186 Comments
User's avatar
Andrew Katz's avatar

If the Department of Defense can be renamed the Department of War, the Department of Justice should be renamed the Department of Injustice

Steven Branch's avatar

Andrew, I've been calling the DOJ the DOI for quite some time now. The department was founded in 1870 to enforce Reconstruction and protect the rights of the newly freed African Americans from the KKK as well as to enforce the 13th 14th and 15th Amendments to the Constitution. My, have times changed. The vile bleached blonde AG and her lying DAG (both on the public dole, I might add) forget that their job is to serve the interests of the American people not the interests of a sociopathic fascist audience of one.

John Frangelico's avatar

Oh, I don't think they have forgotten they are supposed to serve the interests of the American people. They were put in those positions by trump specifically to serve his interests and only his interests and they are happily doing just that. Bondi and Blanche are every bit as corrupt as their boss.

LiverpoolFCfan's avatar

We'll see how impudent and defiant they are when they are found guilty by a jury of their peers and sentenced to hard time in prison.

I'm betting they'll burst into tears and blame Trump for "making" them do all those crimes ("we were only following orders!).

Then Fat Donny can be a real TV star, briefly, before he gets swept away into the dustbin of history.

Nuremburg.

H. Huber's avatar

The Department of War is more properly called the Department of War Crimes.

Carol Gamm's avatar

Yes. and we also have Chief Injustice Roberts st the Supreme Court.

Marc Panaye's avatar

Or Roberts, boss of the 6 not-so-supremes.

Marc Panaye's avatar

Or "The Department of Justice for trump", which is what bondi and blanche made of it.

Linda Healey's avatar

Bondi is totally incompetent and corrupt. I will be so pleased when she is disbarred. You think that won’t happen?

Tim Matchette's avatar

it will happen. She has no immunity.

C. King's avatar

I watched pretty-much the whole whirlwind Congressional Bondi interview. I'd like to make one point:

When a Republican said that a Democratic Congressperson complained because they "don't like Bondi's answers," the Democrat needed to respond that it's the WITNESS-BONDI who didn't like the questions.

NubbyShober's avatar

Bondi was also the boss of DA Barry Krischer for 12+ years. Krischer was the Palm Beach County DA who gave Epstein his sweetheart deal in 2008, pursuing only a single charge of soliciting a seventeen-year-old, and *discarding* the testimony of literally *dozens* of 14-, 15-, and 16-year-olds that had been compiled by the PB Police.

Barry Krischer is thus the person most central to the entire Epstein scandal--after Maxwell and Epstein himself--yet his role has been pretty much invisible to the MSM. He needs to be put before Congress, and testify under oath what possessed him to let America's worst pedophile abuser off practically with a slap on the wrist. Every single girl abused by Epstein after 2008 is because of Krischer and the Federal DA, Alex Acosta.

Correction: Bondi was not Krischer's boss, as he retired shortly after the Epstein trial, in 2009.

K Eck's avatar

From what I understand, Bondi got a huge campaign donation from a secret super pac around that time, and that is when the Florida investigation of Epstien basically ended with that sweetheart deal....so yes, let's hear from Barry Krischer!

NubbyShober's avatar

Krischer, like most elected officials in liberal PB County, has run as a Dem. Which is why you'd think Jordan and Comer would be eager to grill him.

But Krischer tag teamed the Epstein case with Republican Alex Acosta, who acted as the Federal DA; apparently the first time in FL history a Grand Jury was empaneled for a sex case. Acosta said Epstein was "...owned by intelligence..." as the reason why the Feds let him off so lightly. But what was Krischer's excuse? We need to know, by putting Krischer, Acosta, and their aides on the stand under oath. Before any of them slip in the shower or "commit suicide."

K Eck's avatar

Thank you for that info.

NubbyShober's avatar

Bill McCollum (R) was FL AG at time of Epstein trial.

Pam Bondi (R) was FL AG 2011-19.

Barry Krischer was Palm Beach County DA 1992-2009. Meaning, the Epstein case was among the very last of his career.

K Eck's avatar

Thank you for the info.

So it was not the investigation and plea deal by E that Bondi quashed or facilitated, but later crimes which were being exposed, and victim lawsuits being filed, when she failed to reopen a criminal investigation into him, possibly because of a big campaign donation?

From a distance it is hard to keep all these things straight, there are just so many instances of corruption and cover-up and failing to uphold the law, sigh.

Bottom line, Bondi is in the middle of it, up to her eyeballs.

