Judge who drew calls for impeachment over DOGE ruling assigned to Maxwell transcript case
U.S. District Judge Paul Engelmayer in Manhattan was assigned to the case on Monday. Maxwell's trial judge, Alison Nathan, is now a federal appellate judge.
The assignment came three days after the U.S. government sought to unseal grand jury transcripts related to Epstein, the disgraced financier and sex offender who died by suicide in 2019 in jail after being charged with sex trafficking.
In a Friday court filing, the Department of Justice said the criminal cases against Epstein and Maxwell are a matter of public interest, justifying the release of associated grand jury transcripts.
Backers of conspiracy theories about Epstein have urged President Donald Trump to release a broad array of investigative files related to Epstein, not just grand jury transcripts.
Separately, U.S. District Judge Darrin Gayles in Miami was assigned on Monday to preside over Trump's $10-billion lawsuit accusing The Wall Street Journal of defaming him by claiming he created a lewd birthday greeting for Epstein in 2003.
Dow Jones, which publishes the Journal and is part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corp (NWSA.O), opens new tab, said it will defend against the lawsuit, and had "full confidence in the rigor and accuracy of our reporting." News Corp and Murdoch are also defendants.
Engelmayer and Gayles were appointed to the bench by Democratic President Barack Obama.
U.S. District Judge Richard Berman, an appointee of Democratic President Bill Clinton, will oversee the government's request for transcripts in Epstein's criminal case.
Many Trump supporters view the judiciary as an impediment to the Republican president's policy and personal goals.
Each case could take several months or longer to resolve, followed by possible appeals.
Engelmayer, 64, came under fire and drew Musk's scorn in February after temporarily blocking Musk's Department of Government Efficiency from accessing Treasury systems.
Congressman Derrick Van Orden, a Wisconsin Republican, said impeachment was justified because the judge played politics in his decision, "demonstrating clear bias and prejudice against the president and the 74,000,000 Americans who voted for him."
Judicial impeachments are rare and normally reserved for serious misconduct, not disapproval of individual rulings.
Any unsealed transcripts are likely to be redacted, reflecting privacy or security concerns.
Gayles, 58, has been on the federal bench since 2014, after the U.S. Senate approved his nomination by a 98-0 vote.
The Wall Street Journal case is at least the second Trump lawsuit he has overseen.
Gayles presided in 2023 over Trump's $500-million lawsuit accusing former personal lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen of breaching fiduciary duties by revealing confidences and spreading falsehoods in books, podcasts, and media appearances.
Trump voluntarily dismissed that case after six months. The lawyer who filed that case also filed the Journal lawsuit.
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Daily Mail
7 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Trump letter calling Jeffrey Epstein 'the greatest' emerges as more secrets of 50th birthday card revealed
Donald Trump described Jeffrey Epstein as 'the greatest' in a newly unearthed message he wrote for the disgraced billionaire on a copy of his 1997 book 'Trump: The Art of the Comeback.' Trump addressed a copy of the book to Epstein in October the year it was printed, according to The New York Times, which published a picture of the now-president's handwritten message. The words of admiration allegedly read: 'To Jeff - You are the greatest!' The short note is signed off by Trump, and dated October 1997. This comes as more secrets emerge of Epstein's now infamous 50th birthday book, in which Trump repeatedly insisted he did not participate. The New York Times reported Trump was listed on the 'contributors list' for the book, which was organized by Epstein's right-hand woman Ghislaine Maxwell. The publication printed a letter from Maxwell which explained how the idea for the birthday present came about, noting: 'The idea behind this book was simply to gather stories and old photographs to jog your memory about places, people and different events. 'Some of the letters will definitely achieve their intended goal. Some, well... you will have to read to see for yourself.' Maxwell told Epstein she knew he 'would enjoy looking through the book.' 'I hope you will derive so much pleasure looking through it as I did putting it together for you. Happy happy birthday. Love Ghislaine.' Trump lashed out after the story was published with a Truth Social post, writing: 'The Radical Left Democrats are doing everything in their power to distract and obfuscate from our GREAT six months of service to America.' He said 'many are saying [it] is the BEST six months in Presidential history. 'They have gone absolutely CRAZY, and are playing another Russia, Russia, Russia Hoax but, this time, under the guise of what we will call the Jeffrey Epstein SCAM. 'As things are revealed and, I hope will take place quickly, you will see that it is yet another Democrat CON JOB.' In the weeks since Attorney General Pam Bondi revealed there was 'no Epstein client list', Trump has been hard at work trying to convince MAGA loyalists that all the information they were promised on Trump's presidential campaign trail was no more than a hoax orchestrated by the Democrats to bring him undone. 'Hopefully, the Grand Jury Files will put an end to this HOAX,' he wrote. 