← The Jim Acosta Show
The Jim Acosta Show
BREAKING EPSTEIN NEWS FROM CAPITOL HILL! TONIGHT - DAVE ARONBERG & TARA PALMERI
00:45:35
Loading summary
Transcript86 lines
- [00:00]
A
Foreign.
- [00:06]
B
Welcome to the Jim Acosta show. And it's another day that ends in y Donald Trump's cover up of the Epstein files. I'm joined by former Palm Beach State Attorney Dave Ehrenberg, legal analyst for msnbc. And I guess they call it Ms. Now. But Dave, great to see you as always. And Dave, let's just jump right into what we saw today. I mean, earlier today, this was a stunning scene up on Capitol Hill. Survive this is according to the Associated Press. Survivors of Jeffrey Epstein's sexual abuse made their voices heard up on Capitol Hill, pressuring lawmakers to force the release of the sex trafficking investigation into the late financier and pushing back on Trump's efforts to dismiss the issue as a, quote, hoax. And as a matter of fact, earlier today, Dave, Trump was calling it just that once again, even as these, as these survivors and their families were up on Capitol Hill pleading with members of Congress to force the administration to release these files. Your thoughts on what went down?
- [01:04]
C
This is not going away, and it's not going away until the files are released. And you saw this as a bipartisan press conference, although the leader on the Republican side was Thomas Massie, who I think Trump would rather kick out of the Republican Party. I think he's had enough of Massie. But it was bipartisan. And am I correct, Jim, that Martin, Marjorie Taylor Greene was even there?
- [01:25]
B
And yes, yeah, you know, we're living in a different world when Marjorie Taylor Greene is the voice of reason. But she was up there along with Congressman Thomas Massie, the Republican of Kentucky, who has been a thorn in Trump's side. And also Ro Khanna, the Democrat from California. They were all calling for the release of these files and calling on Trump to listen to these survivors. But he is, he, he was saying again today he sounded totally ridiculous calling this a hoax. I mean, I put a post out earlier today saying, I mean, this should clear it up once and for all that when Donald Trump says something's a hoax, it's not a hoax. I mean, these, these survivors are not part of some hoax.
- [02:05]
C
Yeah, it was very touching, I thought, when the survivors said that I am not a hoax, that these are real, live victims, survivors, and they are for real. They are not made up in the imagination of some Democratic political consultant. And this is not going away because Republicans are feeling the heat. See, here's the problem you had. Trump's base had been lied to for so long about the existence of an Epstein client list that was never there, but they were told it existed. They were also Told that in the Epstein files, which do exist, the files that you would find names of Democratic elites, Bill Clinton, Bill Gates, Larry Summers, all who were camping out at Epstein island, running this pizza gate type of Democratic child sex conspiracy. None of that is true. But there are names in the files that are probably kind of prominent. We know that Trump's name is in the file. And again, you and I have talked about this. Just because you're in the file doesn't mean you did anything illegal. But it's embarrassing. And so Trump is out there now that he's in power, saying nothing to see here. The problem is, is that a couple of people who are spreading these conspiracy theories are in his administration and are leading the FBI. So that's why the base is saying, why are you covering up for Bill Clinton? We don't understand this. Their heads are starting to explode. So this thing isn't going away until they get the files they have been promised all along.
- [03:31]
B
That's right. And as a matter of fact, when Trump made those comments earlier today that, oh, this is just another Democratic hoax, he was saying it in response to a question, I believe, from a reporter in the room who was asking about a comment that Congressman Thomas Massie had said. And Massie is basically saying that he thinks Trump may be suppressing these files, keeping these files under wraps because he may have, he may have friends or donors or somebody who is a, a big wig in his, his circle that he's trying to protect. And I mean, that opens up just a whole new dimension in all of this, I guess we haven't really thought about that. Maybe Trump is trying to protect not just himself, but maybe somebody who's close to him. I mean, that, that is also a very interesting thing. And I suppose it's one of the reason why, one of the reasons why these survivors are saying they may go and, and put out their own client list or their own type of release of information. What do you think about that?
- [04:27]
C
I don't think Massie knows Trump. Is Trump doing this to protect others, doing this? Right, because Trump is protecting himself. Now, again, not because he did anything criminally. We don't know that. But Trump's name is in the files. He is suing the Wall Street Journal rer Murdoch, his allies, because of that birthday card. And he doesn't want that stuff in the public. He is trying to tell the public that, that there was no close friendship, even though Epstein referred to Trump as his best friend. That's why I'm, I'm a little perplexed though, because Trump knows how to handle generally, he knows how to spin things pretty well. And he has to know that this is not working. And why are you denying that you were ever really close friends with him? You know, it's not the crime, it's the COVID up. It does look like a cover up.
- [05:17]
B
Yes.
