The Jim Acosta Show — Episode Summary
Date: February 19, 2026
Episode: TARA SETMAYER PLUS FORMER TWO OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY WRESTLERS WHO SURVIVED SEXUAL ABUSE TELL THEIR STORY

Overview

This powerful episode centers on two intertwined themes:

1. The Ripple Effects and Ongoing Cover-ups of Jeffrey Epstein’s Crimes: Jim Acosta and Tara Setmayer delve deep into why the U.S. continues to lack accountability for high-level figures tied to Epstein, contrasting it with recent developments in the UK, such as Prince Andrew's arrest.

2. Survivor Stories and Institutional Accountability: The podcast features candid, moving interviews with Dan Ritchie and Mike Schick, former Ohio State University wrestlers and survivors of sexual abuse by Dr. Richard Strauss. Their testimonies are woven into the broader conversation about abuse, power, and institutional failure—drawing direct parallels with the Epstein saga.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Why Is There Accountability in Britain, But Not in the U.S.?

[00:05–03:17]

• Prince Andrew has been arrested in Britain for alleged misconduct tied to the Epstein case.
• In the U.S., despite copious evidence and public documentation implicating high-ranking officials, there’s near total impunity, especially under the Trump administration.
• Tara Setmayer notes the visible presence of Trump and his associates in the Epstein files, hinting at why no governmental consequences occur stateside.

Quote [00:39, Tara Setmayer]:
“Donald Trump is all over the Epstein files and his cabinet and people in his orbit are all over the Epstein files in ways that no other administration in any other timeline... would ever get away with. So I wouldn’t hold my breath about Trump’s government... doing anything about it.”

2. The “Epstein Class” and Drip-Feed Disclosure

[03:17–07:03]

• Discussion of the “Epstein Class”—those within the elite and government who have protected or covered up for Epstein and similar predators for decades.
• Consequences for implicated figures (e.g., Larry Summers, Catherine Rummler, Howard Lutnick) are occurring only in the private sector.
• Release of the Epstein files is slow, with government and key institutions resisting full transparency.

Quote [04:54, Jim Acosta]:
"As much as Donald Trump wants to say he’s been exonerated, all the file... can lie her ass off all she wants and keep trying to obfuscate for him, but... In these midterms, people need to think about... are you really going to elect someone... unwilling to do the right thing here?"

3. Parallels to Institutional Abuse: Ohio State and Epstein

[20:15–42:48]

• Jordan and Strauss at Ohio State, Les Wexner’s money and influence, and abuses all reflect similar dynamics: institutional cover-up, denial, and survivor isolation.
• Survivors describe agonizing journeys before coming forward, often facing intimidation or disbelief from the very systems meant to protect them.

Quote [22:41, Dan Ritchie]:
"To be honest, I wasn’t going to come forward... Our teammate Mike DiSavato, the whistleblower, reached out to me... Once that happened... you could just, like, this has just got to be the tip of the iceberg."

• The struggle for justice is ongoing, and survivors feel let down by coaches (specifically, Jim Jordan) and the university while still fighting for acknowledgment and reform.

Quote [41:52, Dan Ritchie]:
"If they want to go five more years, we’ll go five more years... We’re wrestlers, we’re not going to take a knee. We’re going to fight this to the end."

4. The Systemic Pattern: Power, Protection, and the Media

[45:50–59:45]

• The media, particularly corporate media, is criticized for failing to hold power to account—whether in the Trump White House, in Congress, or in the press briefing room.
• Jim and guest Tommy Christopher decry the lack of tough, follow-up questions for the administration—particularly on issues of racism and abuse.
• They argue that excessive self-censorship, corporate fear, and normalization of abnormal behavior are undermining democracy.

Quote [54:25, Jim Acosta]:
"He is a racist, authoritarian, wannabe dictator. And you have to walk in, into that White House press room every day with that in mind, because that’s who he is. And the country’s in a lot of trouble, and we’re counting on them to hold their feet to the fire."

