Congress has voted to compel release of the so-called “Epstein files,” a trove of documents amassed during criminal investigations into the sex offender who committed suicide in 2019.
The contents are likely brimming with thousands of names of innocent people, many of whom have provided alibis or were never under any suspicion of sex trafficking or any other crime.
A significant portion of any criminal investigation consists of uncorroborated accusations that are floated by people on the periphery of the case, third-hand accounts, theories and rumors.
We already know Epstein was a vile and depraved criminal. And no one should belittle the experience of his victims.
Anyone, however, can make allegations. Even victims don’t always remember correctly.
This is why grand jury files are almost always sealed.
Things a braggart such as Epstein might have said may not be true.
That’s why we have procedures, the rule of law, statutes of limitations and trials.
Moreover, the Epstein files will be filled with information obtained by law enforcement using warrants based on probable cause signed off by a judge for a specific reason.
The warrants, which allow the use of government coercion, weren’t signed so that the public could have access to the emails of every person Epstein spoke with.
Americans caught up in criminal investigations have a presumption of privacy.
What principle stops a future Congress from cracking open useful Justice Department files and releasing any embarrassing second-hand conversations that involve their political enemies?
If authorities believe that his prosecution in Florida was corrupt, they should launch an investigation into misconduct.
This isn’t an ancient case. Most of the victims are still alive.
Most of the powerful people involved with Epstein are still alive. His sidekick is still alive and in prison.
Investigate.
But much of this is driven by rank partisanship.
Democrats like to act as if Trump is engaged in some coverup.
Well, they had every chance to release the files during Joe Biden’s presidency. I’ve not seen a single Democrat explain why they didn’t.
One suspects that if there was anything implicating Trump of genuine wrongdoing, we’d have seen the files leaked long ago.
House Democrats couldn’t even muster the votes to censure Democratic Virgin Islands Delegate Stacey Plaskett, who exchanged text messages with Epstein during a 2019 congressional hearing.
The whole thing is a farce.