- [05:18]
C
He trying to hide this stuff. Right. He should just come out, Jim, and say, yeah, I'm in the files. Okay, I didn't do anything wrong. I was friends with a guy. Let's let them all out there, the files. And anyone who's out there who was not on Epstein island, go ahead and defend yourself. And at least now we'll have full transparency. Maybe that's what he should do. But instead it looks really bad and every day seems to get worse.
- [05:39]
B
Well, and one of the survivors at this press conference earlier today said, quote, about Jeffrey Epstein, his biggest brag forever was that he was very good friends with Donald Trump. I mean, that, you know, this is what one of the survivors said up there, that Jeffrey Epstein would, would throw Trump's name out there all the time. And of course, in that birthday note that was added to that book or whatever it was, you know, Trump talks about wonderful secrets, allegedly, if you're, if you're to believe that that's, that that came from him. But it seems to me that even maybe some of these survivors can speak to this friendship, this relationship between Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein. And according to the, the, I mean, the, the accounts from some of these survivors, they're absolutely, they're horror stories of physical abuse that, that occurred when These ladies were 14, 15 years old, when they were just girls. And they would talk about how Epstein didn't want them around anymore once they got to the age of 16 or 17. Just sick, depraved stuff.
- [06:42]
C
It is sick, depraved stuff. And that's why Trump doesn't want to be anywhere near it. And that's why he just thinks we can just move on and do what he's done for everything else. This a Democratic hoax maga. Let's find the next subject and in the meantime, let's talk about Cracker Barrel and Sydney Sweeney and all these other issues. But it's not going away because this is one of the foundations of the MAGA movement. They've been told a variety of lies, like the election was stolen, that that was a lie. Obama was born in Kenya, that was a lie. And here Jeffrey Epstein is a Democratic creation and he's the head of this Democratic cabal. So that's why the magabase is like, hey, this is why we voted for you. We wanted to see the files. And it puts Marjorie Taylor Greene in a tough situation because she's very loyal to the boss, Donald Trump. At the same time, she's a MAGA and QAnon congresswoman. She's divided between her MAGA loyalties and her loyalties. Right. And if you're QAnon, this is what you live for. You QAnon is based on this pizza gate type conspiracy theory.
- [07:49]
B
It's the whole thing. Yeah, the whole.
- [07:50]
C
Right, that's the whole thing. And by the way, where is QAnon now? Right? It's like, it's like where the Tea Party is with these massive deficits. I guess they'll come back when there's a Democratic president.
- [08:00]
B
Exactly. No, I mean, I, I was out on the campaign trail with Trump, you know, from time to time, and you would see these QAnon signs and they were absolutely convinced and Trump would feed into it. He was QAnon curious. And, you know, they believe they deluded themselves into thinking that there was this Democratic cabal of child sex traffickers. And here you have the leader of their movement, Donald Trump, almost best buddies, maybe best buddies for a period of time with one of the most notorious child sex traffickers in American history. And his name is inside these files, and he is just dead set against putting them out. And Dave, the other thing that has been taking place, they've been starting to release some of these files over to the House Oversight Committee. But what we're hearing from members of that Oversight committee is that 97% of what's been released is already in the public domain, that it's heavily redacted, that you don't really get at any new information. And this may be enough for some pretty conservative members of, of the Republican Conference to say, okay, hey, you know, we'll go along with this. This, this looks like a transparency. It has the appearance of transparency, and they're going to go along with it. It's nuts.
- [09:14]
C
Well, you know how scared Mike Johnson is of this is that he recessed Congress rather than vote on a bill to release the files. Now you have Massey and Khan and all these others are signing this discharge petition which would go over the heads of Speaker Johnson and force this to pass to release the files. Now, I don't know, Jim, how much power Congress has over the DoJ in releasing the files. Even if they pass a resolution saying release the files is DOJ is not going to do it. I Mean, they're not going to do unless Donald Trump tells them to do it. So that's why a lot of this is posturing, because they go home to their districts and at town hall meetings, Republicans are talking to other Republicans who are saying, what about the files? We voted for you to release the files. So I think this thing is going to continue to heat up until the files are released, which may be half past never.
- [10:08]
B
Yeah, no. And I put out some video late last week. Congressman Dan Crenshaw down in Texas. Texas, Dan Crenshaw, he was at a town hall meeting, holding town hall meeting in what is, what should be a pretty friendly part of his district and they were screaming at him, release the Epstein files. Release Epstein files. You know, you know, he and a lot of these other members of Congress on the Republican side are quickly realizing that they are, they're playing with fire here if they don't release these files. And I, I don't see how they're going to get out of it. Apparently Mike Johnson is going to offer up some sort of non binding resolution that they can vote for and at least take back to their constituents and pull the wool over their eyes and say they voted for this. But it's not going to result in a full release of the files. And it's just absolutely crazy.
