He's saying that the Epstein files are taking all of the oxygen out of the room, and that we have much larger and long term problems that are not being addressed. He's saying that the Dems are focusing on and helping build a trope of "elites" that permeates many QAnon adjacent conspiracies. A pretty good caution.
Yes, we must never stop talking about this. This corruption and power grabbing is much too big. Let's keep hoping that this is what will bring our country to its senses and come together to fight this sick sort of power.
Thank you for bringing this to light. While this is all coming out in waves, it's all been out there before. I strongly encourage you to look to Sarah Kendzior's writing in this time. Her books have laid this all out that it's much bigger than just American politics -- it's a transnational crime syndicate. This is an example of some of her essays: https://sarahkendzior.substack.com/p/the-celebrities
I am a little 81 year-old lady who applauds your tenacity. This world is broken. I will not live long enough to see the long-term effects. I just pray people come to truth.
I hope you do see things changing markedly for the better. Hopefully we will exemplify doing work that our children and grandchildren for many generations will value and follow through on to bring our nation and the world closer to the stated ideals of our founding.
I commented in the NYT on Brooks' column before Prof. Du Mez's piece arrived in my inbox, but I think she nails it when she says we want everything released, even if it damages Democrats like Bill Clinton and Larry Summers. Let no criminal be spared.
The term "Epstein class," which Brooks so loathes, doesn't resonate because we think the "elites," whatever that term actually means, are pedophiles or pedophile-tolerant. It resonates because it describes a class of people who believe they are above the law because, for all intents and purposes, they have been. I'm not talking only about sex crimes, although those alone warrant dogged pursuit. I'm talking about captains of industry and finance and Silicon Valley who have achieved regulatory capture over our government. Their massive bribes--er, um, campaign contributions that the Roberts court calls free speech--mean they control government policy, racking up profits while our neighbors suffer. Trump and his officials brazenly accept bribes, and there are no consequences. And the "Epstein class," which includes people like Bezos and Zuckerberg and Thiel and others, are happy to shovel money Trump's way so they stay in favor with the dictator. For all his professed expertise with (and criticism of) the "elites," Brooks doesn't seem to grasp that many of these same people have become populists from the left side of the political spectrum. Epstein has somehow become a symbol of their critique of the entire corrupt system. Their populist anger is real, and it is incandescent.
Understand their anger, and you can understand the words of the prophet Micah for the Epstein class of his day: "Alas for those who devise wickedness and evil deeds on their beds! When the morning dawns, they perform it, because it is in their power."
The scope of Epstein’s story and all of its implications and entanglements is so staggering that the mind of this ordinary person is completely overwhelmed. I’m praying that the truth of its impact and devastating consequences will be fully revealed, understood and appropriately handled with the justice it deserves.
Thank you for pointing out that this is global. I think Trump's support of releasing the files may indicate that he thinks his part in this has concluded to some degree. The damage he has done prior to the release will take years to restore. He'll say that it was important to release the files and was in support of the "Democratic Hoax" from day 1, which may turn out to be entirely true. He would only approve of it once his part in it was fulfilled. The fallout of the full release is yet to been seen, but there is a democratic republic to be restored all the while. This cannot fall away while we keep talking about the files...
The question is how closely the two are related. We don’t yet know how to restore our democratic republic. What’s contained in the files may contain clues as to how we got here and what it might take to “restore” our country.
While the paedophilia has opened the Epstein files, there’s more to this than one crime.
There can’t be victims without perpetrators which is unsettling that few have come to justice.
The next unsettling question is where did Epstein get his money for his debauchery which might also explain in part why few other names have surfaced in legal action.
I'd say don't pay attention to Marjorie Taylor Greene or Nancy Mace on this, but pay attention to reputable investigative journalists and to what the women themselves are saying. Brooks is right that this will lead to cynicism. But I'd rather know the truth and then act accordingly. I think we can also do better than throwing around sloppy terms like "the elites." Not every person with elite status was part of this network. Some were. How many, which ones? That's what we should be focused on figuring out. As far as similarities to QAnon, it's something I've noted as well--it is difficult to talk about the scope of this network without sounding like a QAnon theorist. But just because pizzagate was a made up doesn't mean Epstein's abuse network was as well. We know it wasn't. We need not throw out rule of law to demand answers. Brooks is painting with very broad brush strokes to kill a line of inquiry that Americans have a right to pursue.
