Suspected “crimes against humanity”
A UN panel that’s examined allegations made in the Epstein files released to date declares “No one is too wealthy or too powerful to be above the law.”
That proposition faces serious stress testing at the moment. For now it is simply folk wisdom and wishful thinking like “all persons are created equal.” We’re a long way from Q.E.D.
A PBS News Hour post from last night and a reply on the hellsite grabbed my full attention:
The criminal activities outlined in the Epstein files may “reasonably meet the legal threshold of crimes against humanity,” according to a new report from experts appointed by the United Nations Human Rights Council.
The report notably contradicts U.S. Department of Justice and Federal Bureau of Investigation conclusions that that there was little evidence that Jeffrey Epstein led a sex trafficking ring. The report states the files “contain disturbing and credible evidence of systematic and large-scale sexual abuse, trafficking and exploitation of women and girls.”
The UN statement is here, and includes these closing remarks:
“Any suggestion that it is time to move on from the ‘Epstein files’ is unacceptable. It represents a failure of responsibility towards victims,” they said.
“Resignations of implicated individuals alone are not an adequate substitute for criminal accountability,” the experts said. They welcomed steps by some governments to probe current and former officials and private individuals named in the files. They called on other states to do the same.
“Failure by governments to effectively investigate, and prosecute those responsible for these crimes, including by complicity or acquiescence, where jurisdiction exists, risks undermining legal frameworks aimed at preventing and responding to violence against women and girls,” they warned.
“It is imperative that governments act decisively to hold perpetrators accountable,” the experts said. “No one is too wealthy or too powerful to be above the law.”
The disturbing document extracted in the reply above comes from a Nov. 2020 letter from the Marsh Law Firm and an expert in child sexual abuse sent to the U.S. Attorney’s office for the Southern District of New York on the behalf of a client. The 9-page letter released with the Epstein files outlines allegations of brutal abuse of underage women and children. It’s horrific.
That story landed before this headline from the AP: Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office over ties to Epstein
From the story:
Thames Valley Police previously said it was “assessing” reports that Mountbatten-Windsor sent confidential trade reports to Epstein in 2010, when the former prince was Britain’s special envoy for international trade. Those reports stemmed from correspondence between the two men that was among the millions of pages of documents from the U.S. Justice Department’s investigation into Epstein that were released last month.
“Following a thorough assessment, we have now opened an investigation into this allegation of misconduct in public office,’’ Assistant Chief Constable Oliver Wright said in a statement. “We understand the significant public interest in this case, and we will provide updates at the appropriate time.”
This alleged crime is financial. But it may not be Mountbatten-Windsor’s only crime. Another may involve his membership in the Epstein class.
Someone questioned why QAnon has not been taking victory laps over the exposure of an international child sex ring. You know why. They expected lefties and actually got a mixed bag of well-heeled and connected elites.
At this point I’m not even sure we can keep our republic, much less see justice for victims of the Epstein class. At least in this country.