'Everyone should see what is there, but people who are innocent should not be hurt.' But Trump is having trouble convincing some diehard MAGA fans that there is nothing juicy worth sharing, and the topic has become a thorn in his side as he looks to move on and put the Epstein files behind him. One-time MAGA loyalists are particularly cynical after a piece in The Wall Street Journal last week claimed Trump submitted a risqué hand-drawn picture of a naked woman with a cryptic message inside for the birthday book. The birthday letter included what appears to be Trump's famous signature and was obtained by the WSJ. The outline of a naked woman allegedly frames typewritten text which reads: 'Happy Birthday - and may every day be another wonderful secret.' According to the Journal, the naked woman appeared to have been hand-drawn with a marker, with a pair of arcs indicating the woman's breasts and a squiggly signature reading 'Donald' appearing in her pubic region, mimicking hair. The alleged letter reportedly contained an imaginary conversation between Epstein and Trump, written in third person. In the imaginary conversation, 'Donald' writes: 'We have certain things in common, Jeffrey', to which 'Jeffrey' replies: 'Yes we do, come to think of it.' 'Donald' then responds: 'Enigmas never age, have you noticed that', and imaginary 'Jeffrey' says 'as a matter of fact, it was clear to me the last time I saw you.' Trump furiously denied the allegations and launched a mammoth lawsuit the next day, suing the journalists by name, as well as the publication and Rupert Murdoch himself. If the case proceeds, Trump would need to clear a demanding 'actual malice' standard that must be met by public figures to win in U.S. defamation cases. The standard means Trump must prove the paper knew the article was false or acted with reckless disregard for its truth. He is seeking at least $10 billion on each of two defamation counts. Trump categorically denied any involvement in the drawing or writing of the text. 'This is not me,' he said. 'This is a fake thing. It's a fake Wall Street Journal story. 'I never wrote a picture in my life. I don't draw pictures of women. It's not my language. It's not my words.' It is understood the letter forms part of the initial investigation into Epstein and Maxwell that the Justice Department conducted years ago, however it is unclear whether it was examined during the Attorney General's recent search. Trump lashed out after the story was published with a Truth Social post, writing: 'The Radical Left Democrats are doing everything in their power to distract and obfuscate from our GREAT six months of service to America' Senior administration officials claimed that Attorney General Bondi told Trump during a May 2025 meeting that his name was found in the Epstein documents more than previously thought, among hundreds of other high-profile individuals. The files contained 'unverified hearsay' about Trump and the individuals who had social connections to Epstein, the officials claim. Bondi recommended in that same meeting, according to the Wall Street Journal, that the administration not release more files because they contained child pornography and personal information for victims. Trump, the sources claim, deferred to his attorney general on whether to make additional files public. Just because the president is named in the files does not implicate him in any wrongdoing or connect him to Epstein's child sex trafficking crimes. Former president Bill Clinton also contributed to the infamous leather-bound book for Epstein 's 50th birthday, the WSJ claimed on Thursday. 'It's reassuring isn't it, to have lasted as long, across all the years of learning and knowing, adventures and [illegible word], and also to have your childlike curiosity, the drive to make a difference and the solace of friends,' read the message scrawled in Clinton's handwriting. A spokesperson for Clinton declined to comment when approached by the WSJ, but pointed to a previous statement which maintained Clinton had cut Epstein off more than a decade before his 2019 arrest. Clinton has long maintained he did not know of the allegations against Epstein. He was awaiting trial on child sex trafficking charges when he committed suicide in his cell.
The Guardian
17 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Bill Clinton reportedly sent Jeffrey Epstein note for birthday album
Donald Trump apparently isn't the only president that sent a birthday letter to Jeffrey Epstein. 'The biggest name in the album' was Bill Clinton, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday. The ex-president's letter appeared alongside nearly 50 others, including other prominent celebrities and executives. Last week, the Journal reported that Trump had authored a 'bawdy' letter to Epstein, who died in jail in 2019 after he was arrested on federal sex-trafficking charges. The letter was included in an album Epstein's former girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell compiled on the occasion of his 50th birthday in 2003. Trump has sued Rupert Murdoch, two Wall Street Journal newspaper reporters and the newspaper's publisher Dow Jones for libel and slander over the reporting. In Thursday's article, the Wall Street Journal provided additional details on the album, including names of some of the nearly 50 people who wrote to Epstein. They reportedly include billionaire investor Leon Black, fashion designer Vera Wang, billionaire media owner Mortimer Zuckerman, billionaire former Victoria's Secret owner Les Wexner, attorney Alan Dershowitz, model scout Jean-Luc Brunel and billionaire former Microsoft executive Nathan Myhrvold. It also includes the British ambassador to the United States and Labour party politician Peter Mandelson in a section titled 'friends'. Epstein's former co-workers, Alan 'Ace' Greenberg and James 'Jimmy' Cayne, who he worked with at the investment firm Bear Stearns in the 1970s, also sent letters. The New York Times confirmed the Wall Street Journal's reporting on Thursday evening. 