I think it sounds q anon like in the sense of a global scale and the fact that many absurdly rich and powerful people are implicated. But the Epstein network left large numbers of actual survivors whose stories, as far as we have heard them, hang together, and they have receipts. QAnon had… Q drops.
Despite some superficial similarities, the Epstein network wasn’t (isn’t?) evil in a dramatic, colorful way. No satanic rituals, no adrenochrome, no mysterious codes or puzzles (Also worth noting there’s no savior coming to rescue us). It’s shocking in its scale and impunity but not really in any other way. Rich people doing shady deals to get richer? Yawn. Powerful men exploiting girls and women? Seen it. Private jets and islands? Lavish parties? Okayy, not very original.
I don’t mean to diminish the evil or dismiss the suffering of the victims. I’m saying this is a conspiracy that has the ring of truth. This is what the banality of evil looks like when the people involved have more money than some medium-sized countries.
That there was/is a cabal of sorts doesn't really shock me. I am a little worried about things being so bad that conspiracy theories will reshape themselves but on "our side."
ML King said "The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice”. To me the key word is long. We’ve been outraged by these moral circumstances long enough. Please will the billionaire class, including the DeVos family, Elon his and tech brothers do something right for everyone? Maybe I’m naive but it seems we’ve been going backward as a society. So whatever fallout happens with the Epstein factor, I hope, a blessing to all of us waiting in the weeds.
But, David Brooks in the New York Times just said today that we shouldn't care about the Epstein files. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/21/opinion/epstein-trump-conspiracy.html
I'm believing Kristin over David
David Brooks repeatedly criticizes the failings of the smug elites. It takes one to know one.
Oh, boy, is David in the files?
He's saying that the Epstein files are taking all of the oxygen out of the room, and that we have much larger and long term problems that are not being addressed. He's saying that the Dems are focusing on and helping build a trope of "elites" that permeates many QAnon adjacent conspiracies. A pretty good caution.
WOW. I cannot read it but that is disappointing.
Yes, we must never stop talking about this. This corruption and power grabbing is much too big. Let's keep hoping that this is what will bring our country to its senses and come together to fight this sick sort of power.
Thank you for bringing this to light. While this is all coming out in waves, it's all been out there before. I strongly encourage you to look to Sarah Kendzior's writing in this time. Her books have laid this all out that it's much bigger than just American politics -- it's a transnational crime syndicate. This is an example of some of her essays: https://sarahkendzior.substack.com/p/the-celebrities
Yes! Read Kendzior.
Glad you already are -- I should have said EVERYONE needs to read Kendzior.
There are others who have been tracking different facets of this. But people weren’t paying attention. This might bring things into focus.
Finally, someone is saying "crime syndicate" out loud. I called it the " New Mafia" in 2017. It is coming to light now. Sadly.
I am a little 81 year-old lady who applauds your tenacity. This world is broken. I will not live long enough to see the long-term effects. I just pray people come to truth.
I hope you do see things changing markedly for the better. Hopefully we will exemplify doing work that our children and grandchildren for many generations will value and follow through on to bring our nation and the world closer to the stated ideals of our founding.
I commented in the NYT on Brooks' column before Prof. Du Mez's piece arrived in my inbox, but I think she nails it when she says we want everything released, even if it damages Democrats like Bill Clinton and Larry Summers. Let no criminal be spared.
The term "Epstein class," which Brooks so loathes, doesn't resonate because we think the "elites," whatever that term actually means, are pedophiles or pedophile-tolerant. It resonates because it describes a class of people who believe they are above the law because, for all intents and purposes, they have been. I'm not talking only about sex crimes, although those alone warrant dogged pursuit. I'm talking about captains of industry and finance and Silicon Valley who have achieved regulatory capture over our government. Their massive bribes--er, um, campaign contributions that the Roberts court calls free speech--mean they control government policy, racking up profits while our neighbors suffer. Trump and his officials brazenly accept bribes, and there are no consequences. And the "Epstein class," which includes people like Bezos and Zuckerberg and Thiel and others, are happy to shovel money Trump's way so they stay in favor with the dictator. For all his professed expertise with (and criticism of) the "elites," Brooks doesn't seem to grasp that many of these same people have become populists from the left side of the political spectrum. Epstein has somehow become a symbol of their critique of the entire corrupt system. Their populist anger is real, and it is incandescent.
