Ghislaine Maxwell lawyer says he hopes President Trump pardons her
David Markus spoke to reporters after his client's second day of interviews with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche in Tallahassee, Florida, near where Maxwell is serving a 20-year prison sentence for trafficking a minor to Epstein for sexual abuse.
Asked about Trump's comments earlier in the day about a potential pardon, Markus told reporters, "We haven't spoken to the president or anybody about a pardon just yet.'
More: How Trump and 'terrific guy' Jeffrey Epstein's party boy friendship ended badly
But, Markus said, 'The president this morning said he had the power to do so. We hope he exercises that power in the right and just way."
When Trump was asked earlier Friday if he has considered pardoning Maxwell, he said no.
"I'm allowed to do it, but it's something I have not thought about," Trump told reporters. "I certainly can't talk about pardons now."
More: Trump says he hasn't considered pardoning Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell
Maxwell was Epstein's girlfriend for years and has been accused of recruiting minors for him to have sex with. Her lengthy relationship with Epstein and alleged role in his efforts to sexually target minor girls raises the question of whether Maxwell knows of others who could have been involved in a sex-trafficking ring with Epstein.
Epstein committed suicide in prison in 2019 while awaiting his own federal trial on related sex trafficking charges, leaving Maxwell as potentially the best remaining source for uncovering secrets about people who may have colluded with him.
Maxwell maintains her innocence and is appealing her 2021 sex-trafficking conviction.
Markus did not return calls and messages seeking comment on whether he has formally asked the Trump administration for a pardon for Maxwell.
'DOJ will hear what she has to say'
Maxwell's meetings with Blanche, the No. 2 official in the Justice Department, came amid calls from the public and a bipartisan group of lawmakers for DOJ to release more information it has in its possession about Epstein's clients.
The public outcry was prompted by announcements by the Justice Department and FBI earlier this month that they won't be releasing their Epstein-related files, despite promising to do so.
Pressure has mounted since then for the administration to reconsider, including from members of Trump's own base who were bitterly disappointed by the announcement.
That was especially the case after the Wall Street Journal disclosed that Attorney General Pam Bondi notified Trump in May that his name had appeared 'multiple times' in the files. Trump has since denied being told that by Bondi.
Trump has also denied a Journal report that he wrote a birthday message to Epstein that included a drawing of a naked woman and he has sued the newspaper for defamation.
The fact that Blanche was previously Trump's personal defense lawyer has also ratcheted up concerns about his − and the Department of Justice's − motivations in wanting to talk to Maxwell.
Blanche said he wanted to meet with Maxwell to find out what more she can say about her dealings with Epstein.
In a July 22 social media post, Blanche said that if 'Ghislaine Maxwell has information about anyone who has committed crimes against victims, the FBI and the DOJ will hear what she has to say.'
Rep. Dan Goldman, D-New York, however, suggested that Blanche's effort was to protect Trump 'by tacitly floating a pardon for Maxwell in return for information that politically benefits President Trump.'
Maxwell is also reportedly set to meet on Aug 11. with congressional lawmakers after the House Oversight Committee subpoenaed her on July 23.
'I'll give you a list' of others who partied with Epstein: Trump
Trump has denied any wrongdoing in connection with Epstein but attended parties with him during the 1990s and repeatedly flew on his private jet. Trump later distanced himself from the well-connected financier and said he banned him from his Mar-a-Lago club and residence in Palm Beach, Fla.
On July 25, as he was preparing to fly to Scotland, Trump told reporters that they should focus instead on other political leaders and hedge fund managers who spent more time with Epstein.
"I'll give you a list," Trump said.
'Don't talk about Trump'
On his arrival in Scotland, Trump again was asked about Maxwell, and said, 'I really have nothing to say about it.'
'She is being talked to by a very smart man, by a very good man, Todd Blanche, and I don't know anything about the conversation. I haven't really been following it,' Trump told reporters.
He said 'a lot of people are asking me about pardons' and that, 'Todd will come back with whatever he's got. You're making a very big thing over something that's not a big thing.'
'If you're going to talk about that, talk about Clinton,' Trump said, in reference to former President Bill Clinton, who has been linked to Epstein but has denied wrongdoing.
'Talk about all of his friends,' Trump said of Epstein. 'Talk about the hedge fund guys that were with him all the time. Don't talk about Trump.'
