trump and many Republicans now face dizzying political fallout months before the midterms, as well as party infighting. That raises the stakes still more. And look, it's a problem they created for themselves. Do you know how many independents have dipped and jumped off the boat? A whole lot of them. I know a whole lot of people that are sitting out the midterms. A whole lot of people. Which is wild. Me personally, I'm not sitting anything out. I'm gonna do what I always do and vote against the incumbent. Until I have an incumbent worthwhile, I'll be voting against them. Why would I reward Somebody by sending them back to office who did a shitty job the first term because they have a certain letter in front of their name. I don't give a about any of that. Republican Congress members comments suggest internal dissent. When asked by Politico if he thought clemency with Maxwell for her testimony would be a good agreement, Comer reportedly said, a lot of people do and that my committee split on that. How come nobody's tried to hammer down names here? Like, who are the people that are backing up Ghislaine Maxwell getting a pardon. How. How about we start there and then we could speak to those people directly. Comer, who did not name the potential pardon supporters, does not himself back such an idea, telling the news outlet, I think it looks bad. And honestly, other than Epstein, the worst person in this whole investigation is Maxwell. Look, I don't really agree with Karan much, but I agree with that Maxwell is an absolutely smarmy, evil person and she should be under the prison, not sitting in a jail cell playing with puppies and eating Chick Fil. A Republican congressman, Thomas Massie, who co sponsored the Epstein Files Transparency act, called out one of Trump's closest allies when asked about reported congressional pardon talk. I'm adamantly opposed to it, Massie said in a statement. Blanche already inexplicably and inappropriately moved her to a country club prison with no new information or indictments of co conspirators. She didn't play ball at all. And remember, she was already in the honor dorm in Tallahassee. And can somebody refresh my memory about how many people in the women's prison in Tallahassee have been killed? Oh, that's right, none. Got it. But Ghislaine Maxwell, she was under a lot of stress and, you know, she was in danger, so they had to move her. Although key Republicans are opposed to clemency, and the White House has insisted Trump wasn't thinking about it, pardon mentions provide an opportunity for Democrats to slam Republicans despite their joint fight for transparency. Look, it's all about politics. Don't forget that both sides and the Democrats are just as guilty as the Republicans of trying to harness this issue into a weapon. And this is what I warned about from the beginning. When people start retreating to their bunkers and thinking, oh, it's the other side, they're missing the HD picture. And that HD picture tells us that it's all of them, all of these scumbags. It's outrageous that Republicans on the Oversight Committee are considering a pardon for Glenn Maxwell, said Democratic Congressman Robert Garcia the ranking member of oversight. She's a sexual abuser who facilitated the rape of women and children. This is a shameful way to treat survivors. Oversight Democrats are united in opposing any pardon. Well, she also took part in the abuse herself. Let us not forget that part, because that part is the most egregious of them all. It goes very much against what Republicans stand for, which is more law and order based on platform, said Hank Sheinkopf, a veteran Democratic strategist. Clemency for someone who wasn't convicted of such notorious crimes would be one thing, sheinkov said. But the Maxwell case is something that's burned into the brains of a majority of the population of the country. Certainly now. I honestly don't know one person that I've met in real life that would be okay with Maxwell getting a pardon. Discussions of clemency might also be an effort to game out the next steps. And in addressing this controversy, even if most Americans wouldn't support a pardon, politicians will float an idea and it's like a balloon, sheinkopf said. It goes up in the air and if it drops to the ground quickly, it'll suddenly disappear. Brittany Martinez, executive director of Principal first and a Republican strategist, called the reported mentions of a pardon discussion absolutely detestable. Agreed. So again, who are these people talking about it? Let's see some names. As for the rationale behind having these discussions, Martinez said, I don't know what the point is. I think it's terrible, a terrible look for Republicans. Again, they were the party running on releasing the Epstein files, martinez said, noting how the political article indicated it was just Republican members discussing clemency. Not only have you not fully released the Epstein files, but also you're willing to pardon the number two to Jeffrey Epstein. Valid point, valid point. And I have no idea how any of these Republicans sitting on the committee could even entertain the idea. That seems like political sepu to me. Adding to the confusion are comments from Maxwell's attorney, David Oscar Marcus. I don't know what the percentages are. Marcus recently told Politico. There is a good chance and for good reason that she would get a pardon. This stands in contrast to what the person who could grant clemency has said. In response to a question last fall on pardoning Maxwell, Trump said, I haven't thought about it. Oh, I'm sure not one thought about it. Not at all. Marcus did not respond to the Guardian's request for comment. Maxwell has maintained her innocence. Let's remember, she's not accused. She's convicted. And you know who else maintained their innocence until they were just put to death? That Broaden Axe character down in Texas. So a convict claiming that they're innocent is not really breaking news. Maxwell herself is not standing idly by during these reported congressional discussions. Manhattan federal court records last week reveal that she's once again challenging her conviction. For Nima Rahmani, a former federal prosecutor and founder of West Coast Trial Lawyers, that effort seems flimsy. Here you have glenn Maxwell saying she's innocent, Rahmani said. Obviously, 12 men and women on a jury disagreed. I think there's no chance or almost no chance that she's going to get out, and I don't think she's going to either, right when everything is said and done. But there's the possibility. And if you have people in Congress talking about it, that possibility grows. And God knows what kind of justification they'll come up with for it, but you better believe they'll come up with something. So I think the most important thing here, obviously, is Maxwell not getting a pardon. But besides that, how about we get some names of these Republicans who are backing Glenn Maxwell getting a pardon, and then of course, we can ask them directly why they feel that way. But as of now, we don't have those names. And all we have are allegations and unnamed sources saying that this is occurring. So like everything else, we'll keep an eye on it. And when we get some more information, one way or the other, we'll get it added to the the catalog. All the information that goes with this episode can be found in the description box.