The real irony is that everybody knows what is being redacted. Trump will probably get away with it in that he will not live long enough to see (again) the inside of a criminal courtroom, much less a prison. But this blatant coverup of this heinous criminality guarantees that the Trump name will eventually be removed from every institution (and battleship) that is tarnished with it faster than you can say Sackler.
It's never really been a sane and just world. But I have to believe that there is enough sanity and enough justice that the day will come that almost no one remembers having worn a red maga hat or having voted for Trump.
In 1925 David Stephenson, Grand Dragon of the Indiana Realm of the Ku Klux Klan, was one of the most powerful men in the country. The KKK marched openly down the streets of our capital that year. One year later, following Stephenson's conviction on charges of rape and murder, the KKK substantially collapsed as a national political force.
Mark Twain said that history might not repeat itself but it often does rhyme. As I read about Stephenson in "The Second Coming of the KKK" by Linda Gordon and "A Fever in the Heartland" by Timothy Egan, I often thought that if you replaced the name Stephenson with that of Trump and KKK with MAGA, you could hear the rhythm.
The cycles definitely continue, but any lessons aren't lasting. The key difference now is the direct involvement of the President of the US and a host of like-minded enablers in whom he has vested great power.
In my small town in Iowa the last remaining Trump flag, which flew just below the Confederate Stars and Bars on a local flag pole, recently came down. I haven't seen a maga cap in months. I take that as a metaphor. It will no doubt take a few election cycles but the buffoons will be thrown out of the circus tent. And as Joyce Vance put it in the title of her new book, "Giving Up Is Unforgivable."
As Clarence Darrow once said, lost causes are the only ones worth fighting for. The more lost this cause might feel, the more important it is that the fight continue ;-)
Even if Dems take a super-majority in both Houses the files will never see the light of day. The Republicans and Trump and his Cabinet are blatantly corrupt but there are Democrats and Independants that are also corrupt and likely in the files doing things that are discusting.
Wr will keep trying to see all the files with sick men (and women?) not redacted but don't hold your breath.
Excellent post, especially the closing on optional accountability and the mere suggestion of rule of law. It's not a question of if and when. We're already there.
Since the DOJ is obviously doing this all on Trump's orders,the judge that this case went to, should hold Trump,Bondi,Patel, and everyone else involved in contempt of court for obstructing justice!
David, why do you even bother explaining this? If the United States was a country of laws that would be a hell of a lot of arrests and prosecutions and they would’ve started at least a decade ago.
Everyone in Epstein’s orbit is guilty of Misprision of felony. Every one of them can be arrested and prosecuted. They knew what Epstein was doing and so did Acosta and everybody in the legal system that gave Epstein a sweetheart deal and turned a blind eye to everything else.
The United States is past the point of no return.
The one percent is controlling everything about the former republic and democracy known as the United States of America. The filth that controls this country and a lot of the world is about one percent of the population. These creatures are the oppressors of humanity. To punish them is clemency. To forgive them is barbarity.
People say the word constitution thinking it is some sort of magic word pieces of paper. Does anyone really think that when a politician pledges and hold to the constitution they actually mean it?
There are ways to get rid of the ruling class. Thinking that courts of law is the answer thinking of fools. The people don’t hand down sentences like the courts. They throw lightning bolts and a kick tyrant back into the void and that justice is more thorough and effective than sentences handed down by some bullshit court. Keep in mind, Trump was convicted of 34 felonies and he bought himself a judge named Juan Merchan. We have a convicted felon in the White House who is not supposed to be there so enough bullshit about talking about laws in court. They are not working for the people.
So the law says “release the files,” and Trump’s DOJ responds with black Sharpie performance art and a disappearing website. Cool. Very normal democracy stuff.
If your name needs more redaction than the law allows, that’s not privacy. That’s panic.
We may never get the incriminating proof we seek. I am surprised somebody hasn't "bleached the hard drives" and so forth already, but I don't understand custodial requirements to preserve evidence either. For now though just the extended drip-drip-drip of sloppily edited files keeps the stench in public nostrils. And everyone knows, the fish taco stinks from the head down.
The reason Trump thinks he’s going to get away with this is because he knows he’s going to get away with us and so does everybody else. He got away with 34 felonies because he bought himself a judge.
Trump got away with:
1. Raping women and girls.
2. Massive financial fraud coming back decades.
3. Treason
4. Sedition
5. Insurrection
6. War crimes
7. Abuse of office
8. Obstruction of justice
9. Bribery
There are remedies within the law to get rid of Trump such as the 25th amendment as well as removing him for high crimes and misdemeanors. That didn’t happen did it David?
The real irony is that everybody knows what is being redacted. Trump will probably get away with it in that he will not live long enough to see (again) the inside of a criminal courtroom, much less a prison. But this blatant coverup of this heinous criminality guarantees that the Trump name will eventually be removed from every institution (and battleship) that is tarnished with it faster than you can say Sackler.
In a sane and just world, that would be true, but not in the Trump-remade USA.