Contributing: Aysha Bagchi; Bart Jansen, USA TODAY
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ghislaine Maxwell lawyer says he hopes President Trump pardons her
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
8 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Act of 'disturbing' cruelty leaves 1 horse dead and several others injured at Welland, Ont., ranch
One horse was killed and several others injured in Welland, Ont. after what Niagara police called a "disturbing act of animal cruelty." Police said in a news release on Friday, staff at a horse boarding farm found several horses with injuries "consistent with cuts and stab wounds" on Thursday morning. Eight horses were targeted, police said. One was found dead at the scene, another was moved to an emergency vet in Guelph, Ont., and the others were treated at the farm. CBC News confirmed the farm was Eagle Wing Ranch on 426 Buchner Rd. in Welland. The ranch is described as a "family owned and operated hunter/jumper facility." Niagara police constable Richard Hingley told CBC News the horses at the ranch were there for "several reasons," such as riding and shows. Other horses were pets "to other people who don't have farms," he said. Amanda Janssen at the ranch said they were "reeling" and "grieving" and asked for privacy. In a Facebook post, Janssen said there were "no words to describe the shock and devastation our barn staff and family felt as yesterday unfolded." "It felt like a terrible dream you were begging to wake up from. The grief is heavy as we mourn the loss of a very special horse and the injuries of 7 others," Janssen said in the post. An 'extremely devastating' loss Hingley said in his experience, he had never seen any "personal attack" on horses. He said in attending other incidents involving these animals and having friends who own them, he knows "horses are not pets to their owners, they're family members." "When there is a tragic loss to a horse, it's extremely devastating to the individuals," he added. Hingley said the ranch owners "have no idea" who could have targeted the ranch or horses. "We have to be open to everything, whether someone is upset with the ranch, whether someone is upset with a particular horse owner or all avenues in between there," he said. Niagara police said the investigation is ongoing and their Forensic Services Unit went to the scene and "conducted a thorough examination for evidence." Police are also asking other jurisdictions in the area if they've had similar reports. Hingley the incident happened between 11 p.m. on July 30 and 6 a.m. on July 31. "What we are appealing for right now is for anyone that may have been in the area driving at that time to go back, check their dash cam footage if they have some," he said. Police are asking anyone with information to contact them at 905-688-4111, option 3, extension 1009487 or give an anonymous tip to Crime Stoppers.
Yahoo
8 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Smithsonian removes references to Trump's impeachments from exhibit
The Smithsonian's National Museum of American History removed references to President Donald Trump's two impeachment proceedings from an exhibit on the "Limits of Presidential Power," a Smithsonian spokesperson confirmed to ABC News. The spokesperson said a future exhibit will include all presidential impeachments. The museum decided to "restore" the section of a permanent exhibition to its "2008 appearance" because various topics had not been updated since that year and therefore they removed references to Trump, the Smithsonian spokesperson told ABC News on Thursday. Trump is the only U.S. president to have been impeached twice. "In reviewing our legacy content recently, it became clear that the 'Limits of Presidential Power' section in The American Presidency: A Glorious Burden exhibition needed to be addressed. The section of this exhibition covers Congress, The Supreme Court, Impeachment, and Public Opinion," the spokesperson said. MORE: Artist Amy Sherald cancels Smithsonian exhibit, citing 'culture of censorship' The exhibit now only includes references to the impeachment proceedings against Presidents Andrew Johnson in 1868, Richard Nixon in 1973 and Bill Clinton in 1998. Nixon is the only U.S. president to resign following the commencement of impeachment proceedings. While serving as the 45th President of the United States, Trump was first impeached twice by Congress during his first term – with the first proceeding beginning on Dec. 18, 2019 on charges of abuse of power and obstruction in connection with an alleged quid pro quo call with the Ukrainian president. Trump was acquitted when the trial concluded in the Senate on Feb. 5, 2020. Following the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, Trump was impeached for a second time on Jan. 13, 2021, on the charge of incitement of insurrection, but was again acquitted on Feb. 13, 2021, days after he left office after losing the 2020 election to President Joe Biden. Trump denied all wrongdoing in both of his impeachment cases. Following Trump's first impeachment proceeding, the Smithsonian released a statement on Jan. 21, 2020, about the collection of objects regarding Trump's impeachment. The statement said that as the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History "actively engages," with history, curators are following Trump's impeachment trial and will determine "which objects best represent these historic events for inclusion in the national collection." The Smithsonian spokesperson on Thursday said the museum "installed a temporary