Sen. Elizabeth Warren has called for Harvard and other institutions to sever all ties with Larry Summers, who was Treasury secretary under President Bill Clinton, after the disclosure of his private communications with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. As in the past, however, Warren seems strikingly selective in her outrage with those “cozying up” to Epstein, given the communications revealed with other Democrats, including Del. Stacey Plaskett, Virgin Islands’ congressional representative.
The messages from Summers are deeply troubling as he chats away with the sex offender, including discussing Summers’ interest in particular women. After the disclosures, Summers announced that he will continue to teach at Harvard but will be stepping back from public commitments: “I am deeply ashamed of my actions and recognize the pain they have caused. I take full responsibility for my misguided decision to continue communicating with Mr. Epstein.”
In a March 2019 exchange, they corresponded about a woman Summers was interested in. This was when Epstein was awaiting trial on federal charges. Summers is also shown repeating his earlier views, questioning whether women are biologically as intelligent as men.
Sen. Warren demanded action to remove Summers: “For decades, Larry Summers has demonstrated his attraction to serving the wealthy and well-connected, but his willingness to cozy up to a convicted sex offender demonstrates monumentally bad judgment.”
There are serious concerns raised by firing academics over their private communications made outside of a school. As deeply offensive as his views are, Summers has a right to express them. He also has a right to pursue theories that others may find obnoxious and wrong (as do I) as an academic.
The public declarations of Warren, however, omit any mention of others shown “cozying up” to Epstein on the Democratic side, from Bill Clinton to Del. Plaskett.
One of the most surprising disclosures was the communication between Plaskett and Epstein. The latter owned two islands in the Virgin Islands and indicated a familiarity with the delegate.
Plaskett has long been criticized by the free speech community for her suggestion of the arrest of journalists and support for speech controls and censorship.
In one series of emails, Jeffrey Epstein was feeding questions to Plaskett during a 2019 congressional hearing. Once again, Epstein was already a known sex offender and human trafficker. Yet, Plaskett actively seeks his advice during the hearing, even exchanging playful comments on how great she looked and her habit of chewing on camera.
In texts, first reported by the Washington Post, Epstein coaches Plaskett during a Feb. 27, 2019, House Oversight Committee hearing with the then-former president’s ex-attorney Michael Cohen. Ironically, it was a hearing on how Donald Trump allegedly paid payments to mistresses to silence them. She was getting pointers from one of the most notorious abusers of young women in the last decade.
Epstein gives Plaskett a running review of the testimony, and Plaskett pushes him for more. For example, at one point, he wrote “Cohen brought up RONA – keeper of the secrets,” misspelling Graff’s first name, Rhona.
“RONA??” responded Plaskett, “Quick I’m up next is that an acronym[?]”
“Thats his assistant,” Epstein replied. Plaskett proceeded to question Cohen on Graff.
Epstein continues to prep Plaskett, saying that “[Cohen] opened the door to questions re who are the other henchmen at trump org.” She responded, “Yup. Very aware and waiting my turn.”
Epstein is shown boosting Plaskett and encouraging her.
At 2:34 p.m., Epstein told Plaskett, “Good work”after she finished her questioning. He also gives comments on her outfit and warns her about her habit of chewing on camera.
In the morning of the hearing, he tells Plaskett, “Great outfit,” and then twenty minutes later says, “You look great.”
Most people receiving such a message from a sexual abuser would find it chilling, but Plaskett writes, “Thanks!”
None of that, however, represents “cozying up” for Warren.
The fact is that these files are tarnishing many on both sides. Trump himself has had to explain pictures with Epstein, and these files show Epstein alluding to having dirt on Trump. The President has repeatedly denied wrongdoing and noted that he had Epstein thrown out of his club due to his pursuit of young girls at Mar-a-Lago.
Headlines … “Revealed: Trump White House intervened on behalf of another accused sex trafficker”
Does anybody doubt trump isn’t building a “ballroom”. He is building a Pedophile Pavilion.
DAMNIT! Get it through your pea-sized brains – Jefferey Epstein WAS NOT A PEDOPHILE. Neither was Judge Roy Moore. This is the definition of a pedophile – “Pedophilia is an ongoing sexual attraction to pre-pubertal children.” This comes from Psychology Today. Those who keep using the term indiscriminately are doing harm to the actual children who are victims of pedophiles. If you don’t know what a word means, DON’T USE IT!