- [10:55]
C
That's under the legal theory of cya. See, that's, that's the, that's Mike Johnson telling his members, I'm going to protect you. When you go back home, you can say I voted to release the files. So now blame doj, which is know they're all in this together. It's, I think it, it's passing the buck. Ultimately it's President Trump's decision and he's not going to do it. And I think until the political costs get too high. But remember, he's not on the ballot again. And so I, that's why I don't think these things, this file will be released while he is in office. I think perhaps after he leaves, you'll see it released and then there'll be a reckoning for a lot of these names. I think there are high profile names who have been involved with Jeffrey Epstein and sex abuse and that are cowering from this. Perhaps there's some protective orders in place that the DOJ would have to go through. There are privacy rules in place for the victims, but there are ways to be more transparent. And I don't think Congress really cares, at least the leadership cares that much about it except for protecting themselves.
- [12:00]
B
And what about this idea that some of the survivors could try to put out information or put out their own list of names. I, I, what do you make of that prospect? I mean, I, I assume that if the information has to be airtight, I would think on their part where they wouldn't put it out.
- [12:18]
C
Well, it's in their interest because they want transparency, they want to hold their perpetrators accountable. But at the same time, they could be sued and they don't have a lot of money and some of the perpetrators do. And so even if they are saying the truth, they better buckle up for a potential defamation lawsuit. So that's why they would rather have DOJ release it, because then they're insulated from any political, any legal lawsuit that could come from it.
- [12:44]
B
Yeah. And you were the state attorney in this area. And for the folks who missed the last time we spoke, you really didn't have many dealings with this, this, this sort of cycled through before you, you came in there. But I mean, having been in that part of Florida before, I mean, you have some understanding of what many of these survivors have been through. And this has just been such a long ordeal. I mean, you could see it on their faces earlier today when they were having this press conference. Your heart just goes out to them. And they've just been, you know, craving this moment, you know, to, to happen, that they, they could finally get some kind of justice out of all of this. And there's, they're still waiting. It's just heartbreaking.
- [13:26]
C
Yeah. They've been traumatized and victimized and revictimized because they believed in the system. And then what happened was at the state level, they left disappointed at the state prosecutor's response. And then the feds came in and the feds took it over. And then they were even more disappointed because not only did the feds get Epstein into a settlement that gives him just really a slap on the wrist, you could say, because he only had to plead guilty to state crimes. I've never heard of federal government coming in saying plead guilty not to federal crimes, but to state crimes. And then they gave immunity to Epstein's co conspirators, named and unnamed. I've never heard of that either.
- [14:07]
B
That's wild, right?
- [14:08]
C
You enter into a deal with a perpetrator and you give his co conspirators, who we don't even know of, we don't even know their names, into the future full immunity. So that's why Galain Maxwell has a shot at the Supreme Court in getting a new trial or no Trial just scot free because she says she gets that immunity. Even though, yeah, she wasn't named at the time. So this is all part of the reason why victims just feel so betrayed over and over again. And now here we are, and the people who. There's one victim who said that she's a Republican, and now the head of the Republican Party is calling her a hoax. That's not a good look.
- [14:47]
B
No, not at all. And you know, the other thing, too, is you mentioned the sweetheart deal. We have not heard the testimony or the interview, I guess, whatever they're going to call it, between the House Oversight Committee members and Alex Acosta, who, of course, I, as I like to say, no relation, who was the U.S. attorney who cut that sweetheart deal with Jeffrey Epstein. We're finally going to hear from him in some capacity. That is going to be some pretty blockbuster stuff, I would think, if. If, you know, some of the survivors are wondering, how the hell did this happen? I. I have to think that members of Congress from both sides of the aisle are going to be asking Acosta some tough questions.
- [15:24]
C
But you may be assuming, Jim, that'd be out in the public, in. In a national televised.
- [15:32]
B
They can't do this behind closed doors. There's no way. I guess they. I mean, it's Congress, but Congress, they.
- [15:38]
C
Cut Medicaid for thousands and thousands of their own constituents. So, yeah, I think they could. They could do this behind closed doors. Also, Alison Costa is doing it voluntarily. He's not there under a subpoena. Apparently he wants to tell the story. It should be very interest. Here's another question. Why did they violate federal law when they entered into this agreement with Epstein where they did not tell the victims of the settlement agreement? According to federal law, you have to notify the victims that you're engaging settlement. They didn't. So later on, years later, the victim sued and the judge said, I'm sympathetic to you. I think that the law was violated. But what's the remedy? Epstein's dead. What's the remedy now? Do you. What, Undo the deal. So they, you know, the victims just feel like there's nothing that's been working. That's why there. This is a desperation move to say, we're just going to release the names of these individuals that we know did this to us. But that could generate a whole slew of legal problems.
- [16:39]
B
That's so. You're so right about that. And forgive me for asking something that you. You may not be able to answer, but it's on my mind. Let's say the files do get released and, or, or these victims start naming names of, of prominent people that we hadn't heard about up until this point. What are, is there a possibility that you could see prosecutions all these years later of somebody who was involved in this, who was one of Epstein's clients, who was abusing and raping these girls? Is that, is that a possibility?
