this post was submitted on 09 Feb 2026
531 points (99.6% liked)

politics

28448 readers
2629 users here now

Welcome to the discussion of US Politics!

Rules:

  1. Post only links to articles, Title must fairly describe link contents. If your title differs from the site’s, it should only be to add context or be more descriptive. Do not post entire articles in the body or in the comments.

Links must be to the original source, not an aggregator like Google Amp, MSN, or Yahoo.

Example:

  1. Articles must be relevant to politics. Links must be to quality and original content. Articles should be worth reading. Clickbait, stub articles, and rehosted or stolen content are not allowed. Check your source for Reliability and Bias here.
  2. Be civil, No violations of TOS. It’s OK to say the subject of an article is behaving like a (pejorative, pejorative). It’s NOT OK to say another USER is (pejorative). Strong language is fine, just not directed at other members. Engage in good-faith and with respect! This includes accusing another user of being a bot or paid actor. Trolling is uncivil and is grounds for removal and/or a community ban.
  3. No memes, trolling, or low-effort comments. Reposts, misinformation, off-topic, trolling, or offensive. Similarly, if you see posts along these lines, do not engage. Report them, block them, and live a happier life than they do. We see too many slapfights that boil down to "Mom! He's bugging me!" and "I'm not touching you!" Going forward, slapfights will result in removed comments and temp bans to cool off.
  4. Vote based on comment quality, not agreement. This community aims to foster discussion; please reward people for putting effort into articulating their viewpoint, even if you disagree with it.
  5. No hate speech, slurs, celebrating death, advocating violence, or abusive language. This will result in a ban. Usernames containing racist, or inappropriate slurs will be banned without warning

We ask that the users report any comment or post that violate the rules, to use critical thinking when reading, posting or commenting. Users that post off-topic spam, advocate violence, have multiple comments or posts removed, weaponize reports or violate the code of conduct will be banned.

All posts and comments will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. This means that some content that violates the rules may be allowed, while other content that does not violate the rules may be removed. The moderators retain the right to remove any content and ban users.

That's all the rules!

Civic Links

Register To Vote

Citizenship Resource Center

Congressional Awards Program

Federal Government Agencies

Library of Congress Legislative Resources

The White House

U.S. House of Representatives

U.S. Senate

Partnered Communities:

News

World News

Business News

Political Discussion

Ask Politics

Military News

Global Politics

Moderate Politics

Progressive Politics

UK Politics

Canadian Politics

Australian Politics

New Zealand Politics

founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
 

Democratic representative says Epstein associate’s decision to invoke fifth amendment points to ‘White House cover-up’

Ghislaine Maxwell refused to answer questions during a closed-door congressional deposition on Monday, prompting criticism from a House representative backing efforts to release Jeffrey Epstein investigative files.

Robert Garcia, ranking member of the committee on oversight and government reform, said in a statement that Maxwell invoked the fifth amendment and refused to testify during her scheduled deposition. Maxwell’s attorney, David Oscar Markus, also said that she invoked her fifth amendment right.

“After months of defying our subpoena, Ghislaine Maxwell finally appeared before the oversight committee and said nothing,” said Garcia, a California Democrat. “She answered no questions and provided no information about the men who raped and trafficked women and girls.

“Who is she protecting? And we need to know why she’s been given special treatment at a low security prison by the Trump administration. We are going to end this White House cover-up.”

MBFC
Archive

top 50 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] in_my_honest_opinion@piefed.social 156 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (4 children)

Who is she protecting?

D 👏O👏N👏A👏L👏D👏

T👏R👏U👏M👏P

[–] whereIsTamara@lemmy.org 42 points 1 week ago

Ikr? Like how is this even a question.

[–] redsand@infosec.pub 10 points 1 week ago (1 children)

That's who she's thanking. There's a longer, darker list of people she's protecting

[–] IratePirate@feddit.org 1 points 1 week ago

Why make a list when you can just shoot pics of them?

[–] PostaL@lemmy.world 2 points 1 week ago

Let's not forget about his entourage..

[–] Earthman_Jim@lemmy.zip 2 points 1 week ago

Fucking infuriating.

[–] givesomefucks@lemmy.world 108 points 1 week ago

No shit...

Why did people think trump moved her to a fucking country club?

They should have held her in contempt and thrown her back in real jail. But she obviously got bribed/threatened and cooperated. The day she got moved to the country club anyone with a half a brain knew she wasn't gonna snitch.

