The Vow

Too bad Jeff Epstein didn’t get this kind of press.

Anyone who followed the Jeffrey Epstein/Ghislaine Maxwell saga knows all too well many of the names of their “friends.” The sarcasm comes from the speculations that many of these people were blackmailed with video, detailed ledgers, and eyewitness accounts. Not something one does to friends. It is a fact that flight logs showed us that Bill Clinton, Donald Trump, Ehud Barak, Bill Richardson, Bill Gates, Hillary Clinton, Alan Dershowitz, Prince Andrew, Limited Chairman, Les Wexner and many other high-profile names participated. They rode on the Lolita Express and vacationed on Epstein’s island, his New Mexico ranch or his home in New York. The depravity of the accounts is legion. In fact, Melinda Gates cited Billy boy’s association with Epstein led her to file for divorce. What’s sad is that none of this, nor more powerful names that we aren’t familiar with really came to light.

Jeffrey Epstein, after his arrest, and his island trafficking fortress.

Sadly, Maria Comey was the lead prosecutor. Her father, the off again/on again darling of shit libs everywhere, was the former FBI director James Comey. This trial would have established some high powered connections. Despite all of the above, the high profile names, the nebulous investments, the alleged extortion and black mail, none of this was admitted into evidence by Maria Comey (here on in, just Comey).

All hail the Slick One! Can’t say they’re plotting, can’t say it’s for good, either.

In fact, there were only four witnesses called by the prosecution and a mere eight victim impact statements. Maxwell got twenty years and was moved to a minimum-security prison in Florida. Of course, the most infamous part of this case was Jeffrey Epstein found in his cell, hung with a paper t-shirt. Given all the above, it seems the only thing the buffoons at Qanon got wrong was the address(es)…and there wasn’t much pizza. Just caviar.

The case is closed. “We got everybody!” we’re led to believe. No more child trafficking! Go back to your homes and businesses, there’s nothing more to see. We never hear a peep about Maxwell, her appeals, nothing.

Raniere and his chain of command. We know more about this inner circle than Epstein’s.

Conversely, the HBO miniseries, the Vow ended it’s second and final season. I watched it twice, as there was so much detail to the case, I wanted to make sure I got it. I won’t be a spoiler. Honestly, right when I thought it couldn’t get worse, it did, and did, and did…

The main villain, Keith Raniere, ran a self-help MLM, called NXIVM (pronounced NEX-EE-UM) that turned into a sex cult. High profile names were involved. Film directors, actors, Seagram’s heiresses were all at the party. There’s even a missing person cold case. While not a billionaire, Raniere racked up a net worth of over $20 million at the time of his arrest, his salary up to $1 million a year. In twenty years, the program had gained 17,000 members in various courses, many paying up to $7,000 for a 10-day intensive. The case was covered far and wide, so scurrilous were the charges. The whistleblowers who alerted the FBI did so in fear of their lives. Raniere was a notorious stickler for loyalty.

In this case, unlike Maxwell, the prosecution called 15 witnesses and had over 100 victim impact statements. That’s a big difference, yeah?

Now, here’s my question, how does a swindling, two-bit sexual deviant with no real connections apart from dilettantes, bored ex-pats and spoiled kids’ money get so much more coverage than the Epstein case? Not only did HBO produce and promote two seasons of this story, but it was also covered by every major news outlet in America. No ex and current presidents, no ex Israeli prime ministers, or governors. This was an isolated case that had victims in Mexico and into Canada.

And yet, Raniere is covered more extensively than Maxwell or Epstein. The only thing in common is that both cases are treated like isolated incidents. As though this doesn’t go on amongst the moneyed and powerful (subject for another time).

I am being facetious, when I say, “I don’t know why!” I do and so do you. The Epstein case is one where Epstein was silenced (again, found hung in his cell with a paper t-shirt) and Maxwell is playing ball. She hasn’t named an accomplice, co-conspirator, nothing. Her appeal is non-existent as far as coverage goes.

A point I like to make in these tender moments is there’s conspiracy theory and conspiracy fact. All one has to do with the latter is follow the results backward to the point of origin. Usually, a smoking gun (or paper t-shirt) is nearby.

Pre-President Trump, when scrutiny wasn’t a thing…Trump had Epstein banned from Mara Lago just before his arrest.

I know why people buy into the false narrative as well. When it was Clinton, conservatives yelled, “See? Tolja he’s a perv!” And vice versa with Trump. No one likes to admit that their party sucks and that their spirit animals all take money from places we don’t want them taking money from. They fly around on airplanes, doing things to kids, we don’t want done to kids…

Oh. That last bit too dark? Try being a trafficked fifteen-year-old.

Abe Abdelhadi hosts the Bitter Truth with Abe Abdelhadi on iTunes, Spotify, YouTube, etc.