- [17:13]
C
Unlikely. There are statute limitations issues. There are witness issues of memories fading and maybe contradictory statements over time. There's the non prosecution agreement that Epstein entered into. Let's see what the Supreme Court says. But that gave immunity to everyone involved with Epstein's actions. And that is just to me the most horrifying thing. Of course then you're asking then why did Ghislaine Maxwell get prosecuted to begin with? Well, the reason is that the Southern District of New York said that they're not going to abide by the deal cut by the Southern District of Florida even though they're all federal prosecutors. So then it would be up to the Trump administration to move ahead. I don't know if this going to lead to a prosecution. Here's another reason why I don't think there'll be a prosecution. If the administration was serious about prosecuting people based on new leads, they wouldn't have done the interview they did with Gain Maxwell with the number two person from doj. They would have done it with a line prosecutor who is experienced in knowing everything about the case. Plus they wouldn't have released a transcript the way they did. If you're going to prosecute people who are mentioned by Galaine Maxwell as potential co conspirators, you're not releasing the names to the public immediately. That tips them off. So I don't think that there'll be any prosecution, but there is the court of public opinion and that's forever.
- [18:34]
B
Yeah, there's no question about it. And we tend to think of the Epstein case and the Epstein scandal as something that just pertains to Florida. But some of these survivors have come forward and said no. Some of these crimes were committed in New York, in places like New York. And the question has been raised could New York state prosecutors get involved? But because, I mean, I have to wonder whether the state prosecutors up in New York are reluctant to get into all of this after their experience in going after Trump and how that's just been a legal minefield ever since. I guess that possibility is hanging out there as well that that state crimes could be pursued in, in New York all these years later. Again, some of the same issues that you're talking about could come into play, statute of limitations and so on.
- [19:21]
C
It could, but I wouldn't count on a Jim. I think that what we're dealing with is to have transparency, that'll be a measure of justice for these victims. Now, the victims will never get true justice. Epstein died in prison. I maintain it was a suicide, but I realize that others disagree, but they're never going to get him on trial to be held accountable. They got Ghislaine Maxwell, but that seems to be really insufficient for full justice, especially now as G. Maxwell's been moved to a minimum security prison, Club Fed in Texas and could get a part.
- [19:55]
B
Yeah. And, and I do wonder what is going through Ghislaine Maxwell's head right now, because she thought, oh, if I just play ball with Todd Blanche and the DOJ and say that Trump didn't do anything wrong, not only am I going to get preferential treatment, which she did get, but maybe she, she's going to get a pardon. But that, I don't know if that works out too well for her if these files get released or if we start to see revelations coming out of the story via the victims and the survivors, if they start naming names. I mean, Ghislaine Maxwell sort of becomes less and less useful to Donald Trump, and he's just going to have to go put out these fires somewhere else, it seems to me. Unless she's, unless she has some information that just gives Trump the willies, which I have to think she's got some information that gives him the willies. I don't know if that works out for her. What do you think?
- [20:42]
C
I think that she served her purpose for Trump. She exonerated him. And I think Trump is transactional and that could lead to a pardon. I mean, her job is done. She did what she was supposed to do. And again, we don't have any evidence that that crime was committed. But I, you have to realize Ghislaine Maxwell is a liar. I mean, the Trump administration, 20. Yeah, they prosecuted her back then for perjury, so they didn't believe her back then, but I guess they're believing her now. She also said during this most recent interview with Todd Blanch that she didn't see anyone, not just President Trump, but anyone, engage in anything inappropriate with underage girls. Okay.
- [21:26]
B
Yeah.
- [21:26]
C
To this day, she has kept that going. And that is just.
- [21:31]
B
That's a lot believable.
- [21:33]
C
She still calls it massages, too. She still won't call it like underage sex massages. She is the devil's accomplice. Jeffrey Epstein could never have done this without G. Maxwell. Let us never forget that. She's never been held accountable. She's never admitted to her role in this. And just think, Jeffrey Epstein pulled up to Marg or anywhere to pick up teenage girls in his limousine and said, get in. The girls would say, get lost, you creep. But you have this sophisticated, elegant woman who pulls up with that cool British accent and then that's part of the grooming. Epstein could never have done what he did without Ghislaine Maxwell.
- [22:08]
B
Yeah, there's no question. I mean, she's also the devil in all of this. I mean, and, and, and just as evil as Jeffrey Epstein, because you're absolutely right. She was the one who was convincing these young girls to go ahead and do these just God awful things for these, these disgusting, depraved individuals. And you know, to me, you know, things just fly at us fast and furious these days, covering Donald Trump and dealing with what's been happening in this country right now. But the fact that she got moved to a minimum to Club Fed for all intents and purposes is. It's an outrage. It continues to be an outrage. And I can't believe I still understand how this is not a bigger outrage in MAGA world and how these MAGA influencers who kiss Trump's butt, you know, can just swallow that and just, and it just reeks of hypocrisy. It's totally, it's just totally outrageous.