It's never really been a sane and just world. But I have to believe that there is enough sanity and enough justice that the day will come that almost no one remembers having worn a red maga hat or having voted for Trump.
In 1925 David Stephenson, Grand Dragon of the Indiana Realm of the Ku Klux Klan, was one of the most powerful men in the country. The KKK marched openly down the streets of our capital that year. One year later, following Stephenson's conviction on charges of rape and murder, the KKK substantially collapsed as a national political force.
Mark Twain said that history might not repeat itself but it often does rhyme. As I read about Stephenson in "The Second Coming of the KKK" by Linda Gordon and "A Fever in the Heartland" by Timothy Egan, I often thought that if you replaced the name Stephenson with that of Trump and KKK with MAGA, you could hear the rhythm.
The cycles definitely continue, but any lessons aren't lasting. The key difference now is the direct involvement of the President of the US and a host of like-minded enablers in whom he has vested great power.
In my small town in Iowa the last remaining Trump flag, which flew just below the Confederate Stars and Bars on a local flag pole, recently came down. I haven't seen a maga cap in months. I take that as a metaphor. It will no doubt take a few election cycles but the buffoons will be thrown out of the circus tent. And as Joyce Vance put it in the title of her new book, "Giving Up Is Unforgivable."
As Clarence Darrow once said, lost causes are the only ones worth fighting for. The more lost this cause might feel, the more important it is that the fight continue ;-)
Even if Dems take a super-majority in both Houses the files will never see the light of day. The Republicans and Trump and his Cabinet are blatantly corrupt but there are Democrats and Independants that are also corrupt and likely in the files doing things that are discusting.
Wr will keep trying to see all the files with sick men (and women?) not redacted but don't hold your breath.
How many of the thousand agents redacting trump from the Epstein files were actually lined up in front of shredders?
He probably will. That's the totally sad part. Doesn't mean we should stop pushing though!
Courage to get out the files!
Excellent post, especially the closing on optional accountability and the mere suggestion of rule of law. It's not a question of if and when. We're already there.
Since the DOJ is obviously doing this all on Trump's orders,the judge that this case went to, should hold Trump,Bondi,Patel, and everyone else involved in contempt of court for obstructing justice!
He likely will just a little bruised. He has destroyed Law in the USA . That means he can be killed under street justice. Get a plan Vets / Heroes!
Who took all of the pictures-tge ultimate fly on the wall. Where is/are those people and have they been debriefed. They know everything.
David, why do you even bother explaining this? If the United States was a country of laws that would be a hell of a lot of arrests and prosecutions and they would’ve started at least a decade ago.
Everyone in Epstein’s orbit is guilty of Misprision of felony. Every one of them can be arrested and prosecuted. They knew what Epstein was doing and so did Acosta and everybody in the legal system that gave Epstein a sweetheart deal and turned a blind eye to everything else.
The United States is past the point of no return.
The one percent is controlling everything about the former republic and democracy known as the United States of America. The filth that controls this country and a lot of the world is about one percent of the population. These creatures are the oppressors of humanity. To punish them is clemency. To forgive them is barbarity.
People say the word constitution thinking it is some sort of magic word pieces of paper. Does anyone really think that when a politician pledges and hold to the constitution they actually mean it?
There are ways to get rid of the ruling class. Thinking that courts of law is the answer thinking of fools. The people don’t hand down sentences like the courts. They throw lightning bolts and a kick tyrant back into the void and that justice is more thorough and effective than sentences handed down by some bullshit court. Keep in mind, Trump was convicted of 34 felonies and he bought himself a judge named Juan Merchan. We have a convicted felon in the White House who is not supposed to be there so enough bullshit about talking about laws in court. They are not working for the people.
So the law says “release the files,” and Trump’s DOJ responds with black Sharpie performance art and a disappearing website. Cool. Very normal democracy stuff.
If your name needs more redaction than the law allows, that’s not privacy. That’s panic.
We may never get the incriminating proof we seek. I am surprised somebody hasn't "bleached the hard drives" and so forth already, but I don't understand custodial requirements to preserve evidence either. For now though just the extended drip-drip-drip of sloppily edited files keeps the stench in public nostrils. And everyone knows, the fish taco stinks from the head down.
The reason Trump thinks he’s going to get away with this is because he knows he’s going to get away with us and so does everybody else. He got away with 34 felonies because he bought himself a judge.
Trump got away with:
1. Raping women and girls.
2. Massive financial fraud coming back decades.
3. Treason
4. Sedition
5. Insurrection
6. War crimes
7. Abuse of office
8. Obstruction of justice
9. Bribery
There are remedies within the law to get rid of Trump such as the 25th amendment as well as removing him for high crimes and misdemeanors. That didn’t happen did it David?
Hi, I don’t claim to know a lot about American politics but how come Nixon was taken down and not Trump?
Because there was no Project 2025 for Republicans to follow and the count of corrupt billionaires was alot less than there is today.