Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

hlthe2b

(102,292 posts)
Mon Jul 8, 2019, 05:50 AM Jul 2019

Miami Herald Investigative Reporter: 'Quite A Few Powerful, Important People' May Be Named (Epstein)

Miami Herald Investigative Reporter: 'Quite A Few Powerful, Important People' May Be Named in Jeffrey Epstein Case
https://www.newsweek.com/miami-herald-investigative-reporter-quite-few-powerful-important-people-may-named-jeffrey-1447929



While I want to give clicks to her paper, the Miami Herald, it has a very restrictive paywall so you may not be able to access if you've used any free clicks. Still, here it is for her latest reporting:

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/state/florida/article232385422.html#storylink=mainstage_lead

--snip--
Julie K. Brown, a Miami Herald investigative reporter who has been covering the alleged sex trafficking crimes of Epstein for the past several years, joined MSNBC Sunday morning to discuss the evidence against Epstein and the "rogues gallery" of rich, powerful, and famous people who are suspected to have used his services.

"Have you seen that nexus of power come to bare as you have reported this, and in the aftermath of your reporting," MSNBC host David Gura asked Brown.
"I've felt a lot of pressure," Brown answered. "Needless to say, these are very powerful people and I think that they're sweating a little bit, especially today. We don't know how much, how deep this went, how far-reaching it went in government, but there have been a lot of names that I could see on these message pads [listing clients] on a regular basis as part of the evidence."

Brown continued: "These message pads where they would call and leave Epstein messages, such as, 'I'm at this hotel.' Why do you do that, unless you're expecting him to send you a girl to visit you at your hotel? So there are probably quite a few important people, powerful people, who are sweating it out right now. We'll have to wait and see whether Epstein is going to name names."

Next, Gura specifically asked Brown about Epstein's Palm Beach neighbor Donald Trump, where Brown said Epstein had a "friendly" relationship with Trump. "They went to dinner parties at each other's houses," Brown continued. "Trump was also on his plane, probably not as much as a lot of other people because, you know, Trump had his own plane. But they had a lot of social relationships. And the other interesting thing is Trump had a modeling agency, and Epstein also had a stake in a modeling agency, which they suspect he used to bring in underage girls from overseas."

