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Epstein's ex-lawyer urges congress to grant pedo's partner Ghislaine Maxwell immunity in exchange for full testimony

Epstein's ex-lawyer urges congress to grant pedo's partner Ghislaine Maxwell immunity in exchange for full testimony

Time of India6 hours ago
Alan Dershowitz
, the prominent attorney who once represented both
Jeffrey Epstein
and
Donald Trump
, is urging
Congress
to grant
Ghislaine Maxwell
—Epstein's longtime associate and convicted sex trafficker—full immunity in exchange for her testimony before lawmakers. Dershowitz argues Maxwell "knows everything" about Epstein's criminal enterprise and calls her the "Rosetta Stone" of the case, claiming such testimony could finally unravel key details about the financier's activities and connections with powerful figures.
Dershowitz made his appeal on national television over the weekend, telling Newsmax's Sunday Agenda, 'Ghislaine Maxwell is basically serving the sentence that Epstein would have gotten. She should never be in jail for 20 years. What should happen is, she should be free. She should have her sentence commuted. She should then be called in front of Congress. Have Congress give her total immunity, and then she can tell everything she knows. She would have no reason for withholding anything'.
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Maxwell, now 63, was sentenced in June 2022 to 20 years in prison and fined $750,000 after being found guilty on five counts, including
sex trafficking
of minors. Prosecutors established that between 1994 and 2004, she recruited and groomed adolescent girls for Epstein, who then abused them at properties across the country. The case drew fresh public interest after the Department of Justice recently stated there is no so-called 'Epstein client list,' stirring debate about the full reach of Epstein's network and accountability for others who may have been involved.
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Dershowitz and Maxwell's legal team maintain she has been unfairly singled out, arguing her conviction is more about the system's failure to prosecute Epstein than her own acts. David Oscar Markus, Maxwell's attorney, said, 'The government says there's no
Epstein client list
, yet Ghislaine Maxwell remains locked up as the scapegoat for ghosts. It's not right. We are hopeful that she gets some relief [via the Supreme Court] soon'.
Calls for Maxwell's testimony before Congress have grown amid mounting demands for transparency in the Epstein case. Dershowitz claims that with 'use immunity,' Maxwell could not be criminally prosecuted for what she reveals, provided she tells the truth, and asserts she is 'willing to testify' under such a deal.
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Legal experts and some U.S. lawmakers, however, caution that granting such immunity would be controversial. Critics argue it risks absolving Maxwell of further accountability, while supporters, like Dershowitz, insist her full cooperation is essential for exposing the scope of Epstein's activities, especially as many records remain sealed by federal courts.
According to journalist Tara Palmeri, Maxwell may already be assisting law enforcement behind the scenes and is unlikely to serve her full sentence. 'They can't let her out right now, there would be public outrage. But [when] nobody's paying attention, story's gone away, a few years, Ghislaine's out, or ends up in some nice prison. This is what I've been told by law enforcement sources,' Palmeri said.
Epstein, who died by suicide in a Manhattan jail in 2019 while awaiting trial, remains one of the most notorious figures in American criminal history. His case continues to raise questions about elite networks, abuse of power, and access to justice for survivors.
Congressional leaders have not yet formally responded to Dershowitz's appeal, but with renewed public attention on Epstein's associates and their knowledge of his crimes, pressure is mounting for decisive action—whether that takes the form of hearings, new investigations, or potentially, bringing Maxwell to Capitol Hill under immunity.
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Taken At The Flood: Jagdeep Dhankhar's journey through India's political currents
Taken At The Flood: Jagdeep Dhankhar's journey through India's political currents

India Today

time27 minutes ago

  • India Today

Taken At The Flood: Jagdeep Dhankhar's journey through India's political currents