Yeah, neither was Jerry Lee Louis whom married his 13 year old Cousin.
What happened to Jerry Lee Lewis’ 13-year-old bride? She’s been here the whole time
Myra Lewis Williams, also known as Myra Gale Brown, was the third wife of late rock ’n’ roll pioneer Jerry Lee Lewis and — more infamously — his 13-year-old cousin at the time they got married.
By: Nardine Saad ~ Oct. 28, 2022
https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2022-10-28/jerry-lee-lewis-myra-gale-brown-third-wife-book
First, I wish commentators would stop referring to Epstein as a “pedophile.” He was not. By definition, a pedophile is someone who is sexually attracted to pre-pubescent children, generally under age 13. (it means children who are not yet producing sperm or menstruating.) The girls who massaged Epstein in Palm Beach were all 14 or older, mostly older. And only one of them admitting to having sexual intercourse with him an two said he penetrated them digitally. Second, it is not a crime to associate with someone who has served time for a misdemeanor (or a felony.) Epstein knew a lot of people who were in academia and politics. I’m no fan of Plackett but she was a Virgin Islands lawyer and politician and there are a lot of rich people who did business with her. As dar as Emails go, so what? They’re private conversations usually dashed off in haste. This whole thing it one big nothing-burger turned into a cash cow for unscrupulous lawyers who fed stories to equally unscrupulous journalists. Oh, by the way, I’ve actually spent hours and hours reading the court transcripts, police charging documents, interviews of the girls, depositions and Virginia Roberts’ two books.
Pathetic.
This is a MAGA media talking point–as if puberty of the victim constitutes some kind of defense to grooming persons and sexually violating girls who were legally unable to consent to sexual conduct. As proven by that Ohio girl who was raped at age 9 and had a medication abortion at age 10–that Indiana AG Theodore Rokita tried to use to attack the doctor who helped this child– fourth grade girls who don’t have obvious secondary sexual characteristics may still be ovulating and can become pregnant. MehGinn Kelly, who will say anything because she is desperate to make a living, claimed that Epstein was not a pedophile, and used the term “barely legal”–which is a lie because Epstein’s victims were all under the legal age to consent to sexual activities. Regardless of the nomenclature used IT WAS WRONG, IT WAS ILLEGAL and the men who did it KNEW better–so whining about the use of “pedophile” is just another misplaced MAGA media talking point. These victims were NOT adults. According to Virginia Giuffre, Ghislaine Maxwell paved the way for Epstein and others to violate these girls by using a vibrator on them and touching their breasts and genitals. She clued in to those who were vulnerable to being abused by asking them about their family dynamics, knowing that girls who came from broken homes, whose mothers had to work long hours to make ends meet, and who were not close to their parents were ripe for the picking. She knew what she was doing, using her British accent and aristocratic air, along with Epstein’s luxurious manse to give the impression that she and Epstein were classy, as well as knowing her gender would reassure them–all the while procuring victims for her boyfriend and his cronies to abuse. So semcgowanjr, did you miss these points when you allegedly read all of this material, and what kind of a monster could read all of this material and defend Epstein and Trump or argue that what happened was somehow not a serious crime? The emails speak for themselves–so claiming that they were “dashed off in haste” or that lawyers and journalists who use these documents are unscrupulous proves just how deep the Cult of Trump goes.
Gigi, what a work of art you are. THe overwhelming majority of Epstein’s “victims’ and “survivors” were girls aged 16-18–WELL_PAST the age of reason and the age of consent. NO ONE is defending what Epstein did; Semcgowanjr is simply and honestly protesting the pile-on of erroneous and inappropriate catch-all terms .
According to “Wikipedia” (see footnotes for citations):
“In 2005, police in Palm Beach, Florida, began investigating Epstein after a parent reported that he had sexually abused her 14-year-old daughter. Federal officials identified 36 girls, some as young as 14 years old, whom Epstein had allegedly sexually abused.[8] Epstein pleaded guilty and was convicted in 2008 by a Florida state court of procuring a child for prostitution and of soliciting a prostitute. He was convicted of only these two crimes as part of a controversial plea deal agreed by the US Department of Justice’s Alex Acosta, and he served almost 13 months in custody but with extensive work release.[9]
Epstein was arrested again on July 6, 2019, on federal charges for the sex trafficking of minors in Florida and New York.[10][11]”
The age of consent in Florida is 18. Virginia Giuffre, an employee of MAL, was 16 when she was first approached to work for Epstein, who told her, when she turned 18, that she was “too old” to continue.
