Andrew Branca, whom we've met before in these pages, is a lawyer specializing in self-defense issues. He had this to say on X about the Epstein files imbroglio. I've taken the liberty of quoting him in full, because this is a very important issue that's (unnecessarily) divided many of the President's supporters. Mr. Branca responds to another post accusing President Trump and his Cabinet of malfeasance, and explains why that's not a rational approach.
"Barely 18 months ago, Kash Patel said there was a list, Bill Gates is on it, that he was lobbying the government to not disclose the list, and that Republicans were feckless for having a majority and doing nothing."
18 months ago Patel was not the Director of the FBI, did not have access to the "list," and was speaking in explicitly speculative terms while a T-shirt wearing guest on a podcast. None of these statements were presented as authoritative and based on personal knowledge.
"Throughout his career as a commentator/analyst, Bongino implored his audience to never give up on the Epstein story. That there is something much deeper in there. That it involves intelligence / Middle Eastern countries."
Similar story here--Bongino was speaking as a "commentator/analyst," not as someone with personal knowledge. And he may even have been right--everyone might be right--that a huge cover-up was happening.
But there's little that Bondi, Patel, or Bongino can do in July 2025 with conspiracy theories. They need actual evidence of criminal conduct. It's quite possible that evidence was obliterated before these three assumed the reigns of power. In which case, no matter what ACTUALLY happened, THESE THERE have NO EVIDENCE of criminal conduct to pursue.
"Now, after assurances that the file was on her desk and promising disclosures, we are being told that Epstein killed himself (which even if true, is itself a scandal requiring investigation), that there is no client list, no blackmail material, and that we should just move on with our lives."
The "file" WAS on her desk. But what does "file" mean? Bondi didn't know--she explicitly said the "file" was on her desk FOR HER REVIEW. Until that review, she could have no certainty about what the "file" contained.
Now we hear that the "file" on her desk, while voluminous, did not contain evidence of criminal conduct, that there is no EVIDENCE that the names contained in those documents were engaged in criminal activity--and in that case it is standard DOJ procedure to NOT release such information, as any persons named are presumed to be innocent of criminal misconduct until there is evidence to the contrary. This has ALWAYS been DOJ policy.
"After Kash specifically described the criminality of the previous FBI/DOJ/administration, they are basing their findings on the file provided by that criminal administration."
Again, Kash was not speaking authoritatively, but speculatively--and arguably based on sound inferences, BUT INFERENCES ARE NOT EVIDENCE.
In any case, WHAT IS BONDI SUPPOSED TO BASE HER FINDINGS ON, BUT FOR THE EVIDENCE IN HAND? Is she supposed to wave her hand and resurrect the notional evidence of criminal conduct that she doesn't possess?
"This is an abject disaster that is severely undermining the Trump administration and the most integral populist players in it. Namely, the Director and Deputy Director of the FBI."
Anyone who believes that Epstein had a client list of criminal monsters must now also believe that the evidence of this client list was obliterated or stolen or hidden by the previous administration--so it is THEIR legitimacy that is undermined, not Trump's ...
...OR you have to believe that Trump is currently engaged in a massive conspiracy to cover up for monsters who committed horrific crimes against children.
If you believe THAT, how can you support Trump AT ALL?
Alternatively, one could believe what the Trump administration is explicitly telling us--they HAD good reason to EXPECT that a careful review of the Epstein "files" in the possession of the prior administration would lead to evidence of criminal conduct that could be prosecuted--but that the ACTUAL review of what is available to them does NOT amount to evidence of prosecutable criminal conduct.
That could be because the criminal conduct was much more limited than imagined--perhaps it was largely Epstein who was the actual monster, and he's already facing the forever consequences of that conduct?
Or it could be because the monstrous conduct WAS widespread but that the EVIDENCE of that widespread criminality has been stripped from the "files" available to the current administration, due to no fault of Trump.
After all, Trump's most vicious political enemies have been in possession of these "files" for years. If the conduct largely implicates those enemies, why would they NOT strip the evidence of their criminality from the files they knew would be available to Trump?
We can also be certain that if the "files" in the possession of Trump's enemies had so much of a hint of Trump himself engaging in any of the alleged offenses against children, we would have learned of this notional evidence many, many years ago.
