The "Epstein Files" will never see the light of day

[AverageOldGuy]

There are two reasons the "Epstein Files" now in possession of DOJ will never be released to the public.

ONE. "Pocket veto." If the President does not sign the bill passed by Congress within ten days of receiving it, and, if within those ten days Congress adjourns and does not reconvene until their next session, the bill is vetoed -- it's known as the "pocket veto" -- the President sticks it in his pocket and kills it. Congress is about to go out on holiday break, never to return until January 2026.

TWO. "Ongoing investigation." DOJ policy -- not statue -- says DOJ can withhold from public release material pertinent to a "ongoing investigation." AG Bondi has announced she is opening "investigations" into contacts between Epstein and Bill Clinton, Larry Summers, and a number of other Democrats. Don't be surprised to hear the opening of these "investigations" announced today or tomorrow, thereby closing the door on the release.

I'm surprised that people like Lawrence O'Donnell are celebrating the passage of the bill, because they should know better. I am one of Lawrence's biggest fans but he was about to pee in his pants last night, he was so happy about passage of the bill. Why he didn't warn us of the ways Trump can kill the bill I'll never know.

[Lovie777]

1. Not the actual version.....................

American people want the truth, but the continue investigation will keep it center.

Unfortunately the one sided investigations won't include the fact that shithole is a dirty man-child, but the American people know better.

[unblock]

2. He can also flood the zone with "leaks" about any non-republicans involved

Keep the focus on any famous democrats he can smear.

And it will work, to some extent, for a while. The media will insist they can't ignore those stories, even if, as is so often the case, they come without a shred of evidence.

[sop]

3. Files will be incomplete, redacted and doctored; Trump will not release any self-incriminating information.

[samsingh]

4. a doctored version hiding republicans will

[John Coktosten]

5. I agree

Was thinking these things as well. If some version of the files are ever released it will be heavily redacted and edited.

[lame54]

6. Either way it's damaging...

Keep the heat turned up

[usonian]

7. There will be independent Epstein information coming. Not just what's in the Area 51 DOJ vault.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100220810679
👆👆👆👆👆👆👆👆👆👆👆👆👆👆

Look on the bright side, please.

All the noise may be meaningless but it keeps the issue in front.
Burying it was the entire point of every single insane action he's taken since January.
He can win a battle, but the war is lost to him and all the oligarchs who were part of the world's biggest scandal ever.

[EdmondDantes_]

8. When something passes virtually unanimously, it would easily be passed again

If he still won't sign it, that just increases pressure.

[Alpeduez21]

9. This whole thing is just a repeat of the mueller report

Lots of hype lots of expectations lots of talk of the down fall of trump. Lots that will just be redacted or completely lied about by a corrupt justice department

[2naSalit]

10. Therefore...

The value in this particular exercise will be that it shines a glaring beam onto those who are in the business of protecting the pedophile network of wealthy and powerful men and women who need to be held to account. EU countries don't fuck around and they have a far higher success rate in bringing the wealthy and powerful to account, including prison time and massive record-breaking fines than we have here for the past few decades.

I'm ready for it, shit, I'll even brush up on my reading comprehension skills in a couple languages just for the fun of it so I can read the news abroad better.

[D_Master81]

11. I found it ironic

That after stalling and fighting the release for months Trump comes out and says vote for it and it basically passes unanimously a couple days later. Something seems off. Is it because the files have been redacted? I doubt it, too many people have seen them that would know. I think it’s because of the ongoing investigations Trump knows they aren’t going to be released in full.

[Zambero]

13. Yes, as in the "never-ending IRS audits"

"I'll release the tax returns as soon as the audits are concluded".

[EdmondDantes_]

17. I think it's more likely that once he knew he couldn't stop the vote

He decided to champion it. Reagan opposed the MLK Jr holiday but once it passed with veto proof majorities he made a pretty speech about how great it was to honor MLK Jr.

[Zambero]

12. Is a "pocket veto" subject to an override vote?

A two-thirds Congressional majority can override a "conventional" presidential veto.

[Arazi]

20. Congress hasnt officially gone out of session for a long time

To prevent shenanigans.

Both sides have done this

[Wiz Imp]

21. No. A pocket veto totally kills a bill. It's a legal maneuver to avoid accountability.

[Arazi]

14. Pam Bondi just used the open investigation excuse

I think that’s the one they agreed to use

[Tribetime]

15. MaynBe so , but there's plenty of people that know the true story

So if he blocks the files , people will come out with what's in them

[mwmisses4289]

16. People already believe he is hiding something.

If he does either of the things the original op suggests, people will believe that is a sign screaming "GUILTY!!"

[RedWhiteBlueIsRacist]

18. Well, here's the deal. The American people put a rapist/pedophile in the White House to preside over the nation.

That says all you need to know about the United States and its worthless Christian values. Trump can stick the files down there in his Florida hillbilly mansion's bathroom. He and the GOP can't hide what he is.

[JustAnotherGen]

19. Recess - not Adjournment

We also have eye witness accounts -

At some point -

The women can start naming names, dates, and descriptions of genitals.

All's fair and whatnot.

[Wiz Imp]

22. The bill (now LAW) itself addresses the "ongoing investigation" issue

From the actual text of the bill:

(c) Permitted withholdings.—

(1) The Attorney general may withhold or redact the segregable portions of records that—

(A) contain personally identifiable information of victims or victims’ personal and medical files and similar files the disclosure of which would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy;

(B) depict or contain child sexual abuse materials (CSAM) as defined under 18 U.S.C. 2256 and prohibited under 18 U.S.C. 2252–2252A;

(C) would jeopardize an active federal investigation or ongoing prosecution, provided that such withholding is narrowly tailored and temporary;

The language in the bill was crafted very carefully on purpose. Note the law only allows withholding info as part of a federal investigation, if the withholding is narrowly tailored and temporary.

That means they can not just put out a blanket claim that all the files can't be released because they are part of a federal investigation. Only files relevant to a very narrowly focused investigation can be withheld and even then, only temporarily - not until the end of time.

Massie has made it clear that he intends to hold the administration accountable to follow the specifics in the law and will sue immediately if/when they don't. Yes, that may take some time to resolve (if it comes to that), but I'm confident it will ultimately result in the courts forcing the files to be released.

[Torchlight]

23. It's trump's ankle-shackle until the end of term

and my guess is it prevents him from wielding the same amount leverage he had only two months ago, and that handful will only get smaller.