Trump Claims Publication Of Files Absolves Him of Wrongdoing?

We will obviously get more news about our own villains but I haven't heard of anyone in the US going through the same scrutiny as AMW and Mandelson.
I do think that for now they are being protected. So much of the files is redacted that there must be a lot of powerful men's names not out there for the public to see.
The amount of abusers is still not known.

The Norway tie truly shocked me Casdon.

I hope they all come falling down. No matter their gender, political affiliation, or wealth status, etc. we need to shut this down and dismantle the "Epstein Class" that got us here.

David49

UK media is concentrating UK connections, US media on US connections, there is plenty.

For once we agree. It’s common sense that the UK media focuses on their own citizens, same as the US media is focusing on theirs.

How many men in the US have been named as abusers of those poor women? Genuine question.

Trump is doing what he does best and has done it all through his life. Lying.

imaround

The Norway tie truly shocked me Casdon.

I hope they all come falling down. No matter their gender, political affiliation, or wealth status, etc. we need to shut this down and dismantle the "Epstein Class" that got us here.

I think the real trick is to prevent them from becoming so wealthy in the first place. Tax them and their businesses on the way up, not when they've already got there...

MaizieD

imaround

The Norway tie truly shocked me Casdon.

I hope they all come falling down. No matter their gender, political affiliation, or wealth status, etc. we need to shut this down and dismantle the "Epstein Class" that got us here.

I think the real trick is to prevent them from becoming so wealthy in the first place. Tax them and their businesses on the way up, not when they've already got there...

The vast majority of wealth is invested in property or shares, in one way or other it is taxed, governments decide how it is taxed. That wealth provides companies and small businesses with finance to provide jobs and productive capacity which is also taxed.

imaround

The Norway tie truly shocked me Casdon.

I hope they all come falling down. No matter their gender, political affiliation, or wealth status, etc. we need to shut this down and dismantle the "Epstein Class" that got us here.

Epstein made his money by insider trading, blackmail, and downright fraud, that was the whole purpose of his operation was to achieve that.
He wasnt a Steve Jobs, Elon Musk or Jeff Bezos who actually built a legitimate business, their wealth is mostly the value of their businesses

We should distinguish Epstein, traffickers, drug producers and the other criminals that ignore legal standards for personal gain, in most cases dont pay any tax at all.

But not until we know what they were all doing in their business and private arrangements with Epstein. Building a legitimate business doesn’t exempt them from the chance of being crooks or paedophiles.

People in the public eye are meeting lots of people all the time, at social events, at several social events. If one of the people they meet later turns out to be a scoundrel, it doesn't follow that they knew about his behaviour, were participant in it or would have condoned it.

It is like the ingratiating letters people write after meeting someone. Haven't we all at some time been to an event been bored to tears but written a thank you note the next day saying how much you enjoyed it. I certainly have.

I do think in the Epstein affair we need to separate those who had longstanding relations with Epstein, like AMW and his fragrant ex-wife, and someone in the public eye who may have had the most casual relationship with him, meeting him a few times attending a dinner party, writing an ingratiating bread and butter letter and then probably never seeing him again.

I was very disconcerted to discover recently that someone I went out with for 6 months in my single days was, about 5 years later given a 4 year prison sentence for fraud, and seems to have lived on the shady side of the law thereafter. During my relationship with him, he was a respectable chartered accountant working for big city firm of accountants, and I never had a hint that he was inherently dishonest. But if he was a well known person and I was too. How would that be interpreted?

David49

MaizieD

imaround

The Norway tie truly shocked me Casdon.

I hope they all come falling down. No matter their gender, political affiliation, or wealth status, etc. we need to shut this down and dismantle the "Epstein Class" that got us here.

I think the real trick is to prevent them from becoming so wealthy in the first place. Tax them and their businesses on the way up, not when they've already got there...

The vast majority of wealth is invested in property or shares, in one way or other it is taxed, governments decide how it is taxed. That wealth provides companies and small businesses with finance to provide jobs and productive capacity which is also taxed.