Life moves like a restless river, always flowing and changing course. At times, it lifts us up to new heights; at other times, it draws us back. But, as Shakespeare wrote, there are moments in life—high tides—that, if seized, can carry us to great fortune. The story of Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, who resigned on Monday, is much like this river, full of ebb and At The FloodIn 1989, India's political landscape was turbulent, with the Congress facing unprecedented challenges from a united opposition. It was a Dickensian ode to the best of times for the non-Congress opposition and the worst for the Congress and then Prime Minister Rajiv young PM, who had caught the nation's fancy with his persona and vision, had suddenly lost his sheen. A penumbra of corruption, opportunism, and communalism had surrounded his early aura. Bofors, a Swedish gun, had become a household name, and the streets echoed with a nasty slogan: 'Gali, gali main shor hai, Rajiv Gandhi chor hai.' Another narrative was unfolding with the unravelling of Rajiv Gandhi—the rise of Hindutva, amplified by BJP's campaign for a Ram Temple in Ayodhya. As BJP leader LK Advani led a 'Rath Yatra' through the heart of India, leaving behind a legacy of Hindutva revivalism and a trail of blood, a strange alliance shaped Indian politics. It presented Jagdeep Dhankhar an opportunity to ride the high tide of Unlikely AllianceThe left is left, and the right is right, and the twain shall never meet. This axiom of politics turned on its head when the BJP, the Janata Dal—led by VP Singh—and the Left joined hands against Rajiv Gandhi in the 1989 elections. The alliance shredded the social tapestry the Congress had woven through clever caste and communal equations. In many places, it brought rival social groups together, creating a solid vote bank against the Congress. The impact of this coalition was felt most in states like Rajasthan, where feudal-era loyalties had created deep schisms between politically vocal castes like Jats and Rajputs. For the first time in Indian history, these arch-rivals united to uproot the 1989The desert town of Jhunjhunu, possibly named after a chieftain called Jhunjha, is the beating heart of Shekhawati, a region in Rajasthan known as the birthplace of some of India's biggest business tycoons. Born in a small village in Jhunjhunu, Dhankhar moved to Jaipur to practice law, where he became president of the High Court Bar Association. But his political destiny awaited him in politics is dominated by three groups—the numerically superior Jats, the politically united Muslims, and the socially powerful Rajputs, who once ruled as chieftains. The politics of Jhunjhunu was historically dominated by the Congress, which created a solid vote bloc of Jats, Muslims, and Dalits. In 1989, two leaders blasted away this bonhomie, giving Dhankhar a rare opportunity in Tau and The ThakuradvertisementAmong the Jats of Rajasthan, especially in the Shekhawati region, Chaudhary Devi Lal emerged as an unexpected star, even though his karma bhoomi was the adjoining state of Haryana. Revered as Tau by followers, Devi Lal shook Rajasthan's political landscape when he announced his candidature from Sikar, against Congress heavyweight and fellow Jat, Balram Lal's decision to contest from Sikar, which abuts Jhunjhunu, drew Jats to the opposition in the entire Shekhawati region. They combined with the Rajputs, led by BJP stalwart Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, and the lure of VP Singh, a Thakur, to form a formidable group that guaranteed opposition victory.A Pivotal Rally: The Turning PointIt was Tau Devi Lal's 75th birthday, an occasion turned into opposition's heft at Delhi's Boat Club. Dhankhar, a young lawyer with political ambition, organised a large gathering from Jhunjhunu to attend the birthday rally.A few days later, while his Sangram Colony house in Jaipur was dipped in the dark because of a power cut, light shone through. Devi Lal and Ajit Singh visited him, offering him the chance to contest from Jhunjhunu. Riding on the anger against PM Gandhi, thrust forward by the combined might of the Jat-Rajput coalition, Dhankhar swept the and FlowThe river of destiny shifted its course in November 1990. VP Singh, carried to power by high hopes and the surge of public will, formed the government. Dhankhar was inducted as a junior minister, ironically, on the recommendation of Bansi Lal, a Congress leader. In November 1989, VP Singh's government fell toppled by collapsing alliances. Chandra Shekhar, whose journey had long flowed against the mainstream, now found himself steering the that moment's confluence, another opportunity emerged when he was called to serve as Minister of State in the government. But, he