Latest news with #sexCrimes
Yahoo
11-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Why MAGA can't move on from the ‘Epstein files'
'Are you still talking about Jeffrey Epstein?' asked the president. 'I can't believe you're asking a question on Epstein at a time like this.' For some of the president's supporters, the fate of the 'Epstein files,' evidence that would surely tie the world's elites to reputation-ending sex crimes, was their first true disappointment. When a reporter tried to ask Attorney Gen. Pam Bondi some of their burning questions — specifically, whether Epstein had ever been an intelligence asset and why a minute of footage from outside his jail was missing — Trump surprised them, suggesting that this wasn't important anymore. It wasn't? Hadn't Bondi said that Epstein's 'client list' was 'sitting on my desk right now?' Hadn't JD Vance promised to 'release the Epstein list?' Hadn't Kash Patel demanded that the deep state 'let us know who the pedophiles are?' Yes, they had. The 'Epstein files' debacle won't impede the Trump agenda, but it revealed that the 'files' were never actually part of that agenda. It was the first leak in the dreadnought Trump built to win last year, when he managed to run on both his record as president and the theory that he, having been victimized by the intelligence establishment, would bring it down from the inside. Last summer, I called this the 'weird vote,' inverting the insult that Tim Walz liked to hurl at Republicans, to explain that a whole lot of people had 'weird' beliefs but only one party was courting them. Matthew Yglesias identified a 'crank realignment' that was overall bad for Democrats, and had 'eroded the epistemic quality of both coalitions.' Democrats are not immune to conspiracy theories, or hoping for some box of files to banish their enemies and win the election. But 10 years of campaigning against Donald Trump, and four years of watching him question the 2020 election, has given them very little tolerance for this stuff. Polls show a decently-sized minority of Democrats believing that something was amiss when Trump won every swing state. Party leaders refuse to indulge them. The Trump campaign had no problem indulging the faithful. Epstein aside, they've gotten more of what they hoped for than the supporters of any recent president. Other Republicans promised to bulldoze the Department of Education, to end affirmative action, and to get rid of rules limiting church involvement in elections. Trump simply did it. That's one of the reasons that he exerts such total control over his party and its base. It's also a reason why the Epstein debacle has been so painful to MAGA voters. Why keep those promises, but not this one? 'If God spared President Trump's life it wasn't so that America could make money and fix the budget,' wrote Alex Jones, a man who trusted no politician until Trump showed up and made him a believer. 'It was to burn down a system that relies on people like Jeffrey Epstein.' Democrats have had their first fun in weeks with this, creating a bot that will report, every day, that Trump hasn't released the 'Epstein files.' Its avatar is a picture of Trump and Epstein together, a memento of how impossible it was for them to convince the 'weird' voter that a man who knew Epstein, and who was president when Epstein killed himself, was not actually running a decade-long undercover operation that would end with the trial of Hillary Clinton. In Axios, Marc Caputo reports that FBI deputy director Dan Bongino took Friday off, after clashing with Bondi over the bungled Epstein releases. In Red Letter, Tara Palmeri, who covered the Epstein story for ABC News, wonders whether it's now 'buried for good.' In the Bulwark, Will Sommer surveys the 'MAGA meltdown' over Bondi's failure to deliver what she said she had.
Irish Times
11-07-2025
- Irish Times
George Gibney's extradition to Ireland on sex crime charges ordered by Florida judge
The extradition of former Irish Olympic swimming coach George Gibney to Ireland has been ordered by a US judge after he appeared before a court in Florida. Mr Gibney appeared in federal court in the Middle District of Florida before US Magistrate Judge Daniel Irick on Friday morning. Mr Gibney was wheeled into court in a wheelchair, wearing a blue jumpsuit with apparent bandages around his feet. 'I can see he's in a wheelchair and he's a bit softspoken,' said Judge Irick, who requested that Mr Gibney be positioned closer to the microphone and speak louder while consenting to his extradition. READ MORE The 77-year-old formerly renowned swim coach was arrested on July 1st, on 79 charges of sex crimes against minors. He will face 78 counts of indecent assault and one count of attempted rape in violation of Irish common law. Mr Gibney is accused of committing sexual offenses against four girls in in the 1970s and 1980s. The girls, whose identities are being kept anonymous by the court, were between the ages of eight and 15 when they alleged abuse took place. Mr Gibney was sworn into oath and confirmed that he understood that he was agreeing to be extradited to Ireland to face his charges there. The judge asked, 'Do you admit you are the individual whom charges are pending against?', to which Mr Gibney responded, 'Yes.' Mr Gibney asked his attorney, US Assistant Public Defender Aisha Nash, to repeat each question which he was asked by the judge. Former Irish swimming coach George Gibney pictured in 1988. Photograph: Billy Stickland/Inpho Ms Nash told the judge that Mr Gibney was 'in desperate need of glasses', but that his affidavit was read aloud verbatim to him and he understood that he was waiving his right to a hearing and consenting to extradition. Mr Gibney also told the judge that he was on medication for high blood pressure, but that he was taking his medication as directed and was of sound mind to consent to waiving his hearing and consenting to extradition. Mr Gibney will remain in the custody of the US Marshal's Office until he is taken into custody of Garda National Protective Services Bureau in a minimum of five days. The extradition of Mr Gibney, who has been in custody in Florida since July 1st, to the State will now proceed and he is likely to appear before a Dublin court in the near future. It is expected that Mr Gibney's extradition may take some time to arrange, according to one source, with various administrative matters, possibly including travel documents, needing to be organised. It might happen next week, but most likely before the end of the month, the source said. Mr Gibney is accused of 78 charges of indecent assault and one of attempted rape. The alleged young victims say they were abused by Mr Gibney, who was their swimming coach in south Dublin, at different times between 1971 and 1981. In 1993, Mr Gibney appeared before the courts in Dublin charged with 27 sexual crimes. However, he took a High Court challenge to his prosecution and was successful. The court effectively ruled in 1994 that the allegations were too old, and many details were too vague, to warrant a prosecution. Legal norms and legislation have since changed in Ireland, meaning the prosecution of historical sexual crimes now regularly occurs. Suspects in historical cases no longer have the grounds they once did to avoid prosecution. Mr Gibney left Ireland in the 1990s, settling in the US, and remained there for the past 30 years, residing in Florida in recent years. However, between 2020 and 2022 the BBC-Second Captains podcast, entitled Where is George Gibney?, prompted the four women now accusing him to give statements to the Garda. A fresh criminal investigation began, with the Director of Public Prosecutions directing in May 2023 that he should face 79 charges, with arrest warrants issued by the courts in Dublin. Last October, the Irish embassy in Washington formally made a request to the US authorities to arrest Mr Gibney for the purpose of extraditing him to the Republic to stand trial.