No it doesn't David.

The only time share purchases provide capital for a business is if it is an an initial share offer or one specifically for recapitalisation. The rest of the zillions of shares in existence are bought purely for speculation and the business whose shares they are don't see a penny of the the purchase money.

'Investing in property ' is mostly to obtain value for the property owner, either through renting it or buying in an area where it is likely to appreciate in value. Speculation again. there is the acquisition of more wealth, of course by way of dividends.

Businesses are mostly financed by bank loans, not by wealthy individuals (and yes, I do know about Angel investors)

As for taxation, it is at a much lower rate than taxation on earned income. And there are lots of ways it can be avoided.

Some will be untainted, some will have engaged in inappropriate and/or criminal behaviour, I have no doubt M0nica. It shouldn’t be discounted that they might have been.

Here we go.

Rep Khanna just read the names of the 6 conspirators on the House floor. I watched the short clip. But don't remember the names
Sounds like multiple Russians. A Sultan and a billionaire.

Multiple members of Congress have now seen the files unredacted and even Republicans are saying it's bad. People are now following the money (laundering).

Jamie Raskin has stated that Trump's names appears over 1 million times in the files.

Pulled this off Bluesky so I could be lazy.

Here are the alleged co-conspirators.

"'Investing in property ' is mostly to obtain value for the property owner, either through renting it or buying in an area where it is likely to appreciate in value. Speculation again. there is the acquisition of more wealth, of course by way of dividends.

Businesses are mostly financed by bank loans, not by wealthy individuals (and yes, I do know about Angel investors)

As for taxation, it is at a much lower rate than taxation on earned income. And there are lots of ways it can be avoided."

Speculation works both ways, many shares dont appreciate greatly, you probably have a private pension, the growth that pays your pension depends on buying and selling shares.

Property is to be taxed at a higher rate than earned income, most is finance by loans any income is taxed, any capital growth is taxed, if you own it on death its taxed. I agree taxation should be higher, but the higher the tax the less incentive to invest. Governments want wealth invested, not sitting on a deposit account, so has to give an incentive to grow.

There are many concessions allowed for business expenses these regularly change according to government policy. Business are a risk and many fail or make less money than employment, companies large and small go bankrupt often shares are worthless

undines

Here we go again - Trump bashing. It seems to be the main topic on everyone's mind. Here we have grooming gangs still not properly investigated, and we have a royal family, the king and his brother, closely involved with two highly active paedophiles. Among many other crucial topics that I could mention. But let's not ask disturbing questions, let's carry on having a go at our pantomime villain.

Yes I do agree with this. The forums do seem full of posters bopping up and down with indignation about Trump. Its Trump bashing or racism, there seems to be an obsession about these two issues, and my observation is from posters on the left of the political spectrum. I do feel those on the right to be more tolerant and with more of a sense of humour. Just my personal observations!

It is rather easy to avoid "Trump bashing" by simply not opening a thread with his name in the title.

The only time share purchases provide capital for a business is if it is an an initial share offer or one specifically for recapitalisation. The rest of the zillions of shares in existence are bought purely for speculation and the business whose shares they are don't see a penny of the the purchase money.

Investing in property ' is mostly to obtain value for the property owner, either through renting it or buying in an area where it is likely to appreciate in value. Speculation again. there is the acquisition of more wealth, of course by way of dividends.

Businesses are mostly financed by bank loans, not by wealthy individuals (and yes, I do know about Angel investors)

An intersting but challengeable interpretation.

The price of a share reflects the value of the business that it is invested in. A successful business with a good return on capital and secure and growing markets will have a higher share value than a similar sized company with a poor return on capital and in a market that is declining, making diesel cars, for example.

People and organisations invest in companies not just for capital growth but also for dividends. My, and most people's occupational pensions are paid from dividends received and income on bonds.