C. King's avatar

Addendum, then I'm going back to my work: Trump needs to give it up. A sane person would have done so long ago. It's like he is begging to be stopped because he cannot stop himself. And Bondi as well as MAGA, if they aren't experiencing a serious case of "buyer's remorse," are nothing more than mindless traitors to the democratic country that raised them. They are examples of all that is wrong with, unfortunately, our own culture. (Bondi reminded me of those snooty rich girls in my old high school--contemptuous of some, fawning of others, and men who were willing to compliment her. I felt I was in a feminist flashback of some kind.)

Don Kennedy's avatar

Trump cannot simply give it up; he is a massive narcissist, and is incapable of the kind of self reflection that would cause him to do so.

Bob and Gayle's avatar

Narcissist? Sure, but more fundamentally, Trump is a sociopath, and that condition cannot be cured.

Sophia Demas's avatar

"(Bondi reminded me of those snooty rich girls in my old high school--contemptuous of some, fawning of others, and men who were willing to compliment her."

My sentiment completely! She was as vile as someone can get. Watching her in horrific fascination snipe back at her questioners I continuously muttered one word that rhymes with rich....

Mark Pukey's avatar

For all that I believe Trump is a completely sociopathic narcissist and not very bright in any way... I think he's got his finger on the pulse of this issue right now.

He either buries it, or it buries him. He actually created and embraced the international pedo ring theory and ran on "releasing the Epstein Files" and now he sees his face-eating leopard coming for HIS face... and he's terrified. He knows that if he can't bury this, it's going to be the one thing everyone remembers about him, forever.

FWIW, as a layperson and not a lawyer... he sure looks guilty as hell to me!

Steve 218's avatar

MAGApublicans have a penchant for making the guilty party the victim. This was another example of it.

Steven Erick's avatar

The obvious question to be asking ourselves is what does the administration have to hide that would make violating the law less painful than releasing the files and the unreacted versions of those already released?

My opinion, it would expose the entire power structure behind the US government, something those involved in don't want us to know. Why does this matter? Exposing the role multi billionaires have in the control of our government means one of two things. Either we have to fix the problem, something Congress has shown itself incapable of doing, or acknowledge the issue and continue living the illusion of self rule.

This means that it doesn't matter who is in the White House because to get there you have to bend the knee to the real power structure. The exposed ice berg manifestation of this is the existence of the Super Pacs. Who controls the Super Pacs? We don't really know. There is public disclosure, but just like the Epstein files, a lot has bee redacted that shouldn't have been.

Judy W.'s avatar

We have power together as consumers to boycott, the vote if we can keep it, and ultimately the pitchfork if we cannot.

Christine's avatar

We could stop buying everything from everyone and they would still have billions.

Nestle owns 2000 different brands of products that cross different departments of food and beverages and pet food.

We don’t even know who owns what with the various mergers.

Judy W.'s avatar

There is actually lists of corporations on-line of stores and products that support the Trump regime, including John Oliver’s post on Substack as recently as this past Monday!

Bill's avatar

I, too, posted several times about the release of information regarding Substack financially supporting the Nazi platforms. I have yet to read any, including The Contrarian address this issue. Is The Contrarian going to just accept that their platform is a Nazi organization?

Steven Erick's avatar

Boycotts can be effective if we know who to boycott. The vote is a good option if we know who is supported by the "Deep State" and who isn't. The pitchfork, as you put it, would always be a final resort. Good comment.

Steve 218's avatar

There does not appear to be any pain involved in breaking the law, as the agency that would do the prosecution is the defendant. There has been no accountability up to this point and if things continue as they are, there may not be.

Steven Erick's avatar

Good point. This points to the lack of credibility and integrity in our elected officials. They refuse to do their job because of threats from Trump and his puppeteers who don't want their names exposed.

donna woodward's avatar

A good reminder to lead lives that don't include too many shameful skeletons in our closets!

Steven Erick's avatar

Absolutely. I am writing a book describing how we can be reasonably sure the candidates we are voting for meet our standards of integrity.

donna woodward's avatar

Let's see...there's Jimmy Carter, Ralph Nader, Pete Seeger...at least Ralph is still among the living. Let us know if you can find living people to include in your book!

Steven Erick's avatar

My book takes a different tact. It focuses on listening to the voters and letting the voters decide what integrity means to them, then making the candidates subscribe to these standards or face a boycott of the voters against them. I like your examples and using examples is a good idea. Thanks.

Mark Pukey's avatar

The craziest thing is the Q was right. There really IS an international pedophile ring of rich people! The fact that they ALSO dominate the American government is actually totally separate to that pile of crimes. The irony that it's the pedophilia that might topple their oligarchic control is very real.

I agree with you that Congress and a captive Supreme Court have proven they are wholly owned and submissive to their owners. But pedophilia is still a crime, and the longer this goes on, the closer we get to "pitchfork time". I truly think this issue is striking so hard with so many Americans that something is going to have to give here.

Right now Trump is pretty openly calling for the end of our entire Republic in order to perpetuate his coverup. And various reformers are edging closer and closer to "pitchfork time" if we don't overturn Citizens United, have real campaign finance reform, expose and punish the pedos and basically "return to a time when America truly was great", when the oligarchs were not so clearly running everything.

And yes, the irony of THAT amuses and horrifies me too.

Steven Erick's avatar

You make some very good points. I believe the pedophilia ring you talk about is the same as the government control ring. I believe that these two rings are one and the same or at least share a significant number of common members. This why Trump, Stephen Miller and a lot of other Trump administration members are so concerned about the Epstein files. The groups activities whether legal or illegal can't survive the cold light of day. Unfortunately, it's now up to congress to purse justice in this case. Of course the victims could bring charges against the people who abused them using the information in the Epstein files as evidence.

Mark Pukey's avatar

I completely agree with you. The overlap on those sets is pretty much 100%. There may be some "oligarchs" who were not involved in the Epstein Elite's group, but I believe all of the Epstein Elite's are either "oligarchs" or in thrall to one.

Like Trump is an oligarch, and he is part of the Epstein Elite's. But Pam Bondi is not an oligarch, even if her corruption in this matter does firmly put her into the Epstein Elite's group.

donna woodward's avatar

Andrew Weissmann is incredibly knowledgeable and clearly, a man of integrity. But I wonder what we'd get out of forcing Ghislaine Maxwell to testify (by granting her immunity) when she lies so habitually. (And, PS, doesn't get charged with perjury.) What would be the value of having more lies on record? She has already announced, via her attorney, that if the president gives her clemency she'd be happy to testify that he did nothing wrong. The quid pro quo to top all quid pro quo's...

Christine's avatar

I wouldn’t trust one word she says! She can lie better than Trump.

Get rid of Bone spurs's avatar

tRump doesn't lie very well at all. But the MSM never calls him out on his lies.

Potter's avatar

that's what I think-- why would we want her to open her mouth of lies? Trump and his craven company will push that back in our faces.

Daniel Solomon's avatar

Ghislaine Maxwell unleashed the "nuclear option" in a last-ditch effort to get out of prison by claiming in court papers a group of 25 “untouchable” men made “secret settlements” with victims — and implying they could and should be prosecuted, per New York Post.

john A ferguson's avatar

Daniel,

Is the existence and maybe even the text of these secret settlements recorded in Court Documents such that theny might be subject to subpoena?

Daniel Solomon's avatar

No but the estate should have all the records. There should also be companion financial documents.

Steve 218's avatar

The NY Post is not the most reliable of sources of information. Maxwell, like Trump, says a lot of things, most of which have little to to with truth or reality.

Daniel Solomon's avatar

SHE FILED IT IN COURT.

Steve 218's avatar

"As a last-ditch effort to get out of prison" says a lot. Was what she filed in court subjected to any kind of scrutiny for perjury? The woman lies as she breathes, and no need to all-caps shout.

Daniel Solomon's avatar

Have a duty to report crime. Misprison of a felony.

Under 18 U.S.C. § 4, that involves having knowledge of a federal felony and taking affirmative steps to conceal it from authorities.

Key Elements for Conviction

To be convicted of federal misprision, prosecutors must generally prove four specific elements beyond a reasonable doubt:

Knowledge of a Felony: The defendant had full knowledge that a federal felony was actually committed and completed by another person.

Failure to Notify: The defendant failed to report the crime to a federal judge or person in civil or military authority as soon as possible.

Affirmative Act of Concealment: This is the most critical element; mere silence or failure to report is typically not enough. The defendant must have taken a "positive act" to hide the crime, such as lying to investigators, destroying evidence, or harboring the felon.

Knowledge of the Penalty: Recent rulings, such as those by the Ninth Circuit, suggest the defendant must also know the underlying offense was a felony (punishable by more than one year in prison).

We know that Trump controls the DOJ, but a state, like the Virgin Islands could convene a grand jury......

donna woodward's avatar

If she had admissible evidence of those settlements and the names were significant enough I'd almost think it would be worth a deal. Except that she herself was such a despicable abuser and enabler. I guess we'll have to wait for her post-release book deal.

patricia's avatar

do we really need any documents ? the fact she was moved to a better prison says it all...they know she knows everything and trump will surely pardon her. I'm surprised she's still alive. you have to be careful when you f with men of that power.

Daniel Solomon's avatar

IMHO it's a crime. Misprison of a felony. Can take it to a grand jury in say, Virgin Islands.

donna woodward's avatar

I'd forgotten about that crime decades ago. Shouldn't someone give this serious consideration?

Robot Bender's avatar

If she somehow gets out of prison, she'll be a dead woman walking. She's a loose ends and knows too much.

Bill's avatar

I don't think you can give her immunity. That is the wrong turn. There is data available already to support judicial action against some of thee guys, and once they get arrested, then they can barter for leaner sentences. They all know who was involved and to what degree.

I also feel that Trump's clls to the Florida Prosecutor should be considered his way of getting him off the hook. Remember, he is a master hustler and knows when the gig is up! he was most likely covering his tracks!

Steve 218's avatar

Such a grant of clemency would be the same as "permission to lie without consequence".

Richard Feinman's avatar

There is no cover-up. We know what he is. We know all the crimes we have to start demanding that he resign. We have to come to our senses we’re in the middle of a dystopic science fiction movie. What are they all afraid of?

donna woodward's avatar

Yes, as a coverup it has failed yuge-ly.

Daniel Solomon's avatar

IMHO therere are layers of culpability:

1. Rapists.

2. Pimps.

3. Those who knew or had reason to know that Epstein ran his operation via the honeypot, yet did business and even invested with him and his fellow conspirators, i.e. Lutnick et al?.

4. Obstruction of justice. Ironically when Trump # 45 "investigated," it tracked people like Julie Brown and the Miami Herald!

We still haven't identified all the survivors. We have yet to hear from Epstein prosecutors, who probably know more than the survivors.

Angie's avatar

International child sex trafficking ring is running our country while Christians cheer. Vote.

Potter's avatar

I would not use that hyperbole/falsity. The truth is bad enough. They are making billions off of us and in cahoots with people internationally, looking to take us down. The truth is worse, if that is possible. Christians in name only (CINO?) Vote and until we can, be aware and keep our vote safe because these "very bad people" (to quote a phrase Trump so often uses) are running our country.. or trying to. They are stealing our power.

Potter's avatar

CHINO works better.

Stephen Brady's avatar

I just cannot help but believe that Ol' Bondo Pam is shredding the other 3 million documents just as fast as her industrial shredder can push them through.

Judy W.'s avatar

Aw but other countries have unredacted files. Epstein’s brother Mark, who is convinced he was murdered before going public, also has files. Bondi and those busy covering up for the Epstein class in America cannot stop the information other countries have and are using to hold their sordid politicians to account. We will know!

donna woodward's avatar

Yes, I hope Mark Epstein gets ace detectives to investigate his brother's death. It was reported (sorry I don't remember the source) that just days before his death he let his attorney know he was ready to name names as part of a deal. Evidently some Deal Maker in DC didn't like this idea at all...

Stephen Brady's avatar

I keep hoping the Orange Monster will finally exhaust his usefulness to his Daddy Vlad and Vlad will release his trove of Kompromat...

RollyTG's avatar

And it will probably be financial crimes that would do him in. Money laundering for the Russian mob.

Paula's avatar

I think the Vlad connection is in the other 3 million files.

patricia's avatar

and in trumps bank records of the 80's

samani's avatar

Paula and Stephen, don’t you think all this ties the orange monster and peestein in a knot w putting. Bondi knows but like the rest is at best viscous. She lies like pro shredding machine. If anything she’s actually potentially worse than the orange monsta:

A plastic Barbie doll that lies.

Stephen Brady's avatar

She's bad and was willing to destroy DOJ at tRump's whim. But tRump is willing to destroy the whole Government and Nation for personal gain. We are in the hands of incredible evil.

samani's avatar

Yes Stephen. I’m too aware. Dry mouth aware. Hair on fire aware. I’m planning on writing actual letters today to my State & Fed elected legislators.

Stephen Brady's avatar

We all need to flood their offices with letters, emails, post cards, and calls all year! Good for you. I write mine at least weekly.

patricia's avatar

epstein was absolutely murdered

Jim Carmichael's avatar

I sure do miss Sam Ervin. He would clean this up in a North Carolina minute.

Potter's avatar

Adam Schiff gives a great review of the outrageous Bondi performance yesterday before the House here

https://schiffnotes.substack.com/p/bondis-latest-melt-down-at-congressional?

