Late-Night Hosts Condemn Redactions in Epstein Files, Accuse Justice Department of Protecting the Powerful
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The latest release of documents related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has ignited outrage among late-night hosts, who are sharply criticizing the Justice Department’s handling of the files – specifically, the failure to fully redact victims’ names and photos while seemingly shielding prominent figures like Donald Trump from scrutiny.
The newly released batch, published Friday, continues to fuel accusations of a two-tiered justice system and a deliberate effort to protect the politically connected. Hosts across late-night television expressed disbelief and anger at the ongoing lack of accountability for those implicated in Epstein’s crimes.
Stewart Decries a “Sanctuary City” for the Elite
Jon Stewart returned to The Daily Show on Monday night visibly frustrated, lamenting that “none of these dudes” – those linked to Epstein through travel records, alleged participation in events, and accusations of wrongdoing – have faced consequences. He detailed a pattern of alleged behavior, including attendance at Epstein’s island, receipt of disturbing correspondence, and accusations from multiple women, all met with impunity.
“I gotta be honest, I’m just not sure anybody is going to be held accountable for any of this,” Stewart stated. He dismissed the case of Prince Andrew, who was stripped of his royal title, as a minimal penalty. Stewart further asserted that the Justice Department’s slow release and selective redactions were not about fact-finding, but rather “running interference” for those in power.
He concluded his monologue by juxtaposing the outrage over a perceived “two-tiered” legal system – often voiced by Republicans regarding issues like sanctuary cities – with the reality of powerful individuals evading justice. “After watching the politically well-connected skirt any form of legal accountability for horrible fucking crimes, it seems pretty clear to me that there is a sanctuary city in this country,” Stewart declared, displaying a Photoshopped image featuring Trump, Elon Musk, and other figures named in the files. “The real sanctuary city is where money and power protect you from the consequences of sex trafficking, or influence peddling, or taking half a billion dollars and giving away America’s AI infrastructure. And these are the motherfuckers who live there.”
Kimmel Highlights Victim Redaction Failures and Trump’s Involvement
On Jimmy Kimmel Live!, the host blasted the Justice Department for its handling of the files, pointing out the apparent contradiction of prioritizing the redaction of victimizers’ names while failing to protect the identities of victims. “They claimed they needed time to redact the names of the victims, but whether intentionally or as a result of incompetence or a combination of both”, Kimmel explained, “they released thousands of files that did not redact the names or photos of the victims. But they did do a pretty decent job of redacting the names of the victimizers.”
Kimmel summarized the findings, noting mentions of Trump, Bill Gates, Elon Musk, and Howard Lutnick, suggesting some may not have been forthcoming about their interactions with Epstein. He also remarked on the particularly damning situation surrounding Prince Andrew, stating, “It is clear that Prince Andrew is royally fucked, which is a term you hear a lot but rarely when it is literally true.”
A central point of Kimmel’s criticism was the fact that Donald Trump’s personal defense attorney, Todd Blanche, is overseeing the release of the files. Kimmel connected this to a broader context of political turmoil, referencing events like the Georgia election investigation and the arrest of journalist Don Lemon. “Suddenly shutting down the Kennedy Center for two years, calling for nationalized elections, Trump suing the government he runs for $10bn,” he listed, concluding, “We’re living in dog years now. And it’s only going to get nuttier. Now that the new batch of Epstein files is out, the Distract-o-matic is cranked all the way up.”
Colbert Details Allegations and Lack of Prosecution
Stephen Colbert on The Late Show described the latest release as containing “3m pages of just terrible stuff,” implicating a “who’s who of powerful men” from the tech and finance industries. Referencing a New York Times investigation, Colbert highlighted the sheer volume of references to Trump – 5,300 files, and over 38,000 mentions of Trump, his wife Melania, or Mar-a-Lago. “Obviously this is the biggest story imaginable, but for some reason it isn’t,” he observed.
Colbert addressed the White House’s denial of allegations detailed in the files, including claims of sexual assault and orgies. He emphasized that even if unproven, the documents reveal “allegations of some of the cruelest, most depraved crimes against women and kids, involving some of the most powerful men on planet Earth.” He added, “With this document dump, we now have even more evidence that there is indeed a cabal of rich men who traffic young women and girls across state and international lines for their pleasure.”
Colbert expressed outrage at the Justice Department’s decision not to pursue additional charges, citing a statement from Blanche that “there was nothing in there that allowed us to prosecute anybody.” “You have millions of pages,” Colbert fumed. “And you don’t want to investigate any further, and possibly bring any of these men to justice?”
Meyers Focuses on Musk’s 2012 Email and a “Warped World”
Seth Meyers on Late Night zeroed in on a 2012 email from Elon Musk to Epstein, in which Musk inquired, “What day/night will be the wildest party on your island?” Meyers quipped that this “line of poetry” was inappropriate to ask anyone, let alone a registered sex offender. “You’re being about as slick as Tulsi Gabbard at an FBI raid,” he added, referencing a recent incident in Georgia.
Meyers painted a broader picture of a political landscape where power trumps justice. “We’re living in Maga’s warped world where everything is upside down and nothing matters except who has power and who does not,” he stated. He contrasted the treatment of January 6th rioters with the handling of protests and the alleged cover-ups surrounding wealthy elites. “All they’ve done has proven once again that they care about nothing other than power,” Meyers concluded. “Our elites and institutions have lost all credibility. Their only consistent principle is that they are,” quoting JD Vance, “full of shit.”