It is no difference from buying a house from a builder and then selling it on. Someone buys shares in a new business and some years later wants to sell them on. If the company they bought shares in is now a big thriving company then their shares are worth more as a proportion of the company's value.

In the same way you buy a new house, then over the years inprove it, plant the garden, add a conservatory, extend the kitchen. Discounting inflation the house is now worth more. A good house in a pleasant leafy estate rater than a bare house on a building site.

As fo bank loans. Most new investment in companies is generated internally. Large companies usually issue new shares if a large amount of capital is reuired. medium and small companies look to bank loans for just under half thir capital needs.

There is also a risk element in investing in business. What goes up can come down, and can collapse completely. People investing in companies are taking risks so if they are to continue to invest there needs to be a return for them. Eually if they have taken the risk in investing in a small company and it hitste bigtime thenthey should be entitled to to sell their 2000 shares that perhaps accounted for 5% of the value of a company for 5% of the value of the company when it is a success.

Business and economics is far more complex that you make it out to be Maizie

MaizieD

imaround

The Norway tie truly shocked me Casdon.

I hope they all come falling down. No matter their gender, political affiliation, or wealth status, etc. we need to shut this down and dismantle the "Epstein Class" that got us here.

I think the real trick is to prevent them from becoming so wealthy in the first place. Tax them and their businesses on the way up, not when they've already got there...

If only it was that easy.

We want successful businesses to grow because they are more efficient then they can employ mpre people and generate more taxes.

The UKs problem is that successive governments have not helped companies become more efficient, importing goods has been/is the easy option.

Today the example of government helping companies is China, massive aid is given for exports undercutting home produced goods everywhere. That enables western polititians to give short term giveaways to voters, worry about the consequences later

Back to the business of the thread, it looks as though the chinks in Trump’s armour are slowly being exposed.
edition.cnn.com/2026/02/11/politics/epstein-files-trump-claims-contradictions-analysis

If striving to find the truth about Epstein results in 'Trump bashing' then that's on Trump, for being so involved.

Exactly. Surely we all want those involved in criminal activities brought to justice.

Meandrogrog, I do have a sense of humour failure with regard to Mr Trump.
I parted company with him some years ago when he used a press meeting to ridicule a questioner with cerebral palsy.
And, if course, how he reckoned he could " grab anyone's pussy", and calling his citizens " scum, plus " Quiet Piggy"....
I suspect that this would be unamusing to quite a few people, not just those left of centre.

Meandrogrog

undines

Here we go again - Trump bashing. It seems to be the main topic on everyone's mind. Here we have grooming gangs still not properly investigated, and we have a royal family, the king and his brother, closely involved with two highly active paedophiles. Among many other crucial topics that I could mention. But let's not ask disturbing questions, let's carry on having a go at our pantomime villain.

Yes I do agree with this. The forums do seem full of posters bopping up and down with indignation about Trump. Its Trump bashing or racism, there seems to be an obsession about these two issues, and my observation is from posters on the left of the political spectrum. I do feel those on the right to be more tolerant and with more of a sense of humour. Just my personal observations!

I am not on the left side of the political spectrum and do not see anything humorous about most of Trump's behaviour. Anybody who treats women like he does, even without his connections to Epstein, is not funny nor does he deserve tolerance.

Since the 1970's at least 25 women have accused Donald Trump of rape, sexual assault, and sexual harassment, including non-consensual kissing or groping

In 2005 he publicly boasted that "he got away with going backstage when the contestants were naked" at beauty pageants. In October 2016, a "hot mic" recording surfaced in which Trump was heard saying that "when you're a star, they let you do it. You can do anything. ... Grab 'em by the pussy."

In July 2023, Judge Kaplan stated that the jury had found that Trump had raped Carroll according to the common definition of the word as they had ruled that Trump had forcibly and non consensually penetrated Carroll's vagina with his fingers.

His attitude towards women reporters has been watched by the world throughout his Presidency.

Excuse me if others and I view the man as menace who doesn't deserve the respect you seem to think he deserves.