Epstein files: incomplete release
The US government published thousands of documents relating to the case of sex offender Jeffrey Epstein on Friday. However, not all the files were released and many documents had been redacted. Several Democratic and Republican MPs and senators have criticised the incomplete publication.
Still no transparency
The cover-up continues, laments the Frankfurter Rundschau:
“Trump hardly appears in the documents released so far. ... It is simply impossible to verify how often his name has been blacked out or whether he appears in later instalments. Members of Congress from both parties who pushed for the release are consequently considering impeachment proceedings in the ministry. ... After years of cover-ups and an election campaign in which Trump promised transparency, this latest publication will not bring peace – it is all too obvious that the documents have been tampered with. It also remains unclear how, after all the years of delaying tactics, the public is ever supposed to believe that all the information on the Epstein affair has been laid on the table.”
Selective publication
Former President Bill Clinton appears particularly frequently in the published documents, notes Corriere della Sera:
“Mission accomplished. For 48 hours, Bill Clinton has been all the traditional media, social networks and the blogosphere have talked about. ... The Democrats certainly have a point when they accuse the White House of diversionary tactics and complain about selective publication without context and without specifying when and where the photos were taken. Most importantly, however, [Attorney General] Pam Bondi, in open violation of the law passed by Congress and signed by Trump himself requiring her to publish the entire Epstein dossier, has decided to publish only a small selection.”
Cover-up tactics
Having the documents published shortly before Christmas is another Trump tactic, says the Irish Examiner:
“[Deputy Attorney General Todd] Blanche has said the department will continue to produce documents on a rolling basis in the coming weeks – a holiday period – a bet that Americans will simply tune out the story as it drags on. ... Several other celebrities appeared in the images released on Friday, including Mick Jagger, Michael Jackson and Kevin Spacey. ... Like Clinton, none has been accused of any crime in connection to Epstein. But their immediate appearance in the files benefits Trump, creating the impression that it was not unusual for famous men to hang out with Epstein.”