And yet we have not.
When there are hypothesis consistent with Trump acting in good faith, why does everyone who is purportedly a supporter of his administration so quick to jump to the conclusion that Trump is acting in bad faith?
I think Mr. Branca's done a very good job in putting matters into perspective. I personally do not believe that Epstein was a choirboy who left behind no records of his crimes, because they weren't crimes. I believe he and his associates were guilty as sin, and so were the great majority of those who were his "guests" on his private island in the Caribbean. However, if there is no evidence proving what did (or did not) happen, no further action can be taken.
I very strongly suspect that all such evidence was stripped out of the records and destroyed by the initial investigators - and/or, quite possibly, hidden away as useful material for future Deep State blackmail of legislators and others. However, I can only suspect. I can't prove it. Therefore, to blame President Trump and his team for the absence of the necessary evidence is to miss the point. I'm sure there was such evidence - but I'm equally sure it was long since deep-sixed, and despite the Trump administration's best efforts, has not been found.
Therefore, those attacking the Trump administration for not producing the evidence are barking up the wrong tree. If there is no evidence available, it can't be produced - but that's not the Administration's fault.
Peter
26 comments:
As the meme says, Epstein didn't kill himself when there was no evidence. As I recall, the records were hidden in the NY office and took a while to find. I rather believe they were sanitized to protect the guilty.
As I've said repeatedly Trump's largest problem is the people he can trust can probably only be counted on 1 hand.
And what is your alternative. Do you think things would be any better with Harris in office? Be thankful we are where we are.
There is more than one Epstein, more than one Pedo Island.
But we know Maxwell's book with 2000 names exists - it was introduced at her trial and sealed. The logical conclusion is that our government is compromised, not some silly 'why can't you people understand it's harder to be in DOJ than it is to be a random internet star'.
But, BUT, BUT all those MEMES Prove....
XXX day without an arrest... And so on.
Folks don't want to face the facts that LAW is a lot harder than Memes. Folks don't want to accept that THEY TOO can be Played by Deep State cripple Trump propaganda.
Yet, we bemoan a few months later asking how the Deep State (3 letter folks) GOT TO so and so whom we took His words as gospel.
People don't even remember how hard they worked in Trumps last 4 year role as President to discredit Him and make everything a *hit sandwich for us all.
Remember "Mostly Peaceful but Fiery Protests" anyone? A year or so in Portland attacking Federal buildings while Portland had a secure area for their night shift Antifa to rest up, eat and shower for their next shit?
We even have ballistic morons that THINK you can carefully graze Trumps cheek for a FAKE Assassination attempt. Never mind the instant hose down and clean up of THAT CRIME SCENE...
And Gee Wiz, we are starting to think that the Intelligence Agencies are not under Trump's control and likely to BE asset sharing (buddy love dude) with Mossad.
No wonder Trump didn't know about attacking the exposed by SALT Agreement Russian Nuclear Bombers by "Ukraine" (slow wink and giggle).
https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2025/07/10/a-significant-geopolitical-problem-for-president-trump-and-us/
How long before the US Intelligence agencies aka Deep State finally do a FDR on Trump, BLAME so and so and OFF to WAR we GO to hide their sins?
Gulf of Tonkin, Remember the Maine, Remember the USS Liberty... err forget that one.
My issue with “the evidence was deleted before Trump got back into office” is Trump’s dismissive comments. He’s telling people it isn’t a story at all, and to just drop it. I’m sorry, but if the evidence is gone that’s multiple felonies, and he should be outraged. The fact that he’s not strongly implies he’s hiding something. And I say this as a Trump supporter, though not a fan of the man himself.
It's hard to know what the truth is but Bondi, Patel and Bongino have handled this poorly. They over promised and under delivered.
In the meantime, until the removal from agencies of all deep state players is complete and likely also corrupt judges, they need to give a false sense of security to the alleged offenders so they don't jet out of the country prior to when a trial can finally happen.
Exactly, If there is no evidence, the what was Ms Maxwell convicted with? If there is no list, then what was the evidence in the book in her criminal trial?
Either she is set free, or their IS a list.
And Bondi et-all are not releasing it....why?
It's a sad excuse to say the release of the names could hurt innocent people that visited the island but did nothing wrong. Bill Clinton smoked weed, but did not inhale - and he technically did not have sex with that woman! Can you believe people bought those excuses? If you were there on that island, let the public judge you concerning your bad judgement. Release the flight logs, at least.
The Biden DOJ/FBI had years to purge any records and evidence that they had. And months to do so after the 2024 election results. It's no surprise that the current administration can't find anything anymore.
Hey Peter,
I honestly believed that the prior administrations "deep staters" wiped the files so the present administration doesn't have anything of note to present. and if Trump was on anything related to the Pedo express like the Donks insinuate, Kamala and her campaign would have had it as an October Surprise to knock the momentum out of Trump because she was getting steamrolled during the campaign. Yeah I think I think Patel, Bondi and Bongino have over promised and under delivered on this one and word on the street is that Bondi's time may be finite. Perhaps I may be in error.
My problem is that Bondi clearly stated that she had seen the videos and that they were so vile they would never see the light of day. Who was on those videos? Seems to be pretty solid evidence to me if there are people other than Epstein on them.
If they wanted us to trust them, they should have been forthright. Nothing they have done to this point leads to me trusting them about anything.
bondi has been noticeably dirty since the st treyvon fiasco.
bongino has been a pompous ass since the social media thing he was part of
patel is just swarmy
Trump's response to the epstein question seemed to come from not being informed that the doj just sent a memo out sweeping the whole thing under the rug.
My biggest concern is that there is actionable evidence and they are keeping it to use as blackmail. That is the worst foreseeable outcome in my eyes.
In response to calls to release to the public the files on her desk, Bondi said the files must first be reviewed to redact the names of victims.
This sounds very much like the files are open and are being looked at. How would one review a file yet not know what was on the file? Branca and others contend that AG Bondi did not know what is in the files.
Is it possible for both, to know and not know, to be true? Were these magic grits? Do the laws of physics cease to exist on Bondi's desk?
If the evidence was destroyed, then say so clearly. Don't imply there was no crime, or if there was one, it was insignificant.
There are seasoned sailors who can't tie a knot that elaborate.
The only thing missing is how the list/not list is Biden's fault.
And what "unspeakable" (quotes mine) videos did Bondi mean? Videos are evidence, even if somehow not admissable in court. If there's inadmissible videos, that's a far cry from "Epstein was a nothing burger, a baseless conspiracy theory and Ghislaine Maxwell is in prison because...shut up!"
And Musk was in the administration, at a high level, and he claimed to have seen the names.
No, it's a coverup and if you can't see that, you're part of the problem. There are several easy to spot logical errors in the argument quoted.
They didn't say there wasn't evidence enough to convict. They said there was no evidence. After saying they were reviewing said evidence, that now doesn't exist at all? Look, a squirrel!
They're being coy and playing word games when they say "there is no list" of clients. Surely, Epstein wasn't stupid, he didn't have an excel file with names, addys and phone numbers labeled "These are the people I pimp little kids to", but there were clients, and he had contact information on them. That it wasn't all written down in alphabetical format on a rolodex doesn't mean 'there was no list', yet, technically, they aren't lying, there is no "list'.
There are far, FAR too many contradictions and lies. The people running cover like this now trying to use logic to confuse the argument, ARE RUNNING COVER FOR THE CRIMINALS! Grok that, or once again, YOU ARE THE PROBLEM HERE!!!
Mike Cernovich, who was the one who filed the lawsuit that opened up the civil disclosures, noted back when the criminal search warrants were issued, they were only for a specific location in New York, and not anywhere else. It was weeks before the other properties were searched. Can't find evidence if it was allowed to walk away.
I'm sure you're sincere in your views: but they're wrong. You're seeing things only in black and white. There are an awful lot of shades of gray in this problem, as Mr. Branca makes clear in his article. It's simply not rational to say that if you don't see it entirely one way, you're part of the problem. I'd respond that if you do see it entirely one way, you're just as much a part of the problem. It's a far larger, multi-faceted issue than a simplistic approach will allow.
I agree with others that the elephant in the room is Ghislaine Maxwell. Civil suits filed in connection trafficking show that she was not doing these things alone but rather with Epstein. At the very least, the evidence entered into the record in her trial and in Epstein's previous guilty plea should exist. And let's not forget that motions have been filed in the past to keep these files and Maxwell's 'little black book' sealed.
