The Company He Keeps

In presidential voting years we choose a candidate, in part, by his or her alliances and by the kinds of people they attract.  For example, a socially conservative voter would often be offended by a candidate who attracts members of the LGBT community, protesters who burn flags, and extremist environmentalists.  Likewise, a left-leaning voter would not approve of a candidate who attracts people who condone racial injustice, the limiting of women’s health care options, or who deny global warming.

At various times candidate Donald Trump and his allies have criticized Democratic Party candidates for their stances on marriage equality and abortion.  Likewise, candidate Hillary Clinton has condemned Trump for his comments on Hispanics, Muslims, and women.  While the media has focused negative attention on the investigation into Clinton’s use of a private e-mail server, an equal amount of attention has been placed on the actions of skin heads around Trump rallies.

However, the media has been almost eerily quiet on Trump’s personal relationship with billionaire investor and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.  The 63-year old is a former Bear Stearns financier who formed his own investment firm, J. Epstein & Company, in 1982.

In March, 2005, a Florida woman contacted Palm Beach police to report Epstein paid her 14-year-old daughter $300 to go to his mansion, strip and massage him.  This allegation resulted in an 11-month investigation and a search of Epstein’s home in which authorities reportedly found photos of nude girls and a camera system allegedly set up to record the sex acts of prominent house guests for the purposes of blackmail.  The investigation resulted only in a single conviction of solicitation of a minor and an 18-month sentence.  Epstein served 13 months and was required to register as a Level 3 sex offender.

In 2008, a 19-year-old Jane Doe from Virginia filed a $50 million civil suit in federal court alleging that three years earlier Epstein solicited her for a massage at his home, had intercourse with her and paid her $200.  Many suits followed and most were dismissed; however, Epstein reportedly has made 17 out-of-court settlements in suits citing similar allegations involving women who were minors at the time of their interactions with Epstein.

One pro per law suit filed in California by a woman named Katie Johnson, was dismissed for technical errors in May 2016 and refiled (with counsel) in New York in June.  This law suit stands out because it does not only name Epstein as a codefendant who allegedly held the plaintiff as a sex slave and raped her at his New York home in 1994 when she was 13 years old.  The other defendant named in this case is Donald Trump.

Trump immediately denied the “perverted and depraved sex acts” alleged in the suit.  (Read it here https://www.scribd.com/doc/316341058/Donald-Trump-Jeffrey-Epstein-Rape-Lawsuit-and-Affidavits#fullscreen ).  He stated the charges were:

“…not only categorically false, but disgusting at the highest level and clearly framed to solicit media attention or, perhaps, are simply politically motivated…  There is absolutely no merit to these allegations. Period.”

Though the allegations are 22 years old and long past the 5-year statute of limitations for such complaints, the suit may be allowed due to the plaintiff’s fear and duress.  The suit states: “Both defendants let plaintiff know that … they had means to carry out their threats.”  Trump is alleged to have threatened that if she reported the incidents involving him “her family would be physically harmed if not killed.”  Interestingly, while the first of this plaintiff’s filings asked for $100 million, the second filing specifies no dollar amount.  It is not financially motivated.  Even more interestingly, this is not a matter of she said, they said.  This plaintiff’s lawsuit includes a corroborating eyewitness statement by “Tiffany Doe” who recruited adolescent females for Epstein’s parties and brought the plaintiff to the party with a promise of a modeling career.

Trump should have distanced himself from Epstein long, long ago when the criminal charges and law suits began to pile up.  Trump has been making political noises for almost a decade, now.  Rather than having the good sense to cut ties with a Level 3 sex offender, Trump verbally gave Epstein an atta boy.  A few years ago Trump reportedly said: “I’ve known Jeff for 15 years. Terrific guy. He’s a lot of fun to be with. It is even said that he likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them are on the younger side.  No doubt about it, Jeffrey enjoys his social life.”

Terrific guys.  Peas in a pod.  In the presidential vetting process we can learn lots of unsavory things about people.  This lengthy candidacy process is a tradition in America for this very reason.  After election, a sitting President can be impeached for the crimes of “treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors.”  While impeachment procedures have begun, no sitting president has been impeached… yet.

My guess is that if Trump were elected, he could be the first.  Given the charges that have been revealed in his vetting process, Congress will have a selection of crimes to choose from.