Epstein, so sick of it everywhere.

“Bannon was a vice president of Cambridge Analytica, a firm that collected data on millions of Facebook users, without their informed consent, for use in Trump’s campaign and Brexit, in some cases spreading fake news. Later knowledge of this data breach prompted the Facebook–Cambridge Analytica data “.

Gosh. I wonder what Bannon thinks of Pope Leo?

Changing the subject slightly, but on another note, b….y hell, look at this.
edition.cnn.com/2026/02/14/world/bannon-epstein-take-down-pope-francis-latam-intl

I think the old phrase flatter to deceive sums it up, some people seem to be able to lie and flatter to get what they want without conscience, fooling almost everybody around them.

To be honest in many reports on abusive men you usually see many comments such as 'he was a good family man' 'lovely bloke' etc.

Aveline

What a magnet Epstein must have been. Sitting in the centre of a web of connections with people in power all over the world. He really must have been an exceptional individual. If only he'd used his skills for good.

Conmen often are charismatic. I suppose it’s a much bigger scale version of those men who steal women’s life savings by making them feel special and hand it over.

I’m still watching ‘Industry’ on BBC. Most people give up on it as it’s virtually borderline pornographic but I stuck with it even though I haven’t got a clue what anyone is talking about because my favourite tv reviewer also loves it but also can’t explain why she does. Now on series 4. However the point I’m trying to make is that it’s about high finance, stock exchanges, banking, investment brokers etc; and there is now someone borderline aristocracy who has bought a dodgy bank and is making friends with politicians. And it suddenly dawned on me that it’s about finance, sex and drug taking and isn’t as far fetched as I’d thought it was. It’s a world that most of us will never comprehend. There doesn’t seem to be a lot of talk about drug use in the files other than drugging the victims but I bet that there’s a lot of cocaine use by the perpetrators.

What a magnet Epstein must have been. Sitting in the centre of a web of connections with people in power all over the world. He really must have been an exceptional individual. If only he'd used his skills for good.

David, as well as being a useful idiot, AMW was involved for personal gain, power and influence

M0nica

I think I prefer the phrase 'collateral damage'. Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem is described in the link as
The messages between Epstein and bin Sulayem reveal an intimate, years long friendship replete with misogynistic descriptions of women and girls, sexually explicit material, business proposals and a reference to an alleged torture video that has drawn scrutiny in the US Congress.

That suggests a relationship much closer than that of Mandelson and AMW, who seem to have just been 'useful idiots' in Epstein's world rather than close friends.

Well AMW certainly was a useful idiot, Mandelson I'd say was involved for personal gain, power and influence.

Good term M0nica.
Norway’s former PM has now been charged with ‘aggravated corruption’
www.cnn.com/2026/02/13/europe/norway-pm-jagland-charged-epstein-ties-intl-hnk?iid=cnn_buildContentRecirc_end_recirc&recs_exp=up-next-article-end&tenant_id=related.en

I appreciated your description of ‘useful idiots’ MOnica.

I think I prefer the phrase 'collateral damage'. Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem is described in the link as
The messages between Epstein and bin Sulayem reveal an intimate, years long friendship replete with misogynistic descriptions of women and girls, sexually explicit material, business proposals and a reference to an alleged torture video that has drawn scrutiny in the US Congress.

That suggests a relationship much closer than that of Mandelson and AMW, who seem to have just been 'useful idiots' in Epstein's world rather than close friends.

Does it? I thought it just meant killed or injured. I don’t think it has any connotation of innocence.

Casualty implies innocence?

Another casualty just announced.
edition.cnn.com/2026/02/13/business/epstein-files-bin-sulayem-friendship-intl
The net spread far and wide.

David49

At present she has a 20 yr sentence having served over 5yrs
She's resigned to serving her time, if she opens the pandoras box, whatever comes out she will be worse off, likely dead.

No! She has said she will testify if she is granted clememcy- which means Trump could let her out.

The brass-neck of the woman!

At present she has a 20 yr sentence having served over 5yrs
She's resigned to serving her time, if she opens the pandoras box, whatever comes out she will be worse off, likely dead.

keepingquiet

Allira

I'm surprised she didn't inspect her fingernails and flash them around!
She did ^flash them around!^

I missed that bit. She is a loathsome apology for a woman for sure...

Well, she kind of spread her hands on the desk/podium/thingy.

She also jabbed her finger and pen quite aggressively at someone who dared to question her.

Allira

^I'm surprised she didn't inspect her fingernails and flash them around!^
She did ^flash them around!^

I missed that bit. She is a loathsome apology for a woman for sure...

Yes Pam Bondi's absolute fury was telling, wasn't it? I think she might be wondering if she can follow Kristi Noem's lead and start saying " I was only following orders" .
She is already in the gutter, just not looking at the stars ( to misquote Oscar Wilde)

Maxwell will never say anything because if she does she will mysteriously commit ‘suicide’. She isn’t stupid, she knows that.

It was a very poor show on her part. I would be absolutely furious with that display if I were one of the victims. I think the Democrats know they are on to something, it wouldn’t surprise me at all, if some of them are burning the midnight oil over the unredacted papers. They must look at how far the UK and Norway have gone in piecing together cases and want the same justice done in the USA.

I'm surprised she didn't inspect her fingernails and flash them around!
She did flash them around!

She despises the survivors. I didn't know much about Bondi until today but she reminded me of an over-entitled school girl who got called to the heads office to explain her behaviour and just decided to throw a strop- raising her eyes and shuffling her papers. I'm surprised she didn't inspect her fingernails and flash them around! And this is the Attorney General of the United States?? What on earth is that country doing to itself?