The scandal surrounding the late paedophile, Jeffrey Epstein, simply refuses to go away. Tin a number of respects that is a good thing. On the one hand it is exhibiting the openness of the American system of justice. I would be the last to agree that every case that has gone through its courts has arrived at the fairest judicial outcome. However, it is clear that in general, where behaviour emerges as illegal or morally unacceptable, the American laws and culture do seek to bring the miscreants to book. Assuming of course that political power is denied the opportunity to insert its influence.
Also, secondly, the emerging impression is that, even if you avoid prosecution, the broader court of public opinion will hold you accountable. Your career and status will sustain serious damage. The deterrent value of the Epstein case and the exposure of all the lurid detail lies in the following message for those with serious ambition, ‘If you go down that road, this is what you are likely to get.’ Modern technology will enhance the ability to obtain and store records that an individual knows might pop up into the public domain; and ruin a reputation. The guilty are clearly not sincerely devoted to any religion otherwise they would be deterred through fear of their Maker when they reach the Promised Land. So, the Epstein case is showing that if you are not worried about judgment in the next life, that’s one good reason to ensure you get it in this one.
The pressure to conform to decent, broadly-accepted standards of behaviour now extends beyond the ordinary individual. If the British royal family had been more thoroughly self-critical they would not have allowed a prince to behave as he did over a period of years. Quite openly in fact. Additionally, the dearly-loved Queen Elizabeth II did not do herself any favours when bailing out her son from the civil action – and to the tune of twelve million pounds – just because she loved him. Would most of us have done the same? Probably. So, we must be accepting a sufficient degree of responsibility for our near ones and dear ones. Tough love is sometimes required. Epstein-style exposure has ruined the reputation of a member of the British royal family and brought pressure upon that family to strengthen control of family behaviour if they wish to maintain the strong support of their monarchy.
The Epstein cloak of self-protection has created revelations that have embarrassed the leadership in a number of countries. Former USA President, Bill Clinton, had initially refused to testify in the ongoing Epstein investigation, and succumbed to the requirement only when facing a parliamentary vote that would have made the decision for him. It remains to be seen whether he has left a final footprint of naughty behaviour to account for. Mere association with Epstein is murdering reputations. No more severe impact is occurring than in the United Kingdom, where the Labour government of Sir Keir Starmer is positively tottering. Its performance over 18 months of government has already been judged as poor. Having said that, the only British administration that I can recall being rated a success was the Conservative government of Winston Churchill in 1945. However, that was merely for leading Britain to victory in World War II. Later that year, they voted him and his government out of power! Ill-prepared for peacetime government and the social demands of his people, Winston had won in war but not in politics.
Prime Minister Starmer always looked like the ‘square peg in a round hole’. He had been head of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) 2008-13 before moving into politics. There is no evidence to support the wild accusations made by Elon Musk that Starmer failed in those duties, but he was certainly part of a period of British judicial history that failed to create a sufficient deterrent. Now he is shamed by his support for a guy called Peter Mandelson, the kind of strategist, spin-doctor and negotiator that everyone used to want on their team. Starmer appointed Mandelