Melania speaks out of turn
Something’s brewing in Trumplandia:
Melania Trump summoned reporters to the White House Thursday afternoon to give a surprise statement about Jeffrey Epstein, saying she had no relationship with him, was not a victim of his and had no knowledge of his crimes.
In remarks that lasted just under six minutes, she said she wanted to clear “my good name.” She addressed rumors about the origin story of how she met her husband, the president of the United States. And she called on Congress to give a hearing to victims of Mr. Epstein’s crimes.
Shorter Melania: “I know nothing! I see nothing! I hear nothing!”
Nothing is what you should see, says her husband.
So why this statement, and why now? We suspect something unflattering is about to drop and she’s trying to get ahead of the negative press. The timing of Melania Trump’s call for victim testimony in public hearings sounds more like a warning than victim advocacy. Victim Marina Lacerda thinks it’s a threat to re-traumatize them.
Consider: Donald Trump’s personal law firm, the former Department of Justice, has “in recent weeks” asked its civil rights division to investigate star January 6 hearings witness, Cassidy Hutchinson, over allegations of lying to Congress under oath. The move came ahead of former AG Pam Bondi’s firing, sources tell The New York Times, in an effort “to shore up her shaky standing with the president.”
The possible message to Epstein victims is, implicate Trump in anything and it will come back to bite you. Lawyer up.
About those Epstein victims. A group issued a statement:
Survivors of Jeffrey Epstein have already shown extraordinary courage by coming forward, filing reports, and giving testimony.
Asking more of them now is a deflection of responsibility, not justice.
It added:
It also diverts attention from [former attorney general] Pam Bondi, who must answer for withheld files and the exposure of survivors’ identities.
Those failures continue to put lives at risk while shielding enablers. Survivors have done their part. Now it’s time for those in power to do theirs.
If rumors that the president launched his attacks against Iran to divert public attention from the Epstein saga are true, his wife just torpedoed that effort:
“And why is this happening today? He’s spent the past six weeks trying to bomb this Epstein story out of the headlines. Two days after the cease-fire, she puts it right back on top. She must really hate him. I don’t know how else to explain it.” — JIMMY KIMMEL
BTW, Melania Trump’s approval ratings have cratered.
Watch that space.
You walk into the room with your pencil in your hand
You see somebody naked and you say, “Who is that man?”
You try so hard but you don’t understand
Just what you will say when you get home
Because something is happening here but you don’t know what it is
Do you, Mr. Jones?