"There is a comment in one of the court files where Epstein is quoted as saying, 'I want to set up my modeling agency the same way Trump set up his modeling agency.' I don't know what that means, but it is curious he was trying to do something similar to Trump." Brown said.
47 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Miami Herald Investigative Reporter: 'Quite A Few Powerful, Important People' May Be Named (Epstein) (Original Post) hlthe2b Jul 2019 OP
And now the fun begins. HA let's hear it. Mr big stuff, who do you think you are? Mr. big stuff .. YOHABLO Jul 2019 #1
"Let all the poison that lurks in the mud, hatch out." n/t PoliticAverse Jul 2019 #2
Believe it when I see it Sherman A1 Jul 2019 #3
True. He/they already slipped thru the wheels of justice thanks to Alex Acosta. FailureToCommunicate Jul 2019 #14
I'm with you. We have been down this road before with not much to show. Sure Trump was up to his Pepsidog Jul 2019 #35
"Jeffrey Epstein Shouldn't Expect to Wriggle Free Again"--legal analysis from Mimi Rocah hlthe2b Jul 2019 #4
S.D.N.Y. is not a N.Y. state agency. 3Hotdogs Jul 2019 #11
No, Southern District of NY is Federal, but has the long reputation of independance from DOJ-Main/DC hlthe2b Jul 2019 #24
"Will There Finally Be a Cost for Acosta? " --NY Magazine Intelligencer hlthe2b Jul 2019 #5
Original "deal" specificaly shielded him and 'four alleged accomplices' from federal prosecution hlthe2b Jul 2019 #6
But only for crimes committed in Florida. LisaL Jul 2019 #19
Yes... the point I was trying to emphasize is even then there were four undicted co-conspirators. hlthe2b Jul 2019 #25
I know. And if they committed any crimes in New York, they won't be covered by that immunity deal. LisaL Jul 2019 #34
This is one helluva plot thickening empedocles Jul 2019 #7
Of course Morning Joe laid it heavily on the Bill Clinton connection. OnDoutside Jul 2019 #8
Not surprised from the "Scab", but damn Mika has a never ceasing hot hatred for the Clintons... hlthe2b Jul 2019 #9
They made that quite clear when they went all in for Trump early on, until he was to hot even for OnDoutside Jul 2019 #10
Her dad was in the Carter administration karynnj Jul 2019 #21
of course. but it's not the Clintons or any other democrats who are trying to stop JI7 Jul 2019 #13
i have to say im trying to prepare myself for the worse... samnsara Jul 2019 #17
The traitors name keeps coming up.. Maxheader Jul 2019 #12
In 2020, appeal to decent people among low motivation voters, first timers & low info voters. . . nt Bernardo de La Paz Jul 2019 #16
Give me the name of the last American billionaire watoos Jul 2019 #15
Martha Stewart. LisaL Jul 2019 #18
This message was self-deleted by its author StarfishSaver Jul 2019 #20
Martha Stewart is a billionaire? Wednesdays Jul 2019 #26
Yes, she is-- the first female self-made billionaire in the US hlthe2b Jul 2019 #28
Yes. I guess she is on the low end as far as billionaires go. LisaL Jul 2019 #29
No. she went to a facility SoCalNative Jul 2019 #40
The prosecutor in her case was none other than James Comey. In an interview he indicated that had hlthe2b Jul 2019 #44
Bernie Madoff, Michael Milken and others StarfishSaver Jul 2019 #22
Jeff Skilling and the Enron crew DeminPennswoods Jul 2019 #31
Couple of guys from Enron also elevator48 Jul 2019 #36
Was Bernie Madoff a billionaire? Or just a multimillionaire? nt tblue37 Jul 2019 #45
They are calling it pedosadism in the Guardian Farmer-Rick Jul 2019 #23
Be nice if a judge from Alabama is listed. nt NCjack Jul 2019 #27
Roy "dated" young girls. Didn't need to buy them. Funtatlaguy Jul 2019 #30
Good point. He does like 'em young! phatkatt Jul 2019 #32
His indictment is supposed to be released shortly (9 ET)... I'll post here if I see it. hlthe2b Jul 2019 #33
Indictment below hlthe2b Jul 2019 #37
One can only hope. nt Hotler Jul 2019 #38
Where have I heard that before? Polly Hennessey Jul 2019 #39
In the news conference they put out a request for more (now, women) to come forward with 1-800 # hlthe2b Jul 2019 #41
Hoping you are correct. Polly Hennessey Jul 2019 #42
Gratitude will go to Miami Herald Investigative reporter Julie K. Brown-- FBI Director IC pointed to hlthe2b Jul 2019 #43
With the FBI Director In-Charge public solicitation of additional vicitms with 1-800 number and even hlthe2b Jul 2019 #46
BRING IT ON Skittles Jul 2019 #47

Sherman A1

(38,958 posts)
3. Believe it when I see it
Mon Jul 8, 2019, 05:55 AM
Jul 2019

And not before.

Not that I don’t accept that this happened or the rich and powerful were involved, but they seem to have a way of getting around those pesky laws made for the rest of us.

FailureToCommunicate

(14,014 posts)
14. True. He/they already slipped thru the wheels of justice thanks to Alex Acosta.
Mon Jul 8, 2019, 07:27 AM
Jul 2019

(And the whole rotten system.)

