JD Vance Admits the White House “Screwed Up” the Epstein Files Release (7/16/26)

Lesley Groff And The Transcript From Her Epstein Related Trip to Congress (Part 21) (7/16/26)

Lesley Groff told the House Oversight Committee that she worked for Jeffrey Epstein from February 2001 until July 2019 as his secretary/administrative assistant, handling scheduling, calls, travel coordination, calendars, and staff logistics. Her central position was that Epstein kept her separated from his criminal life, that she never witnessed abuse, never had a victim disclose abuse to her, and did not knowingly help Epstein or Maxwell commit crimes. She described Epstein as a “master manipulator” who lied to her and kept his “legitimate” world apart from his abuse, while acknowledging that she scheduled massage appointments when Epstein provided names and numbers, sometimes circulated calendars that included those appointments early on, and understood the massages as routine at the time. She said she did not personally meet the massage providers, did not know they were minors or young women, and assumed they were masseuses, even though members pressed her on why an extremely wealthy man would use rotating names and phone numbers instead of a professional massage service. The questioning also focused heavily on Epstein’s network and whether Groff had knowledge of powerful men being provided access to girls or young women through Epstein or Maxwell. Groff repeatedly answered no when asked whether she had arranged massages for prominent figures, knew of sexual activity involving minors or young women, or knew of anyone who knowingly facilitated Epstein’s crimes. She acknowledged scheduling or connecting Epstein with high-profile contacts, including Prince Andrew, Ehud Barak, Larry Summers, George Mitchell, John Kerry, Wesley Clark, Bill Clinton-related circles, and Donald Trump phone calls, but denied arranging Trump travel during her employment and denied knowledge of Trump-related law enforcement communications. She also said she never suspected Epstein or Maxwell of working with any intelligence service. Overall, Groff’s testimony was defensive and narrow: she admitted to being part of the machinery that kept Epstein’s calendar and contacts moving, but insisted she never saw the criminal operation underneath it and never knowingly enabled it. to contact me: bobbycapucci@protonmail.com source:   Lesley-Groff-Transcript.pdf [https://oversight.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Lesley-Groff-Transcript.pdf]

JD Vance Admits the White House “Screwed Up” the Epstein Files Release (7/16/26)

Vice President JD Vance told Joe Rogan that certain elements within the Israeli government were attempting to undermine American diplomatic efforts and prolong the war with Iran indefinitely. Vance said the United States had reached the practical limits of what military force could accomplish and argued that negotiations offered the only realistic path toward ending the conflict. He accused pro-war Israeli figures and their allies of running an influence campaign against him and others seeking a settlement, while stressing that his responsibility was to protect American interests rather than support an endless foreign war. His comments revealed a widening dispute inside the Trump administration and the Republican Party over Israel, Iran and the extent to which the United States should remain involved in the conflict. Vance also admitted that the Trump administration badly mishandled the release of the Epstein records, telling Rogan that officials “absolutely screwed up” the communications surrounding the process. He blamed inflated expectations, confusing statements from former Attorney General Pam Bondi and the heavily promoted release of binders containing largely familiar information for creating the appearance of concealment. Vance denied that President Trump deliberately covered anything up, but said the administration should have released the properly redacted records more quickly and clearly. Although he described himself as a longtime believer that there was more to Epstein’s operation, Vance said he had not seen direct evidence proving an intelligence connection, while acknowledging that any such records might have disappeared long ago. to contact me: bobbycapucci@protonmail.com

Todd Blanche Defends the DOJ’s Handling of the Epstein Case (7/16/26)

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche told senators during his July 15 confirmation hearing that the Justice Department has not permanently closed the door on prosecuting additional people connected to Jeffrey Epstein. Blanche said the department would investigate, indict and prosecute anyone if credible new evidence emerged showing that person participated in Epstein’s sex-trafficking operation. He distinguished between the DOJ’s completed review of its existing Epstein records and the department’s continuing authority to open new criminal cases. Although the prosecutions of Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell have ended, Blanche insisted that investigators remain prepared to act immediately if victims, attorneys or other witnesses provide information capable of supporting charges. Blanche also defended the DOJ against accusations that it has abandoned Epstein’s survivors, saying officials have met with representatives of more than 30 victims and will continue speaking with anyone who comes forward. He encouraged victims and their lawyers to contact the FBI with additional evidence, promising that the department would investigate it fully. His comments came amid criticism of the government’s handling of the Epstein records, including the earlier DOJ and FBI conclusion that investigators found no evidence of a formal “client list” and no justification for additional public disclosures. Blanche’s position is that the existing document review may be finished, but the broader possibility of prosecuting new suspects remains open if evidence strong enough to sustain a criminal case is produced. to contact me: bobbycapucci@protonmail.com source: Todd Blanche says Epstein prosecution remains open to new evidence | Fox News [https://www.foxnews.com/politics/todd-blanche-says-no-closed-investigations-epstein-case-vows-doj-pursue-new-suspects]