refused to take oath, objecting to the inclusion of Rajasthan leaders Daulat Ram and Kalyan Singh as senior March 1991, Chandra Shekhar's government, always precarious, lost the support that had kept it standing. Faced with mounting political pressure and growing isolation, he resigned, bringing his brief time in office to an end. With the cabinet dissolved, Dhankhar's role in national politics faded as quickly as it had appeared. The attention shifted, new names emerged, and for Dhankhar, it was a return to relative obscurity, his moment on the central stage quietly passing into Out the LullThe gates of Parliament had closed, but ambition still stirred. Politics, though, seldom forgives or forgets. The Congress, regaining dominance through the 1990s, saw Dhankhar make a pragmatic shift—he joined its ranks, winning a state assembly seat in 1993. For a while, after his assembly win, Dhankhar's career he made a political blunder. In the caste-driven politics of Rajasthan, Dhankhar positioned himself as a Jat leader. Unfortunately for him, the reins of the Congress passed to Ashok Gehlot, who swiftly purged the party of Jat leaders. Denied the chance to contest for the Assembly by Gehlot, Dhankhar joined the NCP, and then the BJP ahead of the 2003 Assembly polls. Vasundhara Raje, his old friend and the new BJP satrap, refused to give Dhankhar a Rajya Sabha ticket, ending his dream of a return to national 15-year ExileHis political journey, once brimming with promise, was derailed by a mix of his own impatience, sudden changes in allegiance, and missteps, as well as the rise of regional leaders who viewed the shrewd lawyer with suspicion. Consequently, after brief spells in nearly every major political party within a decade, he found himself pushed to the sidelines, left to while away his has its own rhythm. At the beginning of the millennium, Dhankhar waited patiently for the tide to turn. Visitors to his farm on the outskirts of Jaipur were treated with the luxury of time and the coffee he blended himself, stirring it for hours with a political wilderness stretched for nearly 15 years. Dhankhar, however, remained more than a distant memory. He remained active in the legal world, earning renown as a sharp, argumentative advocate in the Supreme Court. In these years, he forged quiet but potent links with the RSS, lending his insights and tenacity to the background operations of the Sangh and BJP, even as he was denied a formal Angles of ReturnIn 2019, fortune turned. The BJP, seeking a seasoned and regionally credible leader, tapped Dhankhar as Governor of West Bengal—a surprise move that returned him to the center of political action. His legal acumen and deep understanding of political strategy became assets as he dealt with the fierce, often confrontational politics of Bengal, often sparring with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. His confrontational style was rewarded by the BJP with his election as Vice President in 2022. But another chapter was Health and Political ConcernsThis March, Dhankhar underwent a procedure for removal of blockages in the heart. But the problem of low blood pressure and fainting spells persisted. This, according to official sources, is the reason for his sudden the real reason is complex. Sources close to Dhankhar cite his continuous neglect by the BJP top brass, indicating a rapid souring of relationship. In his home state, Rajasthan, the Vice President felt slighted by the chief minister, Bhajan Lal, who would often ignore his trips, or requests. Sources close to him say he was being insulted on purpose–a clear message that his stock had fallen within the 20 was the birthday of his wife, Dr Sudesh Dhankhar. A feast was organised for the staff, with jalebis flown in from Jaipur. There was no sign of his impending resignation, though Dhankhar was aware that he had overstayed his welcome. Whispers in political circles suggest tensions with BJP leadership over his outspoken remarks on farmers and the judiciary, though no official confirmation a day later, on the opening day of the Monsoon Session of Parliament, Dhankhar quit. 'He was simmering because the top brass had turned cold and aloof. Things had turned so bad that the party leadership would ignore even his salutations and greetings,' a family source of the SurvivorsDhankhar's journey is less a tale of permanent ascent and more one of resilience—the ability to wait, adapt, and seize opportunity when it arises. His recent resignation is simply the latest bend in a long, unpredictable course. Jagdeep Dhankhar has navigated the floods with remarkable tenacity. Will he catch another high tide, or is this the end of his political journey? Time will reveal its future ebb and flow.- Ends