Pepsidog

(6,254 posts)
35. I'm with you. We have been down this road before with not much to show. Sure Trump was up to his
Mon Jul 8, 2019, 08:56 AM
Jul 2019

neck in all kinds of evil and illegal things but he has been proven to be a slippery individual.

hlthe2b

(102,292 posts)
4. "Jeffrey Epstein Shouldn't Expect to Wriggle Free Again"--legal analysis from Mimi Rocah
Mon Jul 8, 2019, 05:59 AM
Jul 2019

Last edited Mon Jul 8, 2019, 06:41 AM - Edit history (1)

Jeffrey Epstein Shouldn’t Expect to Wriggle Free AgainFeds in Florida cut an infamous sweetheart deal with the confessed billionaire sex predator. The ‘sovereign’ district of New York isn’t likely to do that.
--an early analysis from Mimi Rocah that will answer many of your questions...

https://www.thedailybeast.com/jeffrey-epstein-shouldnt-expect-to-wiggle-free-again-with-sdny-sex-trafficking-charges

Justice has seemed elusive these past three years. One of the most discouraging themes has been the pattern of powerful white men who seem to get away with sexual misconduct and even criminal behavior toward women and young girls: Donald Trump, Roy Moore, Brett Kavanaugh, among them. Some days, it feels like the idea of “justice” is non-existent when it comes to this type of powerful perpetrator and conduct.

The case of billionaire Jeffrey Epstein, thus far, is one of the most egregious examples. Epstein actually got caught: he was arrested and charged last decade by federal authorities for running a sex-trafficking operation in which minor girls experienced horrible sexual abuse and rape in Florida. But then Epstein was given a slap-on-the-wrist deal in 2008 from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida and some of his co-conspirators were shielded from prosecution. To make matters even worse, that deal seems to have been the product of some serious gamesmanship by a cabal of other powerful white men, including Alex Acosta, then-U.S. Attorney and now Labor Secretary. --snip--

Charges of federal sex trafficking carry mandatory minimums of 10-15 years on each count. Mandatory means mandatory. In other words, short of a cooperation agreement with the government—which in the SDNY famously means full cooperation against all possible other subjects and targets—Epstein will serve at least 10-15 years in prison (possibly more depending on the number of counts) if convicted.

In addition, in my experience as a prosecutor involved in trafficking cases in the SDNY, that office is not in the practice of giving slap-on-the-wrist deals to sex offenders and will prosecute the case fairly but with appropriate zeal. The fact that the FBI also reportedly executed a search warrant at Epstein’s New York residence suggests either that they had probable cause to believe there was more recent conduct that occurred there and/or that evidence from his past crimes was likely to be found there this many years later. That search could yield important new evidence.


--more-- at link above

hlthe2b

(102,292 posts)
24. No, Southern District of NY is Federal, but has the long reputation of independance from DOJ-Main/DC
Mon Jul 8, 2019, 08:43 AM
Jul 2019

I guess you've never watched ShowTime's "Billions" where SDNY (and its US Attorney) is essentially a "lead character". But this reputation goes back even before Giuliani was there (waay back when he was actually not an incompetent lawyer).

BTW, Mimi Rocah was a former Federal Prosecutor for SDNY.

hlthe2b

(102,292 posts)
5. "Will There Finally Be a Cost for Acosta? " --NY Magazine Intelligencer
Mon Jul 8, 2019, 06:08 AM
Jul 2019

Will There Finally Be a Cost for Acosta?

http://nymag.com/intelligencer/2019/07/all-we-know-about-the-new-case-against-jeffrey-epstein.html

In 2008, federal prosecutors in Miami — led by former U.S. Attorney Alexander Acosta — drafted a 53-page indictment against Epstein, including charges that could have put him in prison for life. But Acosta made a deal with Epstein’s legal team that resulted in 13 months in jail, and a non-prosecution agreement for any possible federal charges. According to a copy of the non-prosecution agreement, the likelihood of a federal charge was high: The FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s office determined that from 2001 to September 2007, Epstein had conspired to persuade minors to engage in prostitution, conspired to transport minors across state lines for the purpose of illicit sexual conduct, and recruited a minor across state lines to engage in a commercial sex act.