"James Dennehy, formerly the FBI's top agent in New York, was forced out of his position in March 2025 following allegations of his office withholding information sought by Justice Department headquarters regarding the investigation and indictment of Jeffrey Epstein. " NYT
So he was forced out for not turning over evidence that did not exist? Or there never was any evidence of Epstein's crimes so an innocent man was falsely convicted .
The DOJ/AG have incomplete information and therefore can't prepare adequately for the fallout from the release of what they do have. So they're obfuscating, delaying while they dig, and praying for a speedy break their way. Or somebody with pull reined them in. It wasn't Donald Trump, he's been arguably the most public person on the planet for decades and millions of otherwise rational people, like my 94yr old mom, hate his guts. They would have dug out the dirt long before now. But some of his people may be implicated. Or just somewhere between injudicious and stupid. This Caribbean honey trap went on unchecked because powerful people needed leverage on other powerful people. It was successful until Epstein became unreliable and was maximally demoted as the spy novelists put it. The Deep State is an international creature. There's no reason to believe that the public will ever hear anything they want kept private. And Donald Trump is a bombastic extrovert who can't keep a secret and likes to show off stunning women on his arm. Does anyone believe he would have kept his mouth shut about that island? Or even been invited? They knew better than to involve him. He's also a demonstrably good parent and tough to attack surreptitiously. The mole(s) in the administration are still active or none of this would have happened. My guess is that those who think that the truth will out are ignoring the evidence of history. Secrets can be kept, and have been. This time too.
Just my theory, same as anyone else's. I don't believe I will ever be told anything truthful about this unless it's by accident. But the administration has mishandled this and Trump is probably going to have to fire somebody. And we'll never know why. We always end up choking down the sh*t sandwich somehow.
I believe that in order to prove their sincerity, Bondi and Patel and Bongino need to be leaders of the "Free Ghislaine Maxwell" movement, because she was railroaded into prison for commiting no crime. There were no Epstein clients, so there was no pimping of young girls, and there are no victims.
DANGER - OPINION ON
As I recall, the agents searching Epsteins' New York property found and opened a safe, noted that it was full of DVDs, then decided that their warrant did not include DVDs, and so decided to leave them in the opened safe until the next day, when they could get a new warrant.
They then left, without leaving anyone to secure and guard the building, (didn't they do that to the alleged Las Vegas murderers' house too?), and when they came back the next day, surprise, all the DVDs were gone.
Personally, I think that there are many, many world business and political "leaders" who were compromised by Epstein, and I could believe that Trump has been convinced that if these criminals were known and brought to justice that too many nations, governments, politicians, and business interests would fall such that there world might not survive the chaos that would ensue.
However, I think that it is very likely that if Trump was convinced of this, that the convincing was done by the / our Intelligence Community / Five Eyes and likely the Israeli Intelligence directorate.
I note that the Israeli IC was instrumental in the protests / riots against Netanyahu prior to the Hamas murder attacks, and may be responsible for reducing their surveillance of Gaza prior to those attacks.
John in Indy
Branca popped off about Alec Baldwin, because he knew so much nothing about movie safety protocols and the actual chains of safety responsibility, and look how that turned out for him.
Now he wants to let the DoJ off the hook, because he knows so much nothing about public statements directly at odds with what he imagines to be plausible, despite AG Pam Bondi stating unequivocally that there was in fact a client list, it was in the file, on her desk, awaiting redaction before release.
Maybe she redacted every single name, and that's how there comes to be "no list".
Cue Bill Clinton asking us what the meaning of "is" is.
Now, suddenly, all the DoJ minions say the dog ate their homework, and there is no list.
As if the AG of the U.S. didn't explicitly and unequivocally state the exact opposite.
If Branca wants to shill for the DoJ, that's his business, but he should at least stand behind their seal on the podium when he does it.
The laughtrack for Branca's upcoming press conference, and pretense that the AG didn't say what she clearly and publicly did, are completely optional, but highly hilarious.
A little more on point is this entire clip, directed at the entirety of the DoJ, and by extension, the current administration:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDOSJkcKPbo
That shoe not only fits them, it also has their names written indelibly inside the shoe.
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