Jeffrey Epstein and the de Rothschild Bank’s $25 Million Payday (7/16/26)

Jeffrey Epstein used his access to powerful people and institutions to secure a $25 million payment from Edmond de Rothschild’s Swiss private bank during a federal investigation into whether the bank helped wealthy Americans hide assets from the IRS. Epstein introduced the bank’s leader, Ariane de Rothschild, to former Obama White House counsel Kathy Ruemmler, who had recently returned to Latham & Watkins. Ruemmler and her legal team conducted the substantive work of reviewing bank records and negotiating with the Justice Department, while Epstein remained involved behind the scenes as a connector and adviser. Documents show Epstein arranged a compensation structure tied to the size of the bank’s eventual penalty, with his payment increasing to $25 million if the settlement came in below $100 million. The bank ultimately agreed to pay approximately $45.5 million, allowing Epstein to collect the maximum fee even though the law firms representing the bank reportedly received only about $10 million combined. The arrangement also provides new insight into Epstein’s close relationship with Ruemmler, who is scheduled to answer questions before the House Oversight Committee. Emails indicate Epstein introduced her to influential figures including Bill Gates, Peter Thiel and Ehud Barak, while Ruemmler sometimes referred to him as “Uncle Jeffrey” and accepted expensive gifts from him. Although one source said Epstein had no direct role in the detailed legal work, Ruemmler discussed hiring him as a consultant through her firm, partly to protect their communications through attorney-client privilege. Ruemmler has maintained that she knew Epstein only while working in private practice, saw no evidence that he was continuing to abuse women and had no knowledge of ongoing criminal activity. The documents nevertheless show how Epstein transformed introductions, perceived expertise and elite relationships into enormous profits while preserving his influence years after becoming a registered sex offender. to contact me: bobbycapucci@protonmail.com source: How Jeffrey Epstein parlayed his elite network into a $25 million payday - CBS News [https://www.cbsnews.com/news/jeffrey-epstein-kathy-ruemmler-swiss-bank-settlement/]

Mega Edition: Judge Kaplan Blasts Prince Andrew And His Legal Team (7/16/26)

Judge Lewis Kaplan made it clear early in Virginia Giuffre’s civil lawsuit that he would not allow Prince Andrew’s attorneys to bury the case beneath procedural disputes or use technical arguments to postpone confronting the allegations. When Andrew’s legal team challenged whether he had been properly served with the lawsuit, Kaplan authorized Giuffre to deliver the papers through Andrew’s American attorneys and pushed the parties toward addressing the substance of the case. The judge indicated that the litigation should not be made unnecessarily complicated, rejecting the idea that disputes over international service rules should be permitted to stall the proceedings indefinitely. Andrew’s lawyers had argued that formal service had to proceed through British legal channels, while Giuffre’s attorneys accused the prince of avoiding service and playing a prolonged game of procedural hide-and-seek. Kaplan’s rulings removed that obstacle and established that Andrew would have to respond rather than continue contesting how the papers reached him. Kaplan showed the same impatience when Andrew’s attorneys later attempted to dismiss the lawsuit through a series of legal technicalities, including Giuffre’s residency, the constitutionality of New York’s Child Victims Act and the wording of her earlier settlement with Jeffrey Epstein. During oral arguments, Kaplan directly cut off claims that Giuffre had failed to include enough factual detail in her complaint, telling Andrew’s lawyer that she had no obligation to provide that level of specificity at the pleading stage and that dismissal on that basis was “not going to happen.” He ultimately denied Andrew’s motion to dismiss in all respects, finding that the Epstein settlement was too ambiguous to clearly release Andrew from liability and allowing discovery to proceed. The message was unmistakable: Andrew’s legal team was entitled to mount a defense, but procedure would not be transformed into a mechanism for endlessly delaying Giuffre’s opportunity to have her claims heard. to contact me: bobbycapucci@protonmail.com