SCS - Michigan's avatar

Thanks for posting.

Potter's avatar

House Judiciary Committee

SCS - Michigan's avatar

You are right — sorry! I corrected my post. I appreciated the link you posted 💙

Jane in NC's avatar

In December 2016, a guy from here in NC was arrested in DC for going to Comet Ping Pong pizzeria with an AR-15 and a handgun because of the PizzaGate conspiracy theory allegedly involving Hillary Clinton and other Dems supposedly molesting children in a nonexistent basement. Now, we see clearly that the right-wing's infatuation with that story and with pedophilia in general has more to do with politics than any real concern about protecting children.

Donald Trump and his flying monkeys like Dan Bongino and Kash Patel amped up the 'Epstein Files' for years in a ploy to get Trump reelected in part to ensure that 'the elites' involved in sex trafficking and child sexual abuse would be brought to justice. Now that it's clear doing so would involve Trump himself, a substantial number of people in his administration and his donor base, what we're getting instead is a massive cover-up in plain sight.

Pam Bondi should be impeached then prosecuted for intentionally violating the federal law designed to make the Epstein files public. Todd Blanche and any FBI agents or DOJ personnel who covered up Trump's name and involvement with Epstein's pedophile ring should be fired and prosecuted, too. Bondi and Blanche should also be disbarred. Enough is enough!

Mark Pukey's avatar

To give them some backhanded credit, the Q-loons like that guy who tried to shoot up the basement of a building that has no basement are the reason we are here, still arguing about this today.

Every single administration since Clinton has had this information and they all chose to just let it slide. Even as the victims continued to demand justice (they never, NEVER stopped trying to get some part of law enforcement to do their job!), every new investigation got squashed and no one ever got punished.

They are the loud voices who kept this going long enough for cracks to start to show in ways the DOJ could no longer totally ignore. We're doing the very public coverup now, only because the very quiet coverup finally stopped working.

And if they lose faith in Trump and MAGA and stay home in 2026... the blue wave really will happen. Then we need to see the Dems actually hold public hearings and DO the things they have also avoided doing for over 20 years.

Jane in NC's avatar

Everything you say is true, but we should be honest and acknowledge that if the Q-loons hadn't believed that it was Democrats, and only Democrats, involved they wouldn't have been as rabid about this issue. That said, even blind squirrels find a nut once in a while, and the truth is that they were right about there being a vast, international child abuse and sex trafficking ring. It's just not exactly what they thought it was. And with all that said, it's a damned good thing it's all coming out now.

susan gentleman's avatar

Just to boast a bit, I am very proud of my contingent in Congress, van Hollen, Alsobrooks and Raskin. Too bad there aren't more like them.

Steve 218's avatar

They have become the working conscience of Congress. We definitely need more like them. Massie is also showing himself to be effective.

Michelle Jordan's avatar

They should all be threatened with prison sentences if they don’t tell the truth. What do you know, when did you know and did you tell anyone? Those are the questions and fact finding should follow. Perpetrators and enablers should all be prosecuted regardless of the timeline. Bondi is in over her head. She was absolutely pathetic. Combative and uncooperative is her game. Who will hold her accountable? Will we need a special counsel to get to the bottom of this tawdry situation? And who’s going to hold the president accountable for what he knows? Jen has highlighted some of the facts here but she said it best the coverup must end.

donna woodward's avatar

Yes Yes Yes! These people must be charged with perjury (after all, their lies are on videotape) and the lawyers among them should be disbarred!

Steve 218's avatar

The charge of obstruction of justice should be added as well.

donna woodward's avatar

Yes Yes Yes again! and contempt of court.

donna woodward's avatar

It seems that unless victimes are willing to come forward and sue, there will be no accountability for them. There is strength in numbers; while an individual victim might not be able to withstand the public exposure, surely the landscape changes when there is a whole class of victims?

Elizabeth Wolf's avatar

"...Mr. Epstein expressed an interest in 2013 in meeting Mr. Lutnick’s nanny and had her résumé sent to him." What a curiously passive tense. Who sent a nanny's resume to a registered sex offender? Who, as far as we know, did not have children? Was there a photo attached to the resume? How does this jibe with Lutnick's previous tale of visiting Epstein's apartment with the massage room, getting the icks, and declaring no further contact?

Martha Woods's avatar

Is it just me or does anyone really believe that Trump's timely "thank you" call to the police wasn't out of fear for himself? I mean, really? This was defense, not offense.

patricia's avatar

if the call was real...