And, do you call everyone who posts something you don’t like “Gigi”, or attack them personally?
“Wikipedia.”
you clown.
did you see where I said “THe overwhelming majority” but yet you focus on the singular case of a14-yearold
and more importantly, YOU were responding to semcgowan, who was merely correcting those who were chanting ‘pedophile.” Even MORE importantly, what does this have to do with MAGA? You’re like a gullible little Waffle House waitress who swallows her own chump and slop as you like to call it.
No matter how much we believe these people should be prosecuted or removed from positions of power, nothing will happen other than arm waving, rhwetorical outrage, and finger pointing. The systems have failed, it’s time for a reset.
If the files are released there will be many innocent people that will be tarnished we
Hen the only thing they did was associate to a billionaire with hundreds of of friends in the political, entertainment and business world.
“the only thing they did was associate to a billionaire with hundreds of of friends…”
One should choose one’s friends carefully, using their morality (or the absence if it) as one of the crucial criteria. Failures in judgment have justifiable consequences. I have absolutely no sympathy for your concocted “victims”.
is this the same person arguing for due process for illegal immigrant criminals
Even illegal alien criminals are entitled to due process rights.
You know way back when we first starting having e-mails in our group it was said that e-mails on the groups intranet belonged to the group and could be reviewed. I remember that advice to this day. I am completely astounded and surprised almost every day about what people will put in e-mails.
How stupid can you be to put so much on an e-mail. Surely they know that you should always review an e-mail and wonder how it will look if someone gets it and publishes it.
Just astounding. And texting is even worse.
Yes men can be stupid but they usually are at their worst around women. Women on the other hand can also be just as dumb when around men. Just my observations.
One also has to wonder about the thought processes about various groups of people when they get too close to raw power. It’s disconcerting.
If Summers was caught up in this he deserves to go down, too.
Unlike the lie you’re trotting out that trump kicked epstein out of mar a lago for snagging girls from there, truth is trump and epstein were besties and trump had a pedo boner. He was known to abuse underage girls and pay them off to go away…
Most likely scenario is epstein blackmailed trump and someone really problematic paid him off.
“He was known to abuse underage girls ” really??? one, just one please.
Known is such a weasly word for you. Did you know? who knew?
Admit you are making this up. Admit you have TDS driving all your illogic.
tell me, WHY DIDN”T THE DEMS RELEASE IT?????
you cannot and will not answer my query cause you’re a lying commie.
trump had a pedo boner. He was known to abuse underage girls and pay them off to go away…
It cost George Stephanopoulos, the man who made his bones attacking the women raped by Bill Clinton a cool $15 million dollars to publicly claim what you just did.
Feeling safe because Trump won’t haul your ass into court because it isn’t worth it when what you have for assets is SNAP benefits?
Wait….Trump was the target. The Epstein files will blow up on the Democrat Socialist.
Stacey Plaskett has, through her pride and greed, opened herself up to scrutiny and not surprisingly she is complicit with the pedophilia of Jeffrey Epstein. You have to be from the Caribbean to know that corruption is part and parcel of life in the islands, no matter what government runs them. Jamaica has over 40 islands, keys and inlets, Puerto Rich over 140, Bahamas over 700, Cuba over 4000, etc. It is easy to hide and run an illegal business on these islands with the knowledge of the local govt because it benefits all parties involved. The US Virgin Islands (USVI) are no different. That the US has these islands designated as a territory, does not mean they are free from corruption. Quite the contrary. Often the relationship with the US, like with Puerto Rico, guarantees worse corruption than a non-US territory. Plaskett knew this and she thrived while living on the USVI thanks to her employment with Epstein’s lawyer, Erika Kellerhals.
Plaskett was employed by Epstein’s lawyer, Erika Kellerhals, when Plaskett lived in the US Virgin Islands. Plaskett was Epstein’s “fixer” on the USVI, and made sure Epstein’s empire flourished on the USVI. This was all revealed in a lawsuit filed by JP Morgan against the government of the USVI.
House Democrat Worked for Epstein’s Tax and Political Fixer
-LEE FANG
JUN 27, 2023
In a deposition last month, Plaskett disclosed that she was introduced to Epstein by Erika Kellerhals, an attorney who lobbied on his behalf and represented his business and philanthropic ventures. Kellerhals’s significance goes beyond a casual connection. Before Plaskett’s congressional tenure, she worked at Kellerhals Ferguson Kroblin PLLC, the boutique tax firm in the Virgin Islands from 2013 to 2014, a period in which Epstein was a major client.
