Although President Donald Trump is suing the Wall Street Journal and owner Rupert Murdoch in response to the publication's reporting on a letter that Trump reportedly sent to Jeffrey Epstein for his 50th birthday, the publication isn't avoiding that subject. And on Monday, September 8, the Journal reported that "lawyers for Jeffrey Epstein's estate have given Congress a copy of the birthday book put together for the financier's 50th birthday, which includes a letter with President Trump's signature that he has said doesn't exist."
According to WSJ, members of the House Oversight Committee have "confirmed that they received a copy of the birthday book, including the letter bearing Trump's signature and a second letter that references Trump with a crude joke about a woman from another Epstein associate."
The next morning, former federal prosecutor Barbara McQuade offered legal analysis of the Journal's latest Epstein/Trump reporting during an appearance on MSNBC's "Morning Joe."
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"I found this item even more troubling than the drawing because of what it suggests," McQuade told "Morning Joe" hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski and their colleagues Jonathan Lemire, Ali Vitali and Willie Geist. "Now, of course, it appears that it was created by some member. It may be a completely fabricated joke, but you know, people make jokes based on some grain of truth because that's what makes it funny. And so, I think it raises a lot of questions."
The former U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) prosecutor added, "I also think the drawing suggests — you know, the drawing itself is sort of bawdy — but it suggests a close relationship with Trump, if it's authentic, referring to Jeffrey Epstein as his pal and that they have secrets together. So, I think It raises a lot of questions as to where it's going."
McQuade, during her September 9 "Morning Joe" appearance, never implied that Trump was involved in Epstein's crimes in any way. But she did comment that Trump would do himself a favor by being more upfront about DOJ's Epstein files.
The MSNBC legal analyst told the "Morning Joe" panel, "I am very cognizant of protecting the identities and the privacy of the survivors here. That's very important. I'm even cognizant of protecting the identities of subjects of investigation for whom there was insufficient evidence to charge. But one thing President Trump could do immediately is to say, 'In an effort to clear my name once and for all, I hereby direct the Justice Department to disclose every piece of material — whether it's a document, an image, or a video — that includes me. Let's put that out there, and let's put this scandal to rest.'"
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McQuade continued, "He could do that, but he's not. And why is he not doing it? I think it is for fear that there are things like this, or other things that would cause him embarrassment, if not shame within his base."
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