Leaked Epstein Files talking points instruct Republicans how to point blame away from Trump
The memo conveys an image of a party resigned to the fact that its leader will be implicated in one of the most extensive international sex trafficking operations in recent history.
A leaked memo that circulated through Congress Tuesday details talking points Republicans are expected to use when talking about the Epstein Files as a way to protect President Donald Trump, conveying an image of a party resigned to the fact that those files will indeed be published on Friday and that their leader will be implicated in one of the most extensive international sex trafficking operations in recent history.
The memo, first published by Fox News, outlines how congressional Republicans should direct any discussion surrounding the contents of the Epstein Files away from Trump, and outlined a list of accusations to allege against journalists and Democratic lawmakers. In essence, the memo gives step-by-step instructions on how to utilize a psychological manipulation tactic known as DARVO (deny, attack, reverse victim and offender) in order to brush aside any alleged wrongdoing by the president, while villainizing his opposition and framing Trump as the victim.
“Democrats have demonstrated a sustained pattern of misconduct,” the memo reads. “To fabricate yet another politically motivated hoax targeting President Trump. As a result, nothing Democrats post or leak on this matter can be taken at face value. Equally troubling, much of the Legacy Media has uncritically amplified these falsehoods, acting as a willing conduit rather than performing basic due diligence.”
Missing from the document are any points that refute the accuracy or legitimacy of the actual contents of the Epstein Files, or any calls for accountability for the alleged co-conspirators. Instead, Republicans have been given marching orders to endlessly litigate to the press how the information has been released — and then attack the press for not sugarcoating the contents of the files.
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The blame game playbook
Republicans have chosen three Democrats to attack in the next phase of the Epstein scandal: US Reps. Stacey Plaskett, Yassamin Ansari, and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. While none of them enjoyed a decades-long friendship and business relationship with Epstein, as Trump did, the memo directs Republicans to redirect any question surrounding Trump’s extensive background with Epstein into a criticism of the trio’s limited interactions.
In each accusation, the veneer of credibility is flimsy. Plaskett, a former public prosecutor and current representative for the US Virgin Islands, exchanged text messages with Epstein during a 2019 congressional investigation into Trump. Plaskett said that the national spotlight from the hearing brought all sorts of people out of the woodwork who reached out to her, and she responded to Epstein and others as a way to gather evidence.
Ansari, a freshman member of Congress who has positioned herself as a vocal and effective critic of the Trump administration, posted a photo from the investigation with several women’s faces redacted. In an attempt to protect Trump and discredit his accusers, Republicans have attacked Ansari for sharing it.
With the accusations against Jeffries, Republican staffers are really grasping at straws. In 2013, a fundraising firm used by Jeffries sent a solicitation email to Epstein. There is no record of Jeffries corresponding directly with Epstein, and Epstein never donated to Jeffries’ campaign.
Push to discredit journalists
The memo rounds out its instructions with a list of ways congressional Republicans should discredit reporting outlets that publish content critical of Trump. It points to the publication of photos from the Epstein Estate that Democrats described as “never-before-seen” images from the Epstein Files, a descriptor that ran as the headline for a number of national news outlets.
But some of the photos had been made public previously, as the memo points out. O’Keefe Media — a far-right media company with a history of falsifying information to fit its narrative — published in May unredacted versions of some of the photos released by the Oversight Committee. Republicans are encouraged to use this example as a way to discredit reporting that doesn’t come from approved media sources, like O’Keefe Media and the New York Post.
“Legacy Media has uncritically amplified these falsehoods, acting as a willing conduit rather than performing basic due diligence,” the memo states. “This reckless combination of partisan distortion and media malpractice undermines the Committee’s work, misleads the public, and distracts from the serious responsibility of ensuring accountability, transparency, and justice for the American people.”
The full Epstein Files are required by law to be released to the public no later than Friday, December 19.
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