[–] Tenthrow@lemmy.world 65 points 1 week ago (5 children)

She is protecting her benefactors. ALMOST surprised she hasn't been fully pardoned yet. I would look for that in the last few days of second term if he lives that long.

[–] UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world 31 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

I would argue she's protecting herself, given that her closest associate ended up with a Hyoid bone fracture in police custody after unaliving himself. It's not like they can put her in double-jail with contempt of court charges. Why would she say anything at all?

[–] Tenthrow@lemmy.world 6 points 1 week ago (2 children)

Also a good point. But could still see that pardon coming on as a thank you

[–] UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world 9 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Trump's not going to remove her leash until he's on his way out of office.

[–] jaybone@lemmy.zip 2 points 1 week ago

That or that’s when she kills herself.

[–] cheesybuddha@lemmy.world 2 points 1 week ago (3 children)
load more comments (3 replies)
load more comments (4 replies)
[–] Etterra@discuss.online 45 points 1 week ago

Trump. She's protecting Trump. Also herself, since suicide might become contagious if she talks. How is this even a question?

[–] NatakuNox@lemmy.world 38 points 1 week ago

Who is she protecting?

Trump, herself, most of the current administration, 1/3 of the Supreme Court, FOX News anchors.... The list goes on and on.

[–] DigDoug@lemmy.world 26 points 1 week ago (3 children)

She's protecting herself. Duh.

By not talking she's far less likely to run afoul of somebody with the means to suicide her via two gunshots to the back of the head.

[–] orbituary@lemmy.dbzer0.com 17 points 1 week ago

Yeah. She's worried she might commit suicide by accident if she talks too much.

Daughter of the most famous Israeli spy ever.

I mean someone already can. His name is Donald Trump. 

She must have a dead man's switch somewhere. 

[–] Neon_Carnivore@lemmy.zip 2 points 1 week ago

"The police said her death was an accident. She had fallen down an elevator shaft... onto some bullets."

[–] Doomsider@lemmy.world 16 points 1 week ago

She should not ever get out. Why she is not serving 99+ life sentences is beyond me. With how much violence she brought to children she deserves much more that a minimum security prison.

The states she sodomized children in should all press new charges so she can go to state prison once her Federal sentence is done.

[–] melsaskca@lemmy.ca 14 points 1 week ago

Once alternate proof of trump's degeneracy shows up in the files her life will become essentially worthless. She should curry favour to the other side while she has the opportunity.

[–] NutWrench@lemmy.ml 13 points 1 week ago

“Who is she protecting?"

[–] BarneyPiccolo@lemmy.today 13 points 1 week ago (1 children)

She claims she has dirt to swap for freedom, but nothing on Trump or Clinton. I don't know about Clinton, but Epstein talked about Trump being evil on numerous occasions. It's clear that he was up to SOMETHING, so if she claims there's nothing, shes lying.

She's one of the most notorious and prolific child sex traffickers in human history, she gets NO mercy. Toss her in a dungeon.

[–] A_Random_Idiot@lemmy.world 3 points 1 week ago

Fuck that. Tie her to the bumper of a truck and drive down 300 miles of road paved with barbwire and broken glass, thats lined with lemon juice sprinklers.

[–] Jankatarch@lemmy.world 11 points 1 week ago

She will say Trump wasn't there in exchange for a pardon.

[–] D_C@sh.itjust.works 10 points 1 week ago

"Who is she protecting? And how many times will that orange painted geriatric imbecile have shit themselves today? It's a mystery I tell ya."

[–] Randomgal@lemmy.ca 8 points 1 week ago

Herself. If she seems to be cooperating with law enforcement she's going to kill herself with two headshots from the back.

[–] Viking_Hippie@lemmy.dbzer0.com 7 points 1 week ago (1 children)

For example, both President Trump and President Clinton are innocent of any wrongdoing

Just in case anyone thought that her lawyer wasn't a pathological liar of colossal proportions 🤦

[–] CharlesDarwin@lemmy.world 6 points 1 week ago

I love how these people love to try to add Clinton in there as a poison pill, constantly.

DGAF if he goes down, too. Fuck it. I also doubt he's as culpable as the likes of Donvict, but, even so....

[–] Jerb322@lemmy.world 7 points 1 week ago

She's trying to not get murdered in her cell...

[–] orochi02@feddit.org 6 points 1 week ago

To be fair I dont wanna end up dead in my cell or prolong my sentence either if I was her

[–] HazardousBanjo@lemmy.world 5 points 1 week ago (2 children)

Calling it now:

Once she lies endlessly about how Trump and his cronies are all innocent and how all of Epstein and her clients were Dems, Trump won't pardon her.