Irish Times
11-07-2025
- Irish Times
George Gibney: US court orders extradition of former swimming coach to Ireland to face sex crime charges
A court in Florida has ordered that George Gibney , the former Irish Olympic swimming team coach, be handed over to the US Marshall's service and extradited to Ireland to face historic sex crime charges. Judge Daniel Irick, of the Orlando Division of the District Court in Florida, made the order after receipt of an affidavit signed by the 77-year-old in which he said he had received legal advice and had decided not to challenge his extradition. Mr Gibney asked the court 'to expedite my return, in custody, to Ireland'. Judge Irick, in response, and after being told in open court that Mr Gibney had voluntarily decided to waive his right to an extradition hearing, ordered that he be delivered into the custody of the US Marshall's service. READ MORE This was, he said, 'pending arrival of the duly authorised representatives of the Government of Ireland, at which time the United States Marshall shall deliver him to the custody of such representative to be transported to Ireland to be held for trial'. The extradition of Mr Gibney, who has been in custody in Florida since July 1st, to the State will now proceed and he is likely to appear before a Dublin court in the near future. The Garda Press Office has been asked for comment. Mr Gibney is accused of 78 charges of indecent assault and one of attempted rape. The alleged victims were aged between eight and 14 or 15 years when they say they were abused by Mr Gibney, who was their swimming coach in south Dublin, at different times between 1971 and 1981. In 1993, Mr Gibney appeared before the courts in Dublin charged with 27 sexual crimes. However, he took a High Court challenge to his prosecution and was successful. The court effectively ruled in 1994 that the allegations were too old, and many details were too vague, to warrant a prosecution. However, legal norms and legislation have since changed in Ireland, meaning the prosecution of historical sexual crimes now regularly occurs. Suspects in historical cases no longer have the grounds they once did to avoid prosecution. Mr Gibney left Ireland in the 1990s, settling in the US, and remained there for the past 30 years, residing in Florida in recent years. However, between 2020 and 2022 the BBC-Second Captains podcast, entitled Where is George Gibney?, prompted the four women now accusing him to give statements to the Garda. A fresh criminal investigation began, with the Director of Public Prosecutions directing in May 2023 that he should face 79 charges, with arrest warrants issued by the courts in Dublin. Last October, the Irish embassy in Washington formally made a request to the US authorities to arrest Mr Gibney for the purpose of extraditing him to the Republic to stand trial.
The Sun
29-05-2025
- General
- The Sun
Andrew Tate and brother Tristan ‘WILL return to the UK' to face rape and string of other offences, lawyer says
ANDREW and Tristan Tate will return to the UK to plead their case after the pair were hit with rape charges, their lawyer has said. The Tate brother's were charged with rape and a string of other offences against three women in the UK on Wednesday. 4 4 4 Controversial influencer Andrew, who is currently in Romania, is accused of ten charges in total. This includes rape, actual bodily harm, human trafficking and controlling prostitution for gain against three women. His brother Tristan, 36, is charged with 11 offences against one alleged victim - including rape, actual bodily harm and human trafficking. The brothers are facing a string of alleged sex crimes in Romania, which prosecutors say must be settled first. Andrew Ford, the pair's legal representative, confirmed in a statement that once proceedings in Romania are over they will address the ones in Britain. Ford told Sky News: "The Tates will return to face UK allegations". Lawyer Matt Jury, representing the alleged victims, said: 'We welcome the clarity from the Crown Prosecution Service that our authorities are working to ensure the Tates face justice here in the UK – they cannot be allowed to escape extradition." Tate is also being sued by four other women, after the CPS decided not to prosecute in 2019. It comes after the brothers flew to the US in February after they were freed from house arrest in Romania. While in the States, the Tate brothers did a tour of popular podcasts and rubbed shoulders with some of Los Angeles biggest influencers. Andrew and Tristan returned to Bucharest shortly after while investigations continue into their alleged sex crimes. Both have continued to maintain their innocence over those allegations. Ex-kickboxer Andrew moved to Romania years ago after first starting a webcam business in the UK. The self-proclaimed misogynist also appeared on Big Brother but was famously booted off the show.
