I just got the overwhelming feeling we've been set up...

[Javaman]

call me crazy and please dissuade me.

MTG comes out ahead of the vote and demands the release of the files. but never once has she ever said that trump was in them or had any suspicions that he was in them. (convenient out)

the orange asshole drags his feet. then does a sudden and complete about face and says "oh just release them already".

and this is because I think they have been scrubbing and recreating the files. (which we will only probably see a 10th of)

then the vote happens and it's virtually unanimous. Suddenly all the repukes are on board?

mtg whips everyone up into a froth and gets some of her "base" to get all angry against her (good coverage both for her back and to keep herself in the headlines) and claims she doesn't care that they are angry because "the truth" needs to come out.

the truth does need to come out, but not the repukes version of the truth, which we are about to be witness to.

this was an elaborate play by both the orange asshole and his ever dutiful water carrier mtg.

on edit. and it appears that the repuke controlled senate is going to pass it.

On edit: more over I won’t be the least surprised if mtg and the orange asshole are buddy buddy again in about a month. Thus getting spilt maga morons back into the fold

[newdeal2]

1. What's the alternative that we should have done instead?

Plus he already said the files were a hoax by Democrats so he kinda shot himself in the foot.

[Javaman]

4. not we.

but the orange asshole and the room full of dopes.

They could have sat on this forever but they know they were going to take a massive hit, so they needed time to scramble and edit the files.

they got that time

it was his sudden turnaround and the overwhelming vote by the house that telegraphed what happened.

[Dave says]

31. I agree

The thought that the Trump Administration would release anything truly hurtful to Trump is just insanity.

It wouldn’t surprise me in the least if the “files” were thoroughly scrubbed and when released will be hurtful to Democrats (with maybe a few Republicans not on Trumps favorites list).

I don’t understand why anyone would think it would be otherwise… unless?

The oligarchs and Republican establishment are tired of Trump and have decided to throw him under the bus? Here’s hoping that is so!

[EdmondDantes_]

2. Nobody in Trump's orbit is smart enough to pull something like that off without leaving a trail

They aren't super geniuses.

[Javaman]

5. never said they were geniuses, just that we got played so they could edit the files.

and I have no doubt they will leave a trail a mile wide and a mile long.

these morons always think they are just that clever.

[Beartracks]

21. It's not even a trail -- it's a neon billboard.

Johnson keeps the House in recess and didn't seat Grijalva, thus preventing the vote. That bought a lot of convenient time.

============

[hlthe2b]

3. I tend to agree. But, there are hundreds of FBI agents, current and past who know what is in those files...

All it takes is one to leak... And that doesn't include CIA or others who are fully aware of what is contained in those files.

[RockCreek]

22. And that includes the survivors and their lawyers.

[Ilikepurple]

32. Yet none of these has said anything yet.

I’m not sure, but those who know the truth, but haven’t been outraged enough to say anything when Bondi considered the case closed are now going to stick their neck out because the DOJ releases abridged or even fabricated files? I guess maybe in allegiance to those who are named if any. I don’t doubt revealing names and pointing out fabrications will bring the heat up, but who are many, including the media, going to put the burden of proof on? The DOJ and FBI or a whistleblower past or present? The American public and its institutions don’t have a great track record of following up whistleblower information. There is also not a great record of believing abuse victims outside of court proceedings. The decades long relative silence all around this issue and particularly identifying participants tells me at the least it’s a very dangerous subject for both the media and our justice system to get too involved. I don’t have the greatest confidence that any of our traditional mainstream media sources have the desire or fortitude to chase this story down and unfortunately alternative news sources will be taken as unsubstantiated clickbait or partisan hit pieces by many. My hope is that this issue gets hot enough that Republicans start to abandon fealty to this administration. If that happens perhaps the first domino will fall. It seems that everybody is trying to read the room and we’ll just have to see how this progresses in the coming months.

[appmanga]

33. Maurene Comey is one of those (n/t)

[slightlv]

38. And i expect we'll see more

coming from the Estate than from the DOJ. I've never seen who it is that's releasing these Estate files. But an email to email comparison might be quite enlightening. If it's Maxwell's behest we better hope she's got better security than her boyfriend had!

[Nictuku]

6. I don't think they are that smart

[Javaman]

7. They aren't nor are they clever

But never underestimate the power of a good con job

[Deuxcents]

8. But they are devious

[msongs]

9. have previously similar doubts and could this be a setup for trump to get a big laugh at dems expense

[Arazi]

10. Many of these young women know their abusers

They have lists of perpetrators. They said they want the DOJ/Congress to be involved so they don’t become targets for retribution and further abuse by being the ones to solely put the names out there.

Plus, they have said this is an international sex trafficking ring. It’s bigger than just the US. Justice starts here because many of the crimes happened here but as “Prince” Andrew shows, this isn’t going to stay contained. They want a proper congressional investigation, especially the financial transactions

[Javaman]

11. All true

But in the orange assholes mind, he honestly thinks release this fixed up version of the files will answer any and all questions and he will be magically absolved of everything

He only thinks of himself and that is his ultimate undoing.

By not giving any credence to the victims voices, he thinks he “out maneuvered them”

He is so very wrong.

[JCMach1]

12. Occam's Razor...

Trump has dissed MTG for years.

She was finally just tired of it.

[Javaman]

13. Perhaps.

We will see in a few months time.

If she’s back in the fold and beasties with the orange asshole, then we’ll have our answer

Remember this, when pointedly asked whether she thought trump was in the files,(which we know he is via other sources) she has never once said that she thought he was. That’s her escape hatch

[Boo1]

14. What?

Democrats have been in unison calling for releasing them for months. There would have been 0 reason to get into a spat with MTG, call them a democratic hoax, etc.


This was Trump realizing he couldn't stop it and trying to save face. He is losing control of his party and that is what he wants to cover up.


Every Republican jumped on board because they didn't want to be the guy who was on record to not release them when it was clear that the yes votes would win.


I doubt there is all that much in the files vut more embarrassing connections. If there was it would have been used already

[Javaman]

15. You could be right

I can’t see in the future

But as I said it’s just a overwhelming feeling I have

[KS Toronado]

29. Welcome to DU !

[babylonsister]

16. I recently heard there are all kinds of witnesses out there

who know what is/was in the files, like FBI agents, and are ready to spill. Thank gawd this file was compiled over a few decades and was not solely created by this admin.

Did I dissuade you? Pretty bubbly stuff.

[canetoad]

19. Didn't see your post

And said something vaguely similar below.

[Irish_Dem]

17. One thing is 100% certain we are looking at self serving Kabuki theater.

We don't yet know what exactly is happening.

Your theory is as good as any for the time being.

[canetoad]

18. That is a believable scenario

I can't really see Margie three toes abandoning the object of her adoration.

If true, we can rely on the scrubbing being done with this admin's usual level of accuracy and conscientiousness which happens to be very low. Folks on the internet will be all over it and hopefully call them out.

[babylonsister]

20. Look how EVERYONE seemed to

scour the files released from epstein's estate. We know fine tooth combs will be used. We'll see, exciting times I wish weren't happening but being here, I'm happy something's happening.

[BannonsLiver]

23. I don't really buy into the MTG angle. They don't need her to cook the material.

But I do believe they’ve cooked it.

[a kennedy]

24. ARE THEY ALL FAWKING Liars!!!!!

Ah shit…..will the Democrats and ALL THE WOMEN THAT GOT GROOMED AND SCREWED gonna be the losers in all of this?? IS IT ALL POLITICAL??? Really??? Oh my gawd, I sooooooooo hope this whole Epstein shit will kick some ass…….just starting to think it’s not gonna happen.

[Grim Chieftain]

25. Question everything, doubt nothing

Especially with the MAGA cult.

[W_HAMILTON]

26. Even if it is, it won't matter because Republicans are still going to get swept out of office next year.

[Joinfortmill]

27. Most likely, but the Epstein family has the goods... TickTock.

[markodochartaigh]

28. Remember the 1,000 FBI agents tasked to remove Trump's name?

What happened next kicked off a new phase in the Epstein saga. As I reported in the March 28th edition of FOIA Files, Patel directed FBI special agents from the New York and Washington field offices to join the bureau’s FOIA employees at its sprawling Central Records Complex in Winchester, Virginia and another building a few miles away.

They were instructed to search for and review every single Epstein-related document and determine what could be released. That included a mountain of material accumulated by the FBI over nearly two decades, including grand jury testimony, prosecutors’ case files, as well as tens of thousands of pages of the bureau’s own investigative files on Epstein. It was a herculean task that involved as many as 1,000 FBI agents and other personnel pulling all-nighters while poring through more than 100,000 documents, according to a July letter from Senator Dick Durbin to Bondi.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2025-08-01/epstein-files-trump-s-name-was-redacted-by-the-fbi

[debsy]

30. Exactly this.

[KS Toronado]

34. I thought some of the Epstein stuff the DOJ took from the New York

group looking into Epstein included 1000's of video tapes of the actual illegal acts. Kind of hard to erase
your face & voice off of video. But then do they even exist anymore?

[Half-step]

35. It would have to be a massive scrubbing...

Anyone implicated, victimized or mentioned as a witness could still point the finger at TSF. I do understand that some people could be bribed or silenced with threats, but still... I would expect this to open a can of worms unless it was completely redacted.

For the record, I have zero experience in law enforcement, bribery or threats of any kind. So...

[LymphocyteLover]

36. We may have been played on the files, but I don't think MTG was part of it

I just worry that there will only be damaging material for us left in there and trump's role will be covered up due to "national security"

[gordianot]

37. There is something big blowing in the end.

Look how the British Royals dealt with their huge embarrassment. Cut your ties early before it hits the fan.

[TBF]

39. I don't know about a "set up" -

but I don't trust any of them, Marge included.

The only way this plays out well is if there really were discussions at the highest levels to try to remove Trump, and even then, we get JV, which is not a win. I have a really hard time believing that they've all had a change of face, the full unredacted files will be released, and Trump will end up in prison. I just don't see it. Maybe he retires for health reasons at some point w/JV taking over - I could see that possibly occurring - but that keeps MAGA (or worse the Christian Nationalists) in charge.

I'm still not seeing the way out of this yet. Maybe if we have legitimate elections at the mid-term, and Trump becomes a lame duck. That would be something hopeful.