According to the Miami Herald, Acosta met privately with one of Epstein’s lawyers Jay Lefkowitz — a former colleague in D.C. — and gave Epstein’s legal team a bizarre amount of control over the plea deal’s terms. (Other Epstein lawyers included Alan Dershowitz and Kenneth Starr.) “Thank you for the commitment you made to me,’’ Lefkowitz wrote to Acosta after their meeting, referring to Acosta’s promise he would not contact “any of the identified individuals, potential witnesses or potential civil claimants.” The deal was kept secret until it was finalized.

As the Trump administration’s Secretary of Labor, Acosta has already faced calls for resignation. With Epstein’s arrest over the weekend, the calls are growing again, including messages from former Senator Mike Gravel and Congressman Ted Lieu.

hlthe2b

(102,292 posts)
6. Original "deal" specificaly shielded him and 'four alleged accomplices' from federal prosecution
Mon Jul 8, 2019, 06:17 AM
Jul 2019
Epstein infamously avoided federal charges — and the potential lifetime sentence that could have come with them — a decade ago after he was accused of molesting dozens of underage girls at his mansion in Palm Beach, Florida. He was instead allowed to plead guilty to two counts of soliciting prostitution from a minor. Epstein was forced to register as a sex offender, and sentenced to 18-months in prison, but he only served 13 months in all — and got to spend 12 hours a day at an office, six days a week, as part of his work release privileges. In return, Epstein’s secret plea deal shielded him and four alleged accomplices from federal prosecution.


hmmm....

http://nymag.com/intelligencer/2019/07/all-we-know-about-the-new-case-against-jeffrey-epstein.html

hlthe2b

(102,292 posts)
25. Yes... the point I was trying to emphasize is even then there were four undicted co-conspirators.
Mon Jul 8, 2019, 08:45 AM
Jul 2019

LisaL

(44,973 posts)
34. I know. And if they committed any crimes in New York, they won't be covered by that immunity deal.
Mon Jul 8, 2019, 08:56 AM
Jul 2019

hlthe2b

(102,292 posts)
9. Not surprised from the "Scab", but damn Mika has a never ceasing hot hatred for the Clintons...
Mon Jul 8, 2019, 06:56 AM
Jul 2019

it has never dimmed from well before HRC's first Presidential run. I won't make snide suppositions as to the cause, but it is really disproportionate to simple "dislike"...

OnDoutside

(19,962 posts)
10. They made that quite clear when they went all in for Trump early on, until he was to hot even for
Mon Jul 8, 2019, 07:09 AM
Jul 2019

them.

karynnj

(59,504 posts)
21. Her dad was in the Carter administration
Mon Jul 8, 2019, 08:17 AM
Jul 2019

Could the coolness between the Clintons and Carter's have been the root of that?

JI7

(89,252 posts)
13. of course. but it's not the Clintons or any other democrats who are trying to stop
Mon Jul 8, 2019, 07:26 AM
Jul 2019

any investigations into these things.

Maxheader

(4,373 posts)
12. The traitors name keeps coming up..
Mon Jul 8, 2019, 07:19 AM
Jul 2019

in reports of sexual misconduct...I know it doesn't matter to the 30%ers...but to decent people..Will the maga fantasy disappear?

 

watoos

(7,142 posts)
15. Give me the name of the last American billionaire
Mon Jul 8, 2019, 07:34 AM
Jul 2019

who went to a real jail then I will get excited.

Response to LisaL (Reply #18)

Wednesdays

(17,380 posts)
26. Martha Stewart is a billionaire?
Mon Jul 8, 2019, 08:45 AM
Jul 2019

Yeah, she may be worth multi millions, but BILLIONS is news to me.

hlthe2b

(102,292 posts)
28. Yes, she is-- the first female self-made billionaire in the US
Mon Jul 8, 2019, 08:51 AM
Jul 2019

From her Wikipedia page:
On October 19, 1999, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia went public on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol MSO. The initial public offering was set at $18 per share, and rallied to $38 by the end of trading, making Stewart a billionaire on paper and the first female, self-made billionaire in the U.S.