5. Voter Suppression, Authoritarian Drift, and the SAVE Act

[14:02–18:49]

• Tara Setmayer details new efforts to suppress the vote (particularly through the SAVE Act), arguing it’s not ordinary voter ID legislation but a pretense for disenfranchisement, especially targeting women and minority voters.
• Highlights how authoritarian tactics (e.g., planting election-deniers in DHS, threats to filibusters) aim to entrench political power and prevent accountability.

Quote [15:03, Tara Setmayer]:
"This is the Steve Bannon tactic of flooding the zone. Right? Flood the zone. So it’s difficult to keep track of all the ominous shit that they’re doing."

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

| Timestamp | Speaker | Quote | |:-------------:|:------------------|:----------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:39 | Tara Setmayer | “…Donald Trump is all over the Epstein files and his cabinet…in ways that no other administration…would ever get away with…” | | 04:54 | Jim Acosta | "As much as Donald Trump wants to say he’s been exonerated, all the file…can lie her ass off all she wants…are you really going to elect someone…unwilling to do the right thing here?" | | 09:26 | Tara Setmayer | "There's a connection with him and Lex Wexner…They're both Ohio based companies. And I perked up and I went, holy…" | | 22:41 | Dan Ritchie | "To be honest, I wasn’t going to come forward…Once that happened…I started talking to some of my teammates and getting their stories and you could, you could just, like, this has just got to be the tip of the iceberg." | | 31:42 | Mike Schick | “…unless you were blind and deaf, there’s no way in hell that anybody could go through that building that we practiced at to not listen to the wrestlers in the locker rooms talk about what was going on…” | | 53:54 | Jim Acosta | "...the White House Correspondents association doesn’t do enough to stand up for reporters when they’re abused by Donald Trump…It’s just ripe for the taking. Like, Caroline, what about the birther thing? Wasn’t that racist?...you could have, like, a field day with this…" |

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:05–03:17 — Epstein files and U.S. accountability vs. UK’s response
• 03:17–07:03 — Private sector consequences; slow disclosure of Epstein files
• 07:03–13:18 — The scale of cover-up, international connections, “Epstein Class”
• 14:02–18:49 — Voter suppression, SAVE Act, authoritarian tactics
• 20:15–42:48 — Ohio State survivors: Dan Ritchie & Mike Schick share their stories
• 45:50–53:54 — Media responsibility, White House press accountability discussion
• 53:54–59:45 — Press failures, normalization of extremism/racism, need for media courage

Tone and Style

The episode is unflinchingly candid, urgent, and often indignant. Acosta and Setmayer don’t mince words, using robust language and a sense of activist outrage directed at entrenched power, cowardice, and complicity. The survivors are vulnerable, honest, and determined, speaking with raw emotion and perseverance.

Summary Flow

• The episode kicks off with outrage over Prince Andrew’s arrest in the UK vs. inertia in the U.S., with Tara Setmayer outlining the political and institutional reasons for American inaction.
• The conversation broadens to the “Epstein Class” and the difficulty of exposing the deep, cross-institutional rot behind enduring abuse and cover-ups.
• The emotional centerpiece is the testimony from Dan Ritchie and Mike Schick, who personify the cost of institutional betrayal and the courage necessary for survivors to challenge it.
• Acosta connects these abuses and cover-ups to analogous issues in the media and politics—especially authoritarian tactics and voter suppression—calling out journalistic failures and the normalization of egregious conduct.
• The episode ends on a call to awareness and action, demanding accountability from both those in power and those covering them.

Final Takeaway

This episode is a sobering exposé on systemic rot—within elite circles exposed by Epstein, within revered institutions like Ohio State, and within the American government’s highest echelons. Through stirring survivor testimony and unapologetic commentary, Acosta and guests demand truth, accountability, and vigilance against the forces that enable and obscure abuse. The message is clear: “Don’t give in to the lies. Don’t give in to fear. Hold on to the truth. And hope.”