- [23:06]
C
Well, she wasn't just an accomplice too, Jim. She participated in the sex.
- [23:09]
B
She participated.
- [23:10]
C
Yeah, yeah. So, yeah, it's crazy that she's in Club Fed. But then again, you know, the, the MAGA world has to suspend their belief. Many times. They, you know, up is down, sometimes down is up. They're. They're told that they're going to get the files and they don't. They are voting the way they do because their top issue is sex trafficking. They have made this their core belief. That's QAnon and all that stuff. And yet when you have a real sex trafficker like Ghislaine Maxwell who's given preferential treatment, they are silent. And it really does expose the hypocrisy of these conspiracy theorists. But that's the beauty of being a conspiracy theorist, Jim, because when your conspiracy explodes, you just create another conspiracy. It's really easy.
- [23:54]
B
Yeah, yeah, there's no question. I mean, to me it's pathetic and it is just painfully obvious what Trump is doing. Right now he is trying to run out the clock, I suppose after today, or maybe it'll be later on tonight, in the wee hours of the morning, he'll try to throw out some kind of new, bright, shiny object catnip for the media, try to throw everybody off the trail. And to me, Dave, it really is incumbent upon the press corps covering him on a daily basis. He needs to be asked the hard questions. How can you say this is a hoax? There are victims, there are survivors. It is not a hoax. And to me, it just bothers me to no end that he kind of gets, he just gets off scot free without answering these questions. Why is he in the Epstein files? We know about the book, but they talked about multiple instances of him being in the Epstein files. We just don't know what that is. It's a mystery.
- [24:54]
C
That's right. Well, he's the President on this one, Jim. I don't think anyone believes this is a hoax. I, I think he's been able to get away with it on other things like Russia hoax and all these other hoaxes. But on this one, you know, the fact that Marjorie Taylor Green is there, who's the number one conspiracy theorist in the Republican Party, tell you that no one's buying that it's a hoax. People will say, well, it's time to move on. But this was never a Democratic hoax. Remember, Democrats really weren't into this whole thing until this. Trump acted the way he did. The reason why Democrats are now on top of this is because, hold on, we need transparency. But forever, Democrats knew that this was not a Democratic cabal. This was a conspiracy theory from the far right. And now that the people who are perpetuating the conspiracy theory are in power. Yes, there are. Democrats are using this as a political cudgel against Trump. But Trump invited this. He led with his chin on. Yeah. That's why I love that people say, well, you know, that, that the fact that the files were never released under Merrick Garland showed that Trump is not in there or there's nothing embarrassing. But those people don't understand Merrick Garland, who was known more for his timidity than his aggressiveness. He's the guy who bent over backwards to try to show his apolitical nature, that he was so fair that he prosecuted the President's son. So.
- [26:16]
B
Yeah.
- [26:17]
C
And was close to prosecuting the President himself. Remember Robert hers? And he released that. Robert her.
- [26:21]
B
Yes.
- [26:22]
C
Oh, my gosh. So. So pretending that Merrick Garland was somehow some political actor ignores the reality of Merry Garland Yes.
- [26:29]
B
And. And just hearing the name Merrick Garland, it gives me anxiety. I'm having. I'm just having some mild heart palpitations right now thinking about Merrick Garland. My. Is it Mr. Magoo? Is it Elmer Fought? I'm trying to remember which cartoon character maybe pertains. I don't want to go too low and in my criticism, but. But you're absolutely right, Dave. When, when Marjorie Taylor Greene, she of the Jewish space lasers, is saying this is not a conspiracy theory, I think you probably can take it to the bank that, that this is not a conspiracy theory and not a hoax. Dave Aronberg, great to see you as always. Thanks so much. Really appreciate. Thanks for talking us through all these. These things. And we'll just have to see if these, if these survivors and their families can get justice. Some kind of transparency, some kind of new answers and revelations. They deserve it.
- [27:15]
C
You know, it's a tragedy that Virginia Giuffre, who was the most outspoken of all of the survivors, she killed herself recently, and she would have been out there first and foremost. That's why the other survivors had to speak up, people who had never spoken up before, because there's that vacuum that she left behind. And now the other survivors are speaking up. So it's going to be interesting to see what happens. Let's do it again, Jim. And by the way, thank you for having me on the show. Do you know that although I don't, I'm not active on Substack, after I was on your show, I got all these new followers and I even had someone pay for me to do a newsletter, so.
- [27:49]
B
Oh, good for you.
- [27:50]
C
Well, yeah, but this is your domain, man. I'm just living in your world.