'The professionally bound birthday book had multiple volumes and included a table of contents,' the Journal reported. According to the newspaper, Clinton's note to Epstein read: 'It's reassuring isn't it, to have lasted as long, across all the years of learning and knowing, adventures and [illegible word], and also to have your childlike curiosity, the drive to make a difference and the solace of friends.' A Clinton spokesperson declined to comment to the Journal, instead referring the paper to a previous statement from the ex-president, saying he had cut ties with Epstein more than a decade before his arrest and was not aware of Epstein's crimes. Trump's letter to Epstein was far from the only note that was sexual in nature, according to documents the Journal reviewed. It describes a poem signed by Black that read 'Blonde, Red or Brunette, spread out geographically / With this net of fish, Jeff's now 'The Old Man and The Sea'', and a note from Wexner that included 'a line drawing of what appeared to be a woman's breasts'. Spokespersons for Black and Wexner declined the Journal's request for comment. A letter from Wang suggested Epstein star on The Bachelor. Wang did not respond to the Journal's requests for comment. And a note from Myhrvold promised photographs from a recent trip to Africa: 'They seemed more appropriate than anything I could put in words.' The images included 'a monkey screaming, lions and zebras mating, and a zebra with its penis visible', the Journal reported. A spokesperson for Myhrvold told the Journal the former Microsoft executive did not recall the submission, only knew Epstein as a donor to scientific research, and that he 'regularly shares photos of and writes about animal behavior'. The letter from Mandelson 'included photos of whiskey and a tropical island', the Journal reported. Mandelson referred to Epstein as 'my best pal' in the note. A spokesperson for Mandelson declined to comment to the Journal. As for the relationship between Trump and Epstein, the Times found that at least once before, Trump had written Epstein an admiring note. 'To Jeff — You are the greatest!' reads an inscription in a copy of Trump's book Trump: the Art of the Comeback, which belonged to Epstein. The message, reviewed by the Times, is signed 'Donald' and dated 'Oct 97' – the month the book came out. The Times also reviewed a previously undisclosed photo of Trump and Epstein with the singer James Brown. It is not clear where the photo was taken. Brown frequently performed in Atlantic City, New Jersey, where Trump owned the Taj Mahal casino.
The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
Jeffrey Epstein's birthday book included letter from former president Bill Clinton, report claims
Jeffrey Epstein 's birthday album included a letter from former President Bill Clinton, according to a new report. Epstein, a wealthy financier and convicted sex offender who died in jail in 2019, has been at the center of controversy in recent weeks after the Justice Department and FBI released a memo earlier this month stating there was never any Epstein client list of powerful people who may have participated in his crimes. During the fallout from the memo, President Donald Trump 's past relationship with Epstein has been scrutinized, and last week, The Wall Street Journal released a report claiming the president had given Epstein a bawdy birthday letter, which reportedly included a drawing of a naked woman, as part of a leather-bound book Epstein's associate Ghislaine Maxwell prepared for his 50th birthday in 2003. Trump has denied authoring any such letter and is suing the WSJ, its parent company and owner Rupert Murdoch for $10 billion. Now, the WSJ has dropped another bombshell, claiming former President Clinton wrote a note to Epstein also included in the birthday album. According to the report released Thursday, Clinton had handwritten a single paragraph in the album, which read, 'It's reassuring isn't it, to have lasted as long, across all the years of learning and knowing, adventures and [illegible word], and also to have your childlike curiosity, the drive to make a difference and the solace of friends.' A Clinton spokesman declined to comment to the WSJ on the reporting and instead referred to a previous statement saying the former president's association with Epstein ended more than a decade before he was arrested in 2019 on federal sex trafficking charges. The statement also said Clinton didn't know about Epstein's crimes, the WSJ reports. The Independent has reached out to Clinton's representative for comment. Actor Kevin Spacey, who was previously acquitted of sexual offense allegations, recalled in a June 2024 interview with journalist Piers Morgan that he had flown on Epstein's jet with the late financier, Clinton and a group of 'young girls.' Spacey said he had been invited by Clinton on a humanitarian trip to Africa in 2002. Clinton has not been accused of any wrongdoing. The WSJ report Thursday mentioned several other high-profile names that sent messages to be included in the Epstein birthday book. The Independent has not reviewed or separately verified the so-called birthday book. The WSJ previously reported Trump's birthday letter to Epstein had included a note that read: 'Happy Birthday — and may every day be another wonderful secret.' On Truth Social, Trump wrote in response to the report, ' The Wall Street Journal printed a FAKE letter, supposedly to Epstein. These are not my words, not the way I talk. Also, I don't draw pictures. I told Rupert Murdoch it was a Scam, that he shouldn't print this Fake Story. But he did, and now I'm going to sue his ass off, and that of his third-rate newspaper.' Trump socialized with Epstein in the 1990s and early 2000s, but reportedly cut ties before Epstein pleaded guilty to state charges of soliciting prostitution from someone under the age of 18. While Trump has not been accused of any formal wrongdoing or charged with any crime, his proximity to Epstein, someone he once called a friend, has heightened conspiracy theories that the government is withholding documents that could reveal embarrassing information about high-profile individuals. In announcing his $10 billion defamation suit filed Friday against the WSJ, Trump wrote on Truth Social, 'This lawsuit is filed not only on behalf of your favorite President, ME, but also in order to continue standing up for ALL Americans who will no longer tolerate the abusive wrongdoings of the Fake News Media.' A spokesperson for WSJ publisher Dow Jones said in a statement obtained by the Associated Press, 'We have full confidence in the rigor and accuracy of our reporting, and will vigorously defend against any lawsuit.'