label on content concerning the impeachments of Donald J. Trump" in Sept. 2021, which was "intended to be a short-term measure to address current events at the time, however, the label remained in place until July 2025." "A large permanent gallery like The American Presidency that opened in 2000, requires a significant amount of time and funding to update and renew. A future and updated exhibit will include all impeachments," the spokesperson added, in explaining the removal of Trump references. An online description of the exhibit of the Smithsonian's website still referenced Trump's two impeachments as of Friday morning. The removal of references of Trump's impeachments was first reported by The Washington Post on Thursday. The report cited "a person familiar with the exhibit plans, who was not authorized to discuss them publicly," who told the Post that "the change came about as part of a content review that the Smithsonian agreed to undertake following pressure from the White House to remove an art museum director." Asked by ABC News about this claim, the Smithsonian spokesperson did not immediately comment. Museums and parks must remove some items related to race and gender: Executive order The Smithsonian affirmed its autonomy from outside influences in a June 9 statement after President Trump announced that he fired National Portrait Gallery head Kim Sajet for allegedly being a "highly partisan person." Sajet resigned on June 13, a Smithsonian spokesperson confirmed to ABC News. "Throughout its history, the Smithsonian has been governed and administered by a Board of Regents and a Secretary. The board is entrusted with the governance and independence of the Institution, and the board appoints a Secretary to manage the Institution. All personnel decisions are made by and subject to the direction of the Secretary, with oversight by the Board. Lonnie G. Bunch, the Secretary, has the support of the Board of Regents in his authority and management of the Smithsonian," the statement said. "The Board of Regents is committed to ensuring that the Smithsonian is a beacon of scholarship free from political or partisan influence, and we recognize that our institution can and must do more to further these foundational values," the Smithsonian added. Trump signed an executive order in March placing Vice President J.D. Vance in charge of supervising efforts to "remove improper ideology" from all areas of the Smithsonian and targeted funding for programs that advance "divisive narratives" and "improper ideology." The order -- called "Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History" -- directed Vance and Interior Department Secretary Doug Burgum to restore federal parks, monuments, memorials and statues "that have been improperly removed or changed in the last five years to perpetuate a false revision of history or improperly minimize or disparage certain historical figures or events."
Yahoo
8 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Ghislaine Maxwell moved to a minimum-security prison camp, authorities say
Jeffrey Epstein's former girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell has been moved to a minimum-security prison camp in Texas, officials have said. is serving a 20-year sentence after being convicted of helping traffic and sexually abuse underage girls in 2021. She was being held at a low-security prison in Tallahassee, Florida, that housed men and women. The federal Bureau of Prisons said on Friday that Maxwell has been transferred to a prison camp in Bryan, Texas, but did not explain the circumstances. Her lawyer confirmed the move but also declined to discuss the reasons for it. The Texas camp houses solely female prisoners, the majority of whom are serving time for nonviolent offences and white-collar crimes, Sky's US partner NBC News reports. Minimum-security federal prison camps house inmates considered to be the lowest security risk and some facilities do not even have fences. A senior administration official told NBC: "Any false assertion this individual was given preferential treatment is absurd. "Prisoners are routinely moved in some instances due to significant safety and danger concerns." Maxwell has received renewed attention in recent weeks, after the US Justice Department said it would not be releasing the so-called 'Epstein files'. The department said a review of the Epstein case had found "no incriminating 'client list'" and "no credible evidence" the jailed financier - who killed himself in prison in 2019 - had blackmailed famous men. Read more: Officials from the Trump administration have since tried to cast themselves as promoting transparency in the case. Last month, they lodged a request to unseal grand jury transcripts - - and Maxwell was last week by Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. Epstein survivor's family criticises move Maxwell's move to a lower security facility has been criticised by the family of Epstein abuse survivor Virginia Giuffre, who , and accusers Annie and Maria Farmer. They said in a statement: "It is with horror and outrage that we object to the preferential treatment convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell has received. "Ghislaine Maxwell is a sexual predator who physically assaulted minor children on multiple occasions, and she should never be shown any leniency. "Yet, without any notification to the Maxwell victims, the government overnight has moved Maxwell to a minimum security luxury prison in Texas." The statement concluded: "This move smacks of a cover up. The victims deserve better."