Plaskett’s involvement with Epstein may extend further back, as she previously served as counsel on the Virgin Islands Economic Development Authority (EDA), which granted Epstein $300 million in allegedly improperly obtained tax exemptions over the course of two decades.
Asked during her deposition if she worked for Epstein or any Epstein-linked businesses while serving at the Kellerhals law firm, which specializes in EDA assistance, Plasket responded, “I don’t recall.”
The two years during which she worked for Epstein’s lawyer are notably missing from Plaskett’s LinkedIn account, with a two-year gap between 2012 and when she entered Congress in 2015.
Emails and testimony, however, closely link Plaskett’s rapid political rise with Epstein’s deep pockets.
The court case that revealed much of this information is the lawsuit between J.P. Morgan Chase and the Virgin Islands government. In a filing last month, the bank’s lawyers accused the Virgin Islands government of facilitating Epstein’s criminal enterprise.
The records submitted to federal court suggest Kellerhals, Plaskett’s former employer, was at the center of a sprawling influence network designed to keep Epstein’s tax liabilities low and his political influence high.
https://www.leefang.com/p/house-democrat-worked-for-epsteins
There is more and it is sickening but typical of corruption in Caribbean politics. Stacey Plaskett should be removed from the US Congress. What she did is far worse than anything Republican George Santos did, given her involvement facilitated the pedophilia empire of Epstein. Worse still is that Plaskett is a member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. She knew everything re: Epstein pedophilia business in the USVI. It was her job to run cover for Epstein and her former employer, Epstein’s lawyers on the USVI, the Kellerhals Ferguson Kroblin PLLC law firm, while ensuring the money from the USVI flowed into Epstein’s affairs. Pam Bondi should open a criminal investigation into Stacey Plaskett. It would benefit the USVI people greatly.
https://plaskett.house.gov/biography/congressional-committees.htm
Thank you for the best description I’ve seen. And, this is classic Elizabeth Warren.
Epstein contributed to Schumer. Esptein did not contribute to Trump. Epstein contributed to Hillary. Esptein did not contribute to Trump. Epstein contributed to the DCCC. Esptein did not contribute to Trump. Epstein contributed to the DSCC. Esptein did not contribute to Trump. Epstein contributed to the Clinton Global Initiative. Esptein did not contribute to Trump. And so it goes…
A friend of mine who once worked for Democrats told me that aside from communication the Dems were always much better at lying, cheating, and stealing. That was thirty years ago and I guess nothing has changed.
Regarding the Epstein Files I would say “be careful what you wish for”. It may just bite you in the butt.
@Karen
Love how they reference lying, cheating, and stealing as virtue or a legitimate strategy. At times it feels like the dems spent the past five years crapping on our heads and then doing their level best to quite brazenly convince us it was always there, or someone else did it, and they were the only ones qualified to clean it off. Now it’s, ‘There was never any crap. Your nose is defective.’.
Their definition of ‘freedom’ is like Google’s definition of ‘privacy’.
Professor Turley is missing the point. Epstein had an overarching influence on a LOT of people including influential billionaires and politicians from BOTH parties. Trump was indeed pretty chummy with Epstein. It’s obvious that Trump and many other billionaires were very chummy with Epstein and any association is going to be damaging to some degree.
Warren’s call for Summers to be fired or removed is perfectly within her right and prerogative as a lawmaker. There have been calls for professors to be fired because some mocked or celebrated Charlie Kirk’s death from Republican lawmakers and Turley did not make a peep about it. To be fair he did oppose any calls to have those professors fired over their comments outside of their job. But he did so in the most muted way possible.
This from a woman who lied to get her position, taking away a position from a legitimate minority person.
Are you implying JT is selective in his writings?
Not implying it, he IS selective in his writings.
Professor Turley is missing the point. And it’s Mad King George X again…. BBBBUUUTTTT…. MUH TURLEY!!!!!
We have to suffer with the results of George X’s undeveloped prefrontal cortex even more than he does.
Larry Summers settles the question for all time. Despite his mpressive credentials and those of other men consulting with Epstein (for relationship advice ?!?!, of all things), men are clearly stupider than women.
Did Summers claim to be Native American in order to land his job at Harvard? And since when did “Cozying Up” become a crime?
Classic Elizabeth Warren.
Billy G, may I remind you, “Cozying Up” became a crime when an Old man does it with a 14 year old Girl .
Stop talking about trump, the orange god deserves his girls.
Nope – Not Trump.
Joe Biden and his shower practices, it must be a democrat thingy.
Stop talking about trump, the orange god deserves his girls.
Is that you, President Daddy-Daughter Inappropriate White House Incest Showers?
Here is an example of middle school minds “angered” about releasing “information”they’ve had for years. The rabid mob has one deranged goal, get Trump, on anything, on everything, just get him.
Meanwhile, the new face of the democrat party hasn’t a clue how to solve problems or how to manage the business of government.
They are acting out the movie Idiocracy,
In their deranged desire to “get Trump”, the Dems have unleashed the Kraken. We all know the Epstein was a Democrat and lots of Dems cozied up to him and joined him on his island. Interestingly Trump was trying to “protect” the Dems (and other public figures) who were palling around with Epstein from the smears, some of which will be real and some of which will be distorted.
But the Dems deserve all that’s coming their way. Let’s see if the AP, NYT, and other biased media sources covers all of the Dem smear! Have at ’em!
Coming their way? They are going to win the mid-terms.
One thing you and the public fail to comprehend, all the noise about Epstein’s influence is being magnified 100 fold. In other words, they are exaggerating and the public, and like yourself, fell into the rabbit hole of lies.
I could care less about Epstein. It’s the Democrats who wanted the story — so enjoy the ride.
Yep, the story about an Israeli Operative running a honey pot deep in the Nation’s Government – “so enjoy the ride”.
In their ardor to connect and embarrass President Trump in the Epstein matter I sense many democrats are going to be connected and embarrassed. I thought by now a call would have been placed (HR) to all the democrats to drop their inquiries for good of the “party”?
Party? Its a lynching mob, not a party.
There must be some professional jealousy here. Regardless, the Democrat Party appears to be replete with corrupt, insider-trading, perverted types, from Bill Clinton to Elizabeth Warren. Gone are the days of decency, Jimmy Carter and Joe Lieberman
Good one. But, what century are you referring to?
There must be some professional jealousy here. Regardless, the Democrat Party appears to be replete with corrupt, insider-trading, perverted types, from Bill Clinton to Elizabeth Warren. Gone are the days of decency, Jimmy Carter and Joe Lieberman
They were never decent, they were just better at hiding the corruption. Now they’re brazen about it.
Eventually everyone hates Democrats, even Democrats
There is NO ONE more hate filled, greedy, selfish, lying, cheating, violent, racist, hypocrite than @theDemocrats
Eureka! I found the answer folks, this is the answer to the perennial question, the process that : “Small minds trying to make other small minds even smaller.”
I should have obtained a copyright for that one.
Does anyone believe this scandal does not touch any Republicans? H E double toothpicks NO! The only person Dems want touching this scum Epstein is Trump. Given the Biden administration had 4 years and the full weight of the media and the DOJ to dig up even a minuet piece of evidence they would have. The left has already started eating their own. Get out the popcorn
The Biden administration could not release the files because the investigation on Epstein was still ongoing. Plus the victims faced the prospect of further exposure and embarrassment.
Dollar Bill,
I have stated before on the good professor’s blog, I think there are people on both sides of the isle, along with rich and powerful people, heads of state, royalty who do not want the files to see the light of day.
Seeing as how we had the recent “leak” of the supposed connection between Epstein and Trump, that was a big nothing burger, it is surprising there were no “leaks” to DNC friendly MSM during the Biden admin.
Be interesting to see who votes to release the files and who votes against it.
It’ll be unanimous.
“Be interesting to see who votes to release the files and who votes against it.”
It will also be interesting to examine the files both forensically and logically to assess what the likelihood is that they were “redacted” at some time in the past. Whether or not it is a pleasant thought, it is just possible that so many powers that were and are from all points on the political spectrum were compromised by Epstein that such a thing could have happened. I’m not making a claim one way or the other, but the extremely low regard in which I hold nearly all politicians causes me to be alert to the possibility.
They eventually eat their own. They have taken in the virus that is socialism in their pursuit of power and single party rule. Those that don’t get on board will be devoured as Chuck Schumer and John Fetterman are presently experiencing.