- [27:54]
B
Hey, substack, YouTube. I mean, the independent media universe is expanding. And as. As the Chiron says, follow Dave, too. You know what I love about it here, Dave, is that a lot of people from a lot of different areas of expertise can come together and have these sort of freewheeling conversations. You and I just went for a good 25 to 30 minutes talking about this stuff. There's nobody saying rap in your ear. We got to go to a commercial break and all of this stuff, and it just, it's a lot of fun. So I'm glad you're. It sounds like you're getting hooked on it, Dave.
- [28:25]
C
I, I really enjoy independent media, and I love seeing you let your hair down. I mean, metaphorically speaking.
- [28:30]
B
And I didn't shave either today, so there you go.
- [28:32]
C
And you didn't drop one F bomb, which is interesting. And for the folks that are not used to Jim McCas has a great sense of humor. And you couldn't see it on your CNN show. I don't know why. You're very serious. But now you see your personality, man, it's awesome.
- [28:45]
B
Hey, you know, and sometimes you got to say it. So there you go. I slid it in there right at the end, Dave. But no, there's no question about it. I am, I am feeling a little looser today. I just got off a plane from Ireland. That's why the, there's the unshaven look. I will try a little harder tomorrow when I have just a wee bit more time. But Dave, great to see you, man. Thanks so much.
- [29:04]
C
Thank you, Jim.
- [29:04]
B
And best follow Dave on Substack all the other social media places. He's a great guy. Dave, thanks so much. And, you know, I'm hoping to have Tara Palmeri join the conversation in just a few moments. She was up there up on Capitol Hill earlier today. There were lots of folks. Our old friend Don Lemonade was up on Capitol Hill. You might, you might have seen him chasing folks around. I think he was chasing around Margie Taylor Greene, you know, Don, you know, I, he's a man after my heart. If you're chasing Marjorie Taylor Greene around, you must be doing something right. But just, just to recap where we are right now, we are still waiting to see what Congress is going to do as it relates to the Epstein files. As we were saying earlier on in the program with Dave Aronberg, survivors of Jeffrey Epstein sexual abuse made their voices heard earlier in the day up on Capitol Hill, pressuring those lawmakers, according to Associated Press, to force the release of the sex trafficking investigation into Jeffrey Epstein and pushing back on Donald Trump, who of course, called the whole thing a hoax. And he was doing this as these, as these victims, as these survivors, as their families were gathering together up on Capitol Hill to call for the release of the Epstein files. And so we're going to, we're going to wait to see if Tara can join us in just a few moments. But folks, as, as I was just talking about with Dave Aronberg, I mean, here is the situation. House Speaker Mike Johnson earlier this summer thought he was pulling a fast one when he said, okay, I'm going to send Congress home a little bit early. I'm going to send the House home a little bit early. Not going to deal with the Epstein files until September. And then what happened, what happened when he, when he, when he did that he kicked the can to September, thinking, oh, oh, goodness, we're going to live to fight another day. And here we are, we're in September and the issue is back, front and center. And I want to bring in, let's bring in Tara Palmeri, independent journalist. She's on substack. She's everywhere. And there's Tara right there. Tara, great to see you.
- [31:14]
A
Hey, Jim, it's great to see you, too. I'm, I'm right in front of the Capitol. I was there for the Epstein survivors rally and press conference. It was incredibly moving. It was a really beautiful day. So many ways.
- [31:28]
B
Tell us about it.
- [31:30]
A
Yeah. And, you know, it was just more women than I've ever seen before coming out and telling their stories. So many of them, at one point, a few of them were Jane does and decided that they didn't want their names known, but they felt that they finally got to this place where they're, you know, the hall, halls of power, and they have a chance to have their voice be known. And so they, they came forward and they spoke out some of that for the first time. It was really beautiful. But at the same time, there was this sad kind of dichotomy where it was being silenced with this military flyover at this.
- [32:06]
B
Yeah. What was that all about?
- [32:08]
A
It was, it felt very staged and planned. The president choosing to send a flyover just so happened to be, at the same time, unreal. It was military force. And, you know, Congressman Massie called it weapons of mass distraction. And it really felt like he had, it was poignant, like he was like they were literally silencing the victims of Jeffrey Epstein. And it was, you know, it was heartbreaking. And in the middle of the press conference here, the president, during his press conference, call it a Democratic hoax.
- [32:41]
B
Right.
- [32:42]
A
You know, and to have the survivors say, one of the survivors, she was so elegant. She's like, I'm a registered Republican President Donald J. Trump, come here and meet me. I'm not a hoax. I will explain, explain to you that I am. This is not a hoax. And I will tell you the story. And they were just so calm and elegant and so well spoken, and it was moving. So I was, I felt really happy to be there and to feel the energy, the sisterhood that was there supporting each other.
