|
 |
By now, you have probably seen that the House Oversight Committee released Trump’s outline drawing of a woman’s body (which he insists he did not create but experts say his signature is not fake) that he did for the birthday book for convicted pedofile Jeffrey Epstein. The drawing creepily appears to depict a young girl’s body.
If you think about big birthdays, they always go this way: your friend is turning 50, he/she loves something in particular, maybe even is a collector of said thing. Could be scotch, books, baseball caps, toys, cats, cookbooks, whatever. Everyone who comes to the party brings something that is related to that thing. Epstein was in fact a collector of young girls, although he didn’t keep them. He discarded them. So many of the entries in this birthday book talk about this obsession of Epstein’s, often in lewd ways.
In the book, there is a cartoon illustration that basically depicts what Epstein was doing as he trafficked girls. It’s a disturbing drawing of Epstein luring girls who appear to be of middle school age, outfitted with hair bows and grade school skirts, using balloons and lolipops. The next frame of the drawing is Epstein on a lounge chair by a mansion (appears to be his island mansion) with women massaging him in various parts of his body, and it’s labeled, “2003. What a great country!” One of the women in the drawing has the initials JE tatooed on her rear end. The Guardian published the drawing, although they don’t attribute it to anyone. A NY Times article suggests that the drawing was part of a submission by Joel Pashcow, the former chairman of a real estate company in New York.
Someone drew that and I would love to know who did.
Another good summary on Instagram by Jamele Bouie.
What will probably break this wide open— if the House does not get two more GOP votes to release the files— is the money. Epstein was a major client of JP Morgan’s, the bank did his bidding, loaning him funds and wiring money for him internationally in exchange for Epstein’s ability to move high profile and wealthy clients to the bank. “He introduced executives to men who would become lucrative clients, like the Google co-founder Sergey Brin, and to global leaders, like Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel. He helped executives troubleshoot crises and strategize about global opportunities….It even paid him millions of dollars.” After Epstein was arrested in the early 2000’s, some in the bank argued he should be dropped as a client. In 2011, just a year after being under house arrest in jail in Florida for 13 years, the bank asked him to come into the offices because,
“…a growing group of employees worried that JPMorgan’s association with a man who had pleaded guilty to a sex crime — and was under federal investigation for human trafficking — could harm the bank’s reputation. Just as troubling, anti-money-laundering specialists within the bank noticed Epstein’s pattern of withdrawing tens of thousands of dollars in cash virtually every month. These were red flags for illicit activity.”
It’s outrageous that it took everyone so long to see this. On at least four occasions over five years prior, bank executives overode any concerns about Epstein and continued to do business with him. This is an interesting observation from the NY Times:
“He was, in the words of one friend, the former Israeli prime minister Ehud Barak, “a collector of people.” He used those relationships to cultivate new connections and establish his legitimacy. He traded favors and gossip and advice. He created an aura of indispensability and of being so plugged-in that he bordered on omniscience — traits that made him a vital asset for a worldwide cast of government and business leaders. That, in turn, gave Epstein access to more money and connections that he could use to power his criminal activities.”
The investivative article in the NY Times, by David Enrich, Matthew Goldstein and Jessica Silver-Greenberg, about Epstein’s rise as a financial advisor and his wooing of the bank and wealthy clients is incredibly revealing. It is not only revealing about the man, but about our culture that rewards such men. I suggest you read it if you have the time (also has an audio version).
Men in power helping men in power.
Follow the money.
Speaking of money, revised report shows that the US added 900,000 fewer jobs, which would fan the flames of Trump pressuring the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates.
In another victory for E Jean Carroll, Trump lost a bid to not have to pay $83.3 million to Carroll for defamation. Really good news. The lower courts are doing their best to keep Trump accountable.
Meanwhile, we need to keep an eye on the fact that Trump and company continue to try to steal the 2026 midterm elections. Heather Cox Richardson writes today:
“MAGA loyalist Steve Bannon recently said: “They’re petrified over at MSNBC and CNN that, hey, since we’re taking control of the cities, there’s going to be ICE officers near polling places. You’re damn right.” Illinois governor J.B. Pritzker, speaking of Trump’s threatened military incursion into Chicago, observed: “This is not about fighting crime. This is about the President and his complicit lackey, Stephen Miller, searching for ways to lay the groundwork to circumvent our democracy, militarize our cities, and end elections.”
A surge of ICE officials has been sent to Boston and more to Chicago. Trump is not sending National Guard right now, my guess is because of the strong push back from Pritzker, in particular. Trump is not looking for a showdown in Chicago, he is probably trying to find ways around that.
“On August 22, Karen Yourish and Charlie Smart noted in the New York Times that since he took office, Trump has declared nine national emergencies and one “crime emergency” in Washington, D.C. The journalists report that since 1981, presidents have declared on average about seven national emergencies per four-year term. Trump declared that many in his first month back in office, although experts say no such emergencies exist.”
Yesterday, the Supreme Court ruled that Trump’s ICE agents can use racial profiling—including language, clothing and place of employment— when stopping Americans for questioning and potential detention.
The below is a drawing from 2016, right after the release of the Access Hollywood tapes when Trump spoke about how he could “do anything he wanted” to women because he is famous. Even grab their pussy. I drew him in short pants back then, he seemed like a schoolyard bully; he’s much worse.
 |
Thanks for being here, see you tomorrow. I hope you have a good Tuesday!