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France Maintains Tough Stand on Israel Despite Pause in Gaza War
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said the European Union is having 'tough discussions' with Israel to help speed humanitarian and financial aid to Palestinians in war-ravaged Gaza. The Israeli government has made 'first commitments that have not been fulfilled yet,' Barrot said on CBS's Face the Nation on Sunday. 'We expect the Israeli government to stop the operations of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation that has caused a bloodbath in humanitarian help distribution lines in Gaza.'
Yahoo
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Ghislaine Maxwell lawyer says he hopes President Trump pardons her
Ghislaine Maxwell's lawyer said July 25 that he is hoping that President Donald Trump pardons the former British socialite for sex trafficking crimes she was convicted of in connection with disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein. 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
Yahoo
2 hours ago
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Why Are Republicans So Anxious to Talk to Ghislaine Maxwell?
Lawyers for the Justice Department traveled to Tallahassee on Thursday to meet with convicted sex trafficker, and former Jeffrey Epstein partner, Ghislaine Maxwell. The meeting is taking place amid a renewed firestorm of interest in Epstein's case, and backlash from the MAGA base over the Trump administration's refusal to release additional government evidence that could expose some of the powerful figures potentially tied to the notorious sex offender.. A longtime romantic partner to Epstein and collaborator in his trafficking operations, Maxwell was convicted of sex trafficking, conspiracy, and transportation of a minor with the intent to engage in illegal sexual activity in 2021, and sentenced to 20 years in prison. Maxwell potentially harbors a wealth of knowledge regarding who among Epstein's associates abused young women and girls along with Epstein. She has, so far, remained tight-lipped about what she does or does not know. Almost five years into her incarceration, she seems tentatively willing to play ball with the Trump administration as it scrambles to tamp down suspicion about his connection to the disgraced financier. Here's a refresher on Maxwell's role in the Epstein case, and how the Trump administration hopes she might bail them out of a crisis of their own making. Who is Ghislaine Maxwell? Before becoming the subject of international attention over her connections to Epstein, Maxwell was a British socialite and the daughter of Ian Robert Maxwell, a former member of the British Parliament. Maxwell met Epstein in the late 80s or early 90s, when the wealthy financier was a staple in the New York City social scene. They began a relationship shortly after and remained close up until his death in custody over two decades later. While Epstein's proclivities for young women and underage girls was infamous, Maxwell was considered his 'main' girlfriend by those who knew him or worked for him. She effectively operated as a chief of staff for his household, managing his staff, and coordinating the visits of young women 'massage therapists' to his home in Manhattan. What was she accused of? In February 2020, Maxwell was arrested by the FBI and accused of having 'assisted, facilitated, and contributed to Jeffrey Epstein's abuse of minor girls by, among other things, helping Epstein to recruit, groom, and ultimately abuse victims known to Maxwell and Epstein to be under the age of 18.' The charges against Maxwell stemmed from nearly a decade of allegations that she had helped recruit, groom, and abuse young women on Epstein's behalf. Several victims, most of whom were not publicly identified, testified that after Maxwell recruited them, they were coerced into performing sex acts with Epstein. Maxwell was ultimately convicted on five counts: sex trafficking of a minor, transporting a minor with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, and three counts of conspiracy to commit choate felonies. She was acquitted on one count of enticing a minor to travel to engage in illegal sex acts. She was ultimately sentenced to 20 years in prison, and is expected to face a second trial related to charges of perjury related to a 2015 testimony given during the course of a civil lawsuit against Epstein. What is her relationship to Trump, and what has he said about her? Maxwell and the president actually knew each other before Epstein was ever in the picture. The wealthy socialite and the New York tabloid staple crossed paths often, with Trump reportedly being friendly with Maxwell's father — who became a prominent media publisher after leaving British Parliament. Trump socialized with Epstein and Maxwell plenty after they got together, and numerous photos and videos exist of them partying in the 90s. The Wall Street Journal reported last week that Trump contributed a salacious note to a 50th birthday album Maxwell put together for Epstein in the early 2000s. In 2020, following Maxwell's arrest, Trump told reporters during a press briefing that he'd 'met her numerous times over the years, especially since I lived in Palm Beach, and I guess they lived in Palm Beach. But I wish her well, whatever it is.' 