- [33:17]
B
And Tara, let's talk about a couple of those things. One is, you're absolutely right. It was kind of a split screen moment in that Trump was having his own press availability. He was calling it a Democratic hoax. And I, you know, I, I don't know if he's ever been asked the question. Maybe he should be asked the question, will you meet with these survivors? It seems to me the survivors should not just meet with members of Congress up on Capitol Hill who may or may not be able to compel the DOJ to do release these files. I think Trump himself should be asked, will you meet with these survivors? And so they can make their case directly to him. I don't know. This is just being.
- [33:51]
A
No, I think you're right. But has he ever really been interested in people who accuse others of sexual abuse and sexual assault? I mean, look, his secretary of defense, multiple women have come out against him. He's claimed that all these women have come out against him are liars. You know, it's Trump default. It's his Trump. But, like, you know, I thought there was some symbolism in the fact that these women were putting their words into the record, not in the halls of Congress, into the Congressional Record, being invited to testify like so many others. But, you know, in the grass, outside, the people who are in power were in the halls of Congress above them, and they were telling their story. And it just really brought sense to me of the class dichotomy going on right now, that the powerful people are inside protecting the swamp. You know, the swamp is. They're wealthy donors, many of whom are implicated in this swamp is a power class, and they don't want to go near that. And you saw and you. And you heard the survivors talk about it, they're like, we don't need an Epstein list. There is no Epstein list. We have the list. We know who's involved in all of this. And so do you think they might.
- [35:00]
B
Do you think they may come out and blow the whistle and say. And start naming names if they don't release the files?
- [35:07]
A
I do think they're getting restless. And. And the reason I say that, you know, I spoke to one of their lawyers, Sigrid McCauley, afterwards, and she said, listen, it's class. Lawfare is a real thing. We see it from our president. He just sued the Wall street journal for $100 billion for, you know, putting out a piece of evidence from the Epstein files of, you know, a card that he gave to Epstein on his 50th birthday. He denies that he did this, but it was obviously a card that suggested that they had some secret tris. Sexual, you know, understanding of the trist. But, you know, if wealthy people can just sue you into oblivion and defamation and make your life the living hell, and you've already lived the trauma of sexual abuse. Do you really want to go through that again? Like, I saw what. How the toll it took on Virginia Giuffre up close, having worked with her. And it is not an easy road to take. And that's why, you know, they're taunted saying, name names, name names. And they're just, like, they're afraid.
- [36:07]
B
They're afraid to throw themselves back into this.
- [36:10]
A
Of course, Aniska DiGiorgio was saying she's followed on her way to drop her daughter off at school. You know, she's being. She's being harassed. These are. These are really powerful forces. And why would they think that this country would protect them when they never have?
- [36:30]
B
Yeah, you're right. And I mean. And you've covered this for such a long time, Terry. You know, a lot of the people who have been fighting the good fight trying to get this information out, calling for transparency, what was your sense, I mean, of. Of the moment that we saw up on Capitol Hill today? Because I thought it was. I. I thought it was pretty extraordinary. And it was sort of the people versus the powerful.
- [36:53]
A
I really felt that as well. And I felt like it was a bipartisan thing. I mean, seeing Marjorie Taylor Green, of all people, lucid, more lucid than I've ever seen her in my life.
- [37:03]
B
That's so true. Shaking hands with Ro Khanna, I was.
- [37:06]
A
Like, I know who represents some of the most powerful people in the world in Silicon Valley. Right. I mean, he does want to run for president. And then you have. Thomas Massey was at one time a Maga Khana class who's now on the outside of the party, but speaking truth to power, saying to his. His own colleagues, like, this is the swamp. You said you wanted to be in the swamp. This is a swamp. Like, what about your. What about your sisters? What about your daughters? Think about them. I like, you know, he was like, I dare you to vote against this. I thought it was really profound. I'm so happy that I came to see this myself, and I'm so happy that I saw the. You know, I saw the support that these women had, because for a while, I just wondered after this MeToo movement if there was going to be a reverberation that would really harm women who come out and speak and come forward. And I think all women have been sort of wondering, is it safe to speak again? But I saw the crowd was pretty. Pretty supportive. And I've got to think, you know, even though they're not believed by some people inside there and around this town. You know, I think. I think at least half of this country has their back.
- [38:20]
B
Yeah. And I think it's a growing number of people, and I think it's a lot of Republicans who are afraid to speak out loud and say it out loud, and I think we have to see more of that. And it seems to me Trump's feet need to be held to the fire on this. He cannot get away. We're just never going to find out why he's in the Epstein files. Besides this. This book. I mean, come on.
- [38:42]
A
Yeah. No, I think there's more. There's a lot more there. So, I mean, even if. Even if in the Epstein files, the Jane Doe complaints are in there, even though they were dropped, they could be seen as some sort of evidence. We don't know. And we'll let. We won't know because they won't release them. And I think, you know, Virginia Giuffre's memoir is gonna be a big moment next month when it comes out being held basically under lock and key by her publishers. And, you know, they won't even let the family see it.
