On Friday, a sweaty platoon of reporters covering a meeting between Ghislaine Maxwell and a top Justice Department official was awakened by the yellowjacket buzz of a jet buzzing above the federal courthouse in Tallahassee, Fla.
“Trump and Bondi are protecting predators,” the plane’s placard said.
As Todd Blanche, Attorney General Pam Bondi’s senior deputy, wrapped up a second remarkable day of questioning with Ms. Maxwell, a former fixer for tycoon Jeffrey Epstein, who is currently incarcerated on sex trafficking charges, the accusation encapsulated local anxieties.
Although it was unclear if these individuals comprised victims, associates, or other parties involved in her sex-trafficking case, her attorney claimed that Ms. Maxwell spoke with approximately 100 persons throughout her interview.
Ms. Maxwell has expressed her desire to have her 20-year sentence revoked, shortened, or pardoned. When asked if he would think considering pardoning her, President Trump responded, “I’m allowed to do it, but it’s something I haven’t thought about.” Before leaving for Scotland, he wished her well and said those words.
He said, “I don’t know anything about the conversation,” when asked about the specifics of the interview he had with Ms. Maxwell after arriving in Scotland. “Obviously, now is not the time to be discussing pardons,” he added.
Mr. Blanche has stated that his travel is an impartial fact-finding mission and that he will provide information about the debate when it is appropriate.However, he has also stated that the federal criminal investigation against individuals other than Mr. Epstein and Ms. Maxwell is still closed. According to current and former officials, additional interviews would seem to have a purpose other than traditional law enforcement, unless there is fresh proof of criminal activity.
According to a person with knowledge of the matter who asked to remain anonymous in order to discuss the case’s specifics publicly, the department granted Ms. Maxwell conditional immunity to speak about it, but the protection did not apply if she lied during her interviews. The interview lasted roughly eight to ten hours in total.
The Blanche-Maxwell conversation has fueled worries among Mr. Trump’s detractors that he would give Ms. Maxwell a reprieve. Mr. Epstein was formerly friends with Mr. Trump.
Without providing any proof, Democratic leader Senator Charles Schumer accused Mr. Blanche of giving Ms. Maxwell a fraudulent deal in order to clear Donald Trump.
In an appearance with MSNBC on Friday, Teresa Helm, who testified against Ms. Maxwell and was mistreated by Mr. Epstein, was direct about the repercussions of such a settlement. She added that the government has charged Ms. Maxwell with perjury in addition to other offenses, and that it would entail the whole collapse of this legal system, which should first and foremost defend, defend, and stand for survivors.
Lisa Lloyd, 65, the only protester at the trial, stated that she should remain incarcerated. This is incorrect. Anyone who cares about justice ought to be horrified by this.
A spokesperson for the Justice Department chose not to comment.
Some conservative news organizations that support Mr. Trump have started to soften their criticism of Ms. Maxwell, whom they formerly called a child sex predator, implying that she can now be relied upon to be honest about the issue. A Newsmax anchor who has applauded Mr. Trump went so far as to say this week that Ms. Maxwell might be a victim who was denied a fair trial.
The Friday meeting with Ms. Maxwell started at approximately 9 a.m. and concluded early in the afternoon when David Markus, one of her attorneys, told reporters that she had truthfully responded to all of the questions posed to her during the previous day and a half.
According to Mr. Markus, who is acquainted with Mr. Blanche, Justice Department representatives inquired about everything conceivable.
He stated that Ms. Maxwell was asked about perhaps a hundred different people, but he could not specify who they were. She was quite honest.
There have been no mercy offers, and Mr. Markus stated that he wasn’t requesting anything in exchange for his client answering the questions.
Mr. Markus stated that we have not yet discussed a pardon with the president or anyone else. This morning, the president said that he had the authority to do so. We hope he makes use of that authority.
Ms. Maxwell has appealed her conviction to the Supreme Court, claiming that a nonprosecution agreement negotiated in 2007 by federal attorneys in Florida should have prevented her from being charged in the sex trafficking case. Ms. Maxwell contends that although the agreement guaranteed that possible co-conspirators would not face legal action, it should have shielded her from prosecution in New York as well.
She has been subpoenaed by Congress to testify in August. According to Mr. Markus, Ms. Maxwell has not made up her mind about taking part.
Mr. Blanche stated in a social media post late Thursday that the department would provide further details regarding our findings when it was appropriate.
According to persons with knowledge of the discussion, in May, Mr. Blanche and Ms. Bondi, who had both previously been Mr. Trump’s attorneys, told Mr. Trump that his name was one of several prominent people’s names that were included in the Epstein files. It was a component of a larger briefing on the FBI and prosecutors’ reexamination of the Epstein case.
Mr. Trump refuted the accusations in Scotland, stating, “No, I was never, never briefed.”
The significance of the allusions to Mr. Trump is unclear. However, at a time when the president’s staff is frantically attempting to quell the uprising of Trump fans who believe that he and some of his senior appointees misled them with campaign promises that they would make the papers available, the briefing provides insight into secret West Wing conversations.
Those who insisted there was more to find in the files before starting their government positions included Mr. Trump’s top two FBI choices. Additionally, Ms. Bondi said earlier this year that the files were important information to sort through.
Mr. Trump has already been mentioned in publicly available investigation-related materials. Prior to what Mr. Trump has called a falling out in the early 2000s, he was a friend of Mr. Epstein. In February, Ms. Bondi gave out a number of binders pertaining to the Epstein files at the White House, which had the phone numbers of several of the president’s relatives, including his daughter.
In response to inquiries on the May briefing, Ms. Bondi and Mr. Blanche said in a statement that we informed the president of the findings as part of our regular briefing. There was nothing in the files that called for additional research or legal action.