No tax relief for Congress, tribunal says no exemption on Rs 199 crore donations
No tax relief for Congress, tribunal says no exemption on Rs 199 crore donations

India Today

time27 minutes ago

  • India Today

No tax relief for Congress, tribunal says no exemption on Rs 199 crore donations

In a setback to the Congress party, the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT) dismissed its appeal against a tax demand for the year 2017-18. The party had opposed the Income Tax Department's notice, which asked it to pay tax on income of over Rs 199 had claimed that the amount came from donations and should be exempt from tax. However, the party failed to file its tax returns by the due IT tribunal upheld the decision of the tax authorities, ruling that the party must pay income tax on the donations received during that financial year. This is a developing story. It will be updated.- Ends

Who is US Senator Lindsey Graham, and why has he threatened 100% tariffs on India?
Who is US Senator Lindsey Graham, and why has he threatened 100% tariffs on India?

Indian Express

time27 minutes ago

  • Indian Express

Who is US Senator Lindsey Graham, and why has he threatened 100% tariffs on India?

In continuation of the Trump administration's increasingly critical stance on Russia of late, Senator Lindsey Graham of the Republican Party criticised countries that continue to trade with Russia. 'Trump is going to impose tariffs on people that buy Russian oil – China, India, and Brazil,' Graham told Fox News in an interview. These three countries account for around 80 per cent of Russia's crude exports, which Graham argued is helping in funding the war in Ukraine. These remarks follow similar remarks by US President Donald Trump and NATO chief Mark Rutte, who promised tough sanctions on Russia in retaliation for its continued war with Ukraine. Graham is sponsoring a tough sanctions bill on Russia, which, if passed by Congress, would impose 500% tariffs on countries that purchase Russian oil, like China and India. Here is what to know about the Senator and the bill he is sponsoring. Graham is a former US Air Force officer and attorney who has served as the US Senator from South Carolina's 3rd Congressional District since 2003. He is presently the chair of the Senate Budget Committee, and previously chaired the US Senate Committee on the Judiciary between 2019 and 2021. Notably, Graham served as a member of the USAF Reserve while in Congress, and held the rank of colonel when he retired in 2015. Not too long ago, Graham was a presidential hopeful and sought the Republican nomination in 2016, earning the endorsement of former Republican presidential candidate John McCain. While Graham had criticised Trump's candidacy at the time, he changed tack after Trump entered the White House. He is known for his endorsement of aggressive interventionist foreign policy and sweeping immigration reform. In the past, he has been open to bipartisan consensus on issues ranging from climate change and gun control legislation, while also pushing for increased national security spending and a ban on abortion at 20 weeks. Sponsored by Graham, the sweeping bill was introduced in the US Senate on April 1 and threatens penalties on all parties working with Russia, particularly if Trump determines that Russia is: The bill authorises the president to impose sanctions, including blocking visas and properties as applicable on top members of the Kremlin, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, as well as Russian and Russian-origin financial institutions. It authorises economic sanctions to the tune of 500% tariffs on all imports from Russia into the US, as well as up to 500% tariffs on countries trading with the US while importing Russian-origin uranium and petroleum products. The bill also prohibits rerouting the trade of US-origin energy products to Russia. India has maintained a 'Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership' with Russia since 2010, with strong bilateral ties in several areas of interest, including political, security, trade and economy, defence, science and technology and culture. Sanctions targeting Russia, if realised, would invariably impact India given the extent of trade, and force it to consider other importers. In FY 2024-25, bilateral trade between the two nations peaked at $68.7 billion, about 5.8 times the pre-pandemic trade of $10.1 billion. India maintains a trade deficit with Russia, with Russian imports, dominated by petro-oil products and fertilisers, valued at $63.84 billion, and Indian exports valued at $4.88 billion for this period. India and Russia aim to achieve $100 billion in trade by 2030. In May 2025, India imported Russian crude oil at about 1.8 million barrels per day (bpd), its highest value in 10 months, according to a Reuters report. A significant share of this order can be credited to the $13 billion megadeal between Reliance Industries and Russia's state oil firm Rosneft last December, which would supply nearly 500,000 bpd of crude oil. The two nations also committed to increasing bilateral investment to $50 billion by 2025. In December 2024, Russian investments in India, primarily in sectors like oil and gas, petrochemicals, steel and banking, were valued at $20 billion. Indian investments in Russia were valued at $16 billion in October 2023. China is Russia's largest trading partner, with trade valued at $237 billion in 2024, according to Chinese customs data cited in a Reuters report. Brazil also counts Russia as one of its 15 top trading partners, with bilateral trade in 2022 valued at $9.8 billion. How the bill is progressing The momentum on the bill picked up earlier this month, even as President Trump expressed his frustration with the perceived non-compliance of Russia in ending its three-year-long war with Ukraine. Until about a month ago, Trump had described Putin as a 'nice gentleman', while calling his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy a 'dictator' who was toying with World War III. However, he took a step back from this position last week, saying he was 'disappointed' with Putin, even as he was 'not done with him'. Trump also said he planned to send weapons to Ukraine, after halting American military supplies to the country after entering the White House in January. Putin has long expressed his interest in retaining control of the Ukrainian territories currently occupied by Russia, barring Ukrainian entry to NATO (seen as a threat to Russian sovereignty), and replacing Zelenskyy with a Russia-friendly president. For Trump, the failure to end the war dents his image as a dealmaker, who can bring countries to the table for negotiations that seemingly favour his America First agenda. The rhetoric from Graham aside, it may be a while before the bill sees the light of day. According to Politico reporting, the bill in its current form would require layers of congressional approval for the US President to introduce sanctions. However, Trump has often favoured an autocratic style of governance that bypasses congressional approval. The report suggested that Team Trump would favour revising the bill accordingly.

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