LisaL

(44,973 posts)
29. Yes. I guess she is on the low end as far as billionaires go.
Mon Jul 8, 2019, 08:51 AM
Jul 2019

But she first became a billionaire in 2000.

"At the time, shares in Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia soared 90%, boosting her fortune back to $1 billion. (She'd first hit that mark in 2000, after taking her company public a year earlier. She fell off the list again in 2001.)"

https://www.forbes.com/sites/clareoconnor/2015/06/19/martha-stewart-preps-sale-of-empire-once-worth-2-billion/#10d1d5587d46

SoCalNative

(4,613 posts)
40. No. she went to a facility
Mon Jul 8, 2019, 11:14 AM
Jul 2019

for white collar criminals.

We want billionaires in GenPop in a supermax.

hlthe2b

(102,292 posts)
44. The prosecutor in her case was none other than James Comey. In an interview he indicated that had
Mon Jul 8, 2019, 11:25 AM
Jul 2019

she only "come clean" and admitted insider trading, she'd have avoided jail totally, given current Federal charging guidelines. She received some very poor legal advice (or failed to take what she was given).

 

elevator48

(53 posts)
36. Couple of guys from Enron also
Mon Jul 8, 2019, 09:43 AM
Jul 2019

also Bernie Madoff. It happens and these types of crimes almost insure it.

Farmer-Rick

(10,185 posts)
23. They are calling it pedosadism in the Guardian
Mon Jul 8, 2019, 08:28 AM
Jul 2019

It's more than just sex with little childre. It's torture.

This is what capitalism creates. We all are merely commodities. Children are things to be bought and sold. The richest capitalist kings get away with all sorts of horrendous abuse.

Because they are blessed by God with heavenly money and capital so they can rape and torture little children. This is the true face of capitalism and what happens when anyone thinks they are superior, better than all the rest of us. Blessed by God.

Funtatlaguy

(10,879 posts)
30. Roy "dated" young girls. Didn't need to buy them.
Mon Jul 8, 2019, 08:52 AM
Jul 2019

He’d just go to the local mall and hang out near the Orange 🍊 Julius store.

phatkatt

(1,376 posts)
32. Good point. He does like 'em young!
Mon Jul 8, 2019, 08:53 AM
Jul 2019

Being from Alabama nothing would give me more pleasure than see that creep exposed!

Polly Hennessey

(6,799 posts)
39. Where have I heard that before?
Mon Jul 8, 2019, 11:01 AM
Jul 2019

Nothing big ever happens. The Big Names will skate through. I mean isn’t that what having a billion dollars is for: protecting oneself and friends. Yawn.

hlthe2b

(102,292 posts)
41. In the news conference they put out a request for more (now, women) to come forward with 1-800 #
Mon Jul 8, 2019, 11:16 AM
Jul 2019

So, this seems anything but a whitewash. To publicly solicit for additional victims is not typical.

That FBI Director in Charge is as hard-ass as they come and the SDNY AG (Berman) certainly seems in it for the long term.

hlthe2b

(102,292 posts)
43. Gratitude will go to Miami Herald Investigative reporter Julie K. Brown-- FBI Director IC pointed to
Mon Jul 8, 2019, 11:21 AM
Jul 2019

evidence in her reporting that led to follow-up and ultimately charging today.

So, if justice prevails, it will largely be from her efforts.

hlthe2b

(102,292 posts)
46. With the FBI Director In-Charge public solicitation of additional vicitms with 1-800 number and even
Mon Jul 8, 2019, 11:32 AM
Jul 2019

from the evidence they already have, most think the charges announced today is merely tip of the iceberg...

Latest Discussions»General Discussion»Miami Herald Investigativ...