Understand their anger, and you can understand the words of the prophet Micah for the Epstein class of his day: "Alas for those who devise wickedness and evil deeds on their beds! When the morning dawns, they perform it, because it is in their power."
Sic 'em, Micah! Sic em, Prof. Du Mez!
The scope of Epstein’s story and all of its implications and entanglements is so staggering that the mind of this ordinary person is completely overwhelmed. I’m praying that the truth of its impact and devastating consequences will be fully revealed, understood and appropriately handled with the justice it deserves.
Thank you for pointing out that this is global. I think Trump's support of releasing the files may indicate that he thinks his part in this has concluded to some degree. The damage he has done prior to the release will take years to restore. He'll say that it was important to release the files and was in support of the "Democratic Hoax" from day 1, which may turn out to be entirely true. He would only approve of it once his part in it was fulfilled. The fallout of the full release is yet to been seen, but there is a democratic republic to be restored all the while. This cannot fall away while we keep talking about the files...
The question is how closely the two are related. We don’t yet know how to restore our democratic republic. What’s contained in the files may contain clues as to how we got here and what it might take to “restore” our country.
Yes.
Thank you Kristin .
While the paedophilia has opened the Epstein files, there’s more to this than one crime.
There can’t be victims without perpetrators which is unsettling that few have come to justice.
The next unsettling question is where did Epstein get his money for his debauchery which might also explain in part why few other names have surfaced in legal action.
As the French would say, “Cherche l’argent…”
I hope Kristin you aren’t the only one persuing this totally awfulness
Keep up the good work ❤️🙏
I’m not, and I’m not the main one! I’m just tracking things.
Honest question not trying to be a troll ... I read David Brooks this a.m. and they make the point that this is all sounding very QAnon-y. Any thoughts? https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/21/opinion/epstein-trump-conspiracy.html
I'd say don't pay attention to Marjorie Taylor Greene or Nancy Mace on this, but pay attention to reputable investigative journalists and to what the women themselves are saying. Brooks is right that this will lead to cynicism. But I'd rather know the truth and then act accordingly. I think we can also do better than throwing around sloppy terms like "the elites." Not every person with elite status was part of this network. Some were. How many, which ones? That's what we should be focused on figuring out. As far as similarities to QAnon, it's something I've noted as well--it is difficult to talk about the scope of this network without sounding like a QAnon theorist. But just because pizzagate was a made up doesn't mean Epstein's abuse network was as well. We know it wasn't. We need not throw out rule of law to demand answers. Brooks is painting with very broad brush strokes to kill a line of inquiry that Americans have a right to pursue.
Thanks ,,,Long time listener first time caller!
I think it sounds q anon like in the sense of a global scale and the fact that many absurdly rich and powerful people are implicated. But the Epstein network left large numbers of actual survivors whose stories, as far as we have heard them, hang together, and they have receipts. QAnon had… Q drops.
Despite some superficial similarities, the Epstein network wasn’t (isn’t?) evil in a dramatic, colorful way. No satanic rituals, no adrenochrome, no mysterious codes or puzzles (Also worth noting there’s no savior coming to rescue us). It’s shocking in its scale and impunity but not really in any other way. Rich people doing shady deals to get richer? Yawn. Powerful men exploiting girls and women? Seen it. Private jets and islands? Lavish parties? Okayy, not very original.
I don’t mean to diminish the evil or dismiss the suffering of the victims. I’m saying this is a conspiracy that has the ring of truth. This is what the banality of evil looks like when the people involved have more money than some medium-sized countries.
Don’t look away.
That there was/is a cabal of sorts doesn't really shock me. I am a little worried about things being so bad that conspiracy theories will reshape themselves but on "our side."
This is inevitable, I’m afraid. I worry, too, about people using the guise of conspiracy to keep people from seeing the truth.
Thank you, thank you for this week’s posts.
Not looking away!
Brilliant article, thank you for writing it!
ML King said "The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice”. To me the key word is long. We’ve been outraged by these moral circumstances long enough. Please will the billionaire class, including the DeVos family, Elon his and tech brothers do something right for everyone? Maybe I’m naive but it seems we’ve been going backward as a society. So whatever fallout happens with the Epstein factor, I hope, a blessing to all of us waiting in the weeds.
Pretty sure they won’t.