- [39:16]
B
Wow.
- [39:16]
A
It's crazy. Yeah. And so. And then there'll be more evidence that comes out, I'm sure. Just this kind of stuff, you can't keep it in a bottle. It just doesn't. Doesn't work that way.
- [39:27]
B
No. The truth wants to come out, it seems to me. And, Tara, you've been. I mean, doing amazing work on it. I won't hold you up too long because I know you're busy, but thank you for stopping by and.
- [39:36]
A
Yeah, no, I'm so happy to be here and thank you for having me. Yeah, I'm kind of in between moves.
- [39:42]
B
I was gonna say, what are you doing those days?
- [39:44]
A
You know, I've been. I've been just reporting on it, talking to survivors that I haven't seen some of them in years. Covid sort of, you know, kept us apart and at least physically, so it's good to just sort of catch up.
- [39:58]
B
Good for you. Doing the shoe leather reporting as usual. Tara, great to see you.
- [40:02]
A
Thank you.
- [40:02]
B
All right, thanks. Good to see you. All right. Tara Palmeri, independent journalist. You can find her on. On YouTube. You can find her on substack lots of places, doing great work, and she's been covering this for a long time. She has a lot of credibility, tons of credibility on this particular subject. And. And to me, I mean, this is where we are. I mean, not to spend the whole show on. On the Epstein files, but. But damn, it, we should. Donald Trump is trying to pull a fast one. He keeps calling this a damn hoax. He keeps calling this a Democratic hoax. And for the, I, I just hope that the, the folks in Maga, I hope the folks on Fox, people who watch Fox just, just hit the pause button for a moment today when he says Democratic hoax. And then look at what the women were saying up on Capitol Hill earlier today with the survivors, with the victims, with their families. There were family members of Virginia Giuffre up there earlier today and ask yourselves, hoax. Marjorie Taylor Greene is saying it's not a hoax. Donald Trump's calling it a hoax. I think from this point forward, anything that Donald Trump calls a hoax, I mean, even in MAGA world, you got to know it ain't a hoax, folks. It ain't a hoax. I want to thank Dave Ehrenberg for joining me, Tara Palmeri as well. We're going to keep holding Donald Trump's feet to the fire on this. As the Chiron says, support independent media. For more coverage like this, click, subscribe, like and share. Do it on YouTube, do it on substack, do it anywhere you get this podcast, wherever you get this show. Want to thank everybody for tuning in and thanks everybody for the, for tolerating me coming back. Look at this, a little extra stubble here. I didn't do this in my old cable job. I would, I would have been running into a bathroom with a razor blade at the airport, shaving. And I said, doggone it, I, I just flew back in from Ireland and I, oh, and I forgot to mention at the end of yesterday's show, I, I was being asked the question, did you see Rosie o'? Donnell? And I will answer the question now that I'm back on American soil because I was a little worried if I, if I admitted this, what would happen? Full body cavity surge? No, I did meet with Rosie o'. Donnell. She and I had a great lunch together. We, we were catching up, talking about all kinds of stuff back here in Washington, the stuff that's going on back here in Washington. And I, I saw Rosie in Dublin and I just have to say she is just having the time of her life. She is really thriving over there. She's, she's really in demand. The Irish media, they're just clamoring for as much Rosie as they can get. She goes on talk shows, she's on the news. She does all kinds of stuff out there. So I hope to have her on soon. We talked about that. And, and I'm hoping to have her back on the program here in the near future. But Rosie and I were having this conversation yesterday. We were having lunch and it was before the Donald Trump whatever it was, I guess he, it was something about Space Force. He's moving Space Force to Alabama. Whatever cockamamie he comes up with to distract everybody and Rosie, now we're saying what do we think is going to happen at this 2:00'? Clock? And, and, and she was betting it was health related. I was betting it was something like he was taking over a city or something. It turns out it was just he was moving Space Force to Alabama. So sometimes it's a bit of a dud when it comes to Donald Trump. And yesterday was no exception. But had a great conversation with Rosie and hope to have her on the program soon. I'll put out some, some photos on substack, Instagram and some other places to, to give everybody a sense of how Rosie's doing. She's looking great, she's sounding great, and she's really thriving, as I said, over there in Ireland. And once again, just have to say just one more time how, how much of a trip I had over to Ireland, it was, it was kind of the trip of a lifetime, catching up with my Irish roots and just talking to so many wonderful people. I wrote about my experience on Substack. If you want to go and read that, you can read about my, my travels over there and what I was hearing from people time and again. People are very worried about the future of America. They look up to America. They want to see the good in America. And, and they're, they're really struggling with what they're seeing right now. So read about that. It's on my substack. I want to thank everybody for tuning in. Really appreciate it. It's time to go pick up Duke. Still reporting from Washington, I'm Jim Acosta. Have a good evening. I'll see you tomorrow. Good night, Sam.