3 Scenarios That Explain the Epstein Debacle

Thursday, July 17, 2025

Politico writer Ankush Khardori, a former federal prosecutor at the Department of Justice, lays out three simple scenarios that would explain the sudden shift in the Trump administration on the Epstein investigation.

Posted by retort at 09:33 AM | 15 COMMENTS | permalink

COLUMN: Why is the DOJ botching the Epstein saga? "The possibilities range from bad to worse" -- especially for what they suggest about the country's legal leadership, writes former federal prosecutor Ankush Khardori.

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-- Politico (@politico.com) Jul 16, 2025 at 10:26 AM

Comments

This analysis is brilliant and covers most of the bases, The insolubility of the mess Trump created for himself is underscored by his new "MAGA is dead to me" routine.

#1 | Posted by Zed at 2025-07-17 09:52 AM

The option this author did not cover:

Trump always knew that the Epstein files are radioactive, but who in his immense arrogance played with fire on the subject for transient political advantage,

#2 | Posted by Zed at 2025-07-17 09:56 AM

"But none of these scenarios accuse Trump of killing Epstein, which he obviously did"

-Zed

#3 | Posted by eberly at 2025-07-17 10:27 AM

Is he asleep back there? I mean, even Biden didn't fall asleep standing up....

#4 | Posted by Yodagirl at 2025-07-17 10:48 AM

"But none of these scenarios accuse Trump of killing Epstein, which he obviously did"

| POSTED BY EBERLY

Let's just say that it's becoming more obvious.

#5 | Posted by Zed at 2025-07-17 11:19 AM

POSTED BY EBERLY

If Trump or any member of his family is in those Epstein files, then the man has a motive for murder along with the very best of opportunities.

Hard to get around that.

Limbo, EBERLY.

#6 | Posted by Zed at 2025-07-17 11:21 AM

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi on Friday said the Jeffrey Epstein client list is "sitting on my desk right now" and she is reviewing the JFK and MLK files as well after President Donald Trump's earlier directives.

"It's sitting on my desk right now to review," Bondi told 'America Reports' host John Roberts on Friday. "That's been a directive by President Trump."

www.foxnews.com

There's no 3 ways to interpret that.

#7 | Posted by ClownShack at 2025-07-17 11:32 AM

3rd scenario was Trump was tell the truth. We all know that was lie.

#8 | Posted by bat4255 at 2025-07-17 11:35 AM

"Let's just say...."

YOU can say whatever you want.

#9 | Posted by eberly at 2025-07-17 11:44 AM

In Epstein Case, Follow the Money, Democratic Senator Says:
Senator Ron Wyden has found that four banks waited until Mr. Epstein's arrest on federal charges to flag $1.5 billion in suspicious transactions. Mr. Wyden wants the documents made public.
www.nytimes.com

#10 | Posted by Doc_Sarvis at 2025-07-17 11:46 AM

YOU can say whatever you want.

#9 | POSTED BY EBERLY

Unless it comes to the attention of and angers the Mad King.

#11 | Posted by donnerboy at 2025-07-17 12:13 PM

Why is Putin's orange butt ---- so worried about the Epstein Files?

#12 | Posted by reinheitsgebot at 2025-07-17 12:16 PM

YOU can say whatever you want.

#9 | POSTED BY EBERLY

Like the truth?

The truth is that Donald Trump is exactly the sort of man who would murder someone to assure his own wealth and power.

I therefore see it as 90% certain that Trump had sex with children and, because of that, at least 90% certain that he murdered Epstein.

#13 | Posted by Zed at 2025-07-17 12:37 PM

-Like the truth?

more like speculation......

#14 | Posted by eberly at 2025-07-17 12:44 PM

more like speculation......

#14 | POSTED BY EBERLY

Speculation built on known facts, facts that litter this forum today.

The notion that Epstein died in that "perfect storm" of mistakes (AG Barr) that left every significant detail of his death obscured may not be a bridge too far for you, EBERLY.

But it sticks in my craw.

Interesting to have that in common with MAGA, as far as it goes.

It's just that, unlike MAGA, I realize that the person with access to Epstein was not Bill Clinton.

#15 | Posted by Zed at 2025-07-17 12:50 PM

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