When we think of the Epstein files, we think of grown men, perhaps including Donald Trump and other leading American men, seducing underage girls \u2013 children. And that by itself is a horror. But that\u2019s not the whole story here.<\/p>\n
I was reminded of that recently when I re-read an article by Jessica Yellin, who co-writes the News Not Noise newsletter with Rohan Montgomery. The rest of the story has to do with the most recently released Epstein files, which show a convicted and continuing sex offender \u2013 a child rapist! — moving easily among America\u2019s richest and most powerful men, up to and including the president of the United States, Donald Trump, well into his first term.<\/p>\n
But it goes even deeper than that. The open acceptance of that sort of sleaze is not limited to Trump and friends. It seems to be a growing trend. Consider the case of Matt Gaetz.<\/p>\n
Making a long story short, Gaetz (R-Fla.) resigned from Congress after it was learned he had used illegal drugs while Congress was in session, and had paid for sex, including paying a 17-year-old homeless girl trying to raise money to pay for braces. However, instead of hanging his head in shame, he\u2019s considering running for governor of Florida.<\/p>\n
The point isn\u2019t that he may run for governor. The point is that there are enough politically connected solid citizens out there who are willing to openly support that sleazebag for governor to make his candidacy a real possibility. Would enough Floridians support him to make his run worthwhile? We\u2019ll see.<\/p>\n
The same thing could be happening with Trump. Even if the Epstein files were to be released and prove Donald Trump is a pedophile, would his base care? They don\u2019t seem to care that he\u2019s openly committed at least a dozen impeachable offenses, some of them many times; that he is blowing up boats and murdering people off the coast of Venezuela because he believes they are carrying drugs intended for America; that he is having his goons arrest American citizens and send them to prisons in other countries, not even their home countries, because their skin isn\u2019t white; that he is an adjudicated rapist who is proud that he can \u201cgrab women by their pussies\u201d; that he promised to reduce prices but instead they are soaring; that he is deserting our longtime allies in Europe and Canada in favor of kowtowing to Russia\u2019s Vladimir Putin; that he has appointed ludicrously unqualified people to important governmental positions; that, well, etcetera seemingly ad infinitim.<\/p>\n
So, would Trump\u2019s followers stay with him even if the Epstein files were to prove he is a pedophile?<\/p>\n