He'll kill her like he killed Epstein. Keeping her alive is too great of a risk. She's playing into his hand like a fiddle, unless she's planning on going out in a blaze of glory and exposing Trump in the end.

[–] SillyDude@lemmy.zip 4 points 1 week ago (2 children)

He'll kill her like he killed Epstein.

I figured she wasn't "dead" yet because they didn't have a body double lined up for her. Once they do, she'll be "dead" while living in luxury in Tel Aviv.

[–] jaybone@lemmy.zip 4 points 1 week ago

Why would they bother keeping her alive with some elaborate scheme? How does that benefit them?

[–] HazardousBanjo@lemmy.world 4 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Thing is before all these file releases I'd have expressed doubt in the "he's still alive conspiracy".

Now though, I increasingly find myself doubting he's dead instead by the day.

[–] SillyDude@lemmy.zip 4 points 1 week ago

At this point I feel like everyone with a few brain cells can put together that either he was killed by someone, or at a minimum given the chance to do it himself. Lots pointing to that he was murdered by a third party, but that very easily could have been a talk about how he's in the best spot he'll be, hasn't testified for or against anyone, innocent until proven guilty. Given whatever drugs he wants or didn't. He knew this was the possibility since the 80s so they just gave him the chance and he did do it.

I think most people with experience/knowledge in the intelligence industry know there is so much more to this. MSM says he was working with Russia. The last files prove he was working with Isreal. He's american and operated primarily in the US. Consulted in Africa and Asia. He was everywhere and any can go anywhere. Other than Islamic countries, Epstein has connections to be securely anywhere. Bum ass CIA agents that get $150k a year get facial reconstruction, new identities that check out in any database, live in adversary countries for decades. And people think making Epstein disappear is insane.

[–] foggy@lemmy.world 2 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I disagree. Anyone this high up in shit has a dead man's switch. Killing her is a fools errand.

[–] HazardousBanjo@lemmy.world 2 points 1 week ago

I hope she does have a dead man's switch. And maybe that's why she hasn't been killed yet.

Although, we know Trump is a fucking idiot with dementia who acts long before he does anything that might be qualified as thinking. We'll just have to see. We'd be foolish, and Trump would me more foolish to not assume she is still in charge of this whole thing.

[–] NABDad@lemmy.world 5 points 1 week ago

Can someone explain why she would want to say anything to them? Anything she says is an admission. She's still trying to appeal her conviction. How would it make sense for her to talk.

If she keeps her mouth shut, maybe the appeal works or maybe she gets a pardon. If she speaks, she stays in prison right up to the moment when she commits suicide.

[–] gibmiser@lemmy.world 4 points 1 week ago

Who cares what the criminal intelligence asset says? Anything she says is poison facts that need to be corroborated from another source.

[–] yesman@lemmy.world 4 points 1 week ago (1 children)

The only thing "taking the 5th" implies is intelligence.

Ya know the 5th is the one so they can't coerce you to confession (with torture)? I think it's a good one.

[–] givesomefucks@lemmy.world 1 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I don't know exactly what you're trying to say, but you at least don't know what the fifth amendment means...

[–] Remember_the_tooth@lemmy.world 5 points 1 week ago (1 children)

"Your honor, I plead the 21st."

"You plead the repeal of prohibition?"

"Yeah, this isn't going well for me, and I could really use a drink."

[–] givesomefucks@lemmy.world 3 points 1 week ago

I plead the 4th, and the 6th!

What?

Prosecution been up my ass for five years and they still aint finished!

[–] JoMiran@lemmy.ml 4 points 1 week ago

The list if powerful pedophiles is long.

[–] muffedtrims@lemmy.world 3 points 1 week ago
[–] unemployedclaquer@sopuli.xyz 2 points 1 week ago

Yeah, not defending this trash, and im not crazy, well a bit

[–] 6stringringer@lemmy.zip 2 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

In technical sports terms this is known as a “Sticky Wicket”. We are all waiting and watching. If we need to breakdown this term for anyone, well then, we needn’t. If it doesn’t make any sense, please do take us up on this offer to please allow yourself in front of a vehicle that is traveling at a high rate of speed. I apologize. This whole thing is kinda outta control and I am only capable of having the final word on my feelings towards the backwards injustice that has been put on display front and center for the world to see. That said. F—k these evil species of human critters at any capacity and may their final breaths we inhale.

load more comments
view more: next ›