'I just wish her well, frankly,' he said. Journalist Jonathan Swan confronted Trump over the remarks in a one-on-one interview for Axios. 'Mr. President, Ghislaine Maxwell has been arrested on allegations of child sex trafficking. Why would you wish such a person well?' Swan asked. Trump responded by emphasizing that her boyfriend died in jail, suggesting he may have been murdered, and noting that he's 'not looking bad for anybody.' Swan then reiterated that Maxwell was an alleged child sex trafficker. During Maxwell's trial, troves of evidence emerged about the connections between her, Epstein, and some of the most powerful, wealthy, and prominent public figures in the world. Flight logs showed Trump traveling on Epstein's private plane — dubbed the 'Lolita Express' — seven times between 1993-1997. His name and phone number were also included in a contact book. Why is the Justice Department looking to speak to her? The Trump administration announced earlier this month that they were closing the book on the Epstein case. The FBI and DOJ claimed there was no incriminating evidence meriting further inquiry, and asserted that the financier had died by suicide in jail. The announcement was met with a full blown revolt by MAGA influencers who felt the administration had duped them with promises of increased transparency and additional prosecutions related to Epstein's sex trafficking operation. Trump has responded by claiming the Epstein files are a 'hoax' that was 'made up' by Democrats like former President Barack Obama. His administration and some Republicans in Congress have blocked attempts to make the files public. The Wall Street Journal reported earlier this week that Attorney General Pam Bondi warned Trump in May that his name appeared in the Epstein files multiple times. The DOJ announced on Tuesday that it had reached out to Maxwell. 'At the direction of Attorney General Bondi, I have communicated with counsel for Ms. Maxwell to determine whether she would be willing to speak with prosecutors from the Department,' Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche wrote in a statement on Tuesday. 'If Ghislane Maxwell has information about anyone who has committed crimes against victims, the FBI and the DOJ will hear what she has to say.' A day later, the Republican-controlled House Oversight Committee subpoenaed Maxwell, with Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) noting that the committee wants her 'to inform the consideration of potential legislative solutions to improve federal efforts to combat sex trafficking and reform the use of non-prosecution agreements and/or plea agreements in sex-crime investigations.' The committee is scheduled to depose her at the prison in Tallahassee where she is being held on August 11. The Trump administration and the president's allies in Congress seem to think that if they get Maxwell to attest that Trump did nothing wrong, it would appease the president's furious base. There's one problem with the ploy, as House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), of all people, laid out on Wednesday. 'The obvious concern, the caveat, that Chairman Comer and I and everyone has, is: Could she be counted on to tell the truth? Is she a credible witness?' he told reporters. 'I mean, this is a person who's been sentenced to many, many years in prison for terrible, unspeakable, conspiratorial acts, and acts against innocent young people. I mean, can we trust what she's going to say?' What's in it for Ghislaine? Maxwell is a convicted felon who would likely seek to convert her cooperation with the Justice Department into a bid for leniency or an outright pardon. The idea is already gaining traction among the right. 'Maybe she wants immunity, maybe she wants some sort of protection, I don't know,' Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk said on his podcast Tuesday. 'But it definitely is something that is worthy of praise, and worthy of our encouragement.' On Wednesday night, Newsmax host Greg Kelly told viewers that Maxwell 'deserves to be out. And maybe she never deserved to be in there in the first place.' 'I do have a feeling that she has been — she just might be a victim. She just might be. There was a rush to judgment. There was a lot of chaos there for a while,' Kelly added. There was no rush to judgement. Maxwell was accused in civil and criminal court, and convicted by a jury of her peers. One would hope that any sort of agreement struck for her cooperation would consider what got her incarcerated in the first place, but then again Trump has few scruples about pardoning egregious criminals. More from Rolling Stone Trump Claims Someone May Have Forged His Signature on Birthday Letter to Epstein Trump Praised Epstein as 'The Greatest' in Note: Report This Political Astrologer Has Some Bad News for Trump Best of Rolling Stone The Useful Idiots New Guide to the Most Stoned Moments of the 2020 Presidential Campaign Anatomy of a Fake News Scandal The Radical Crusade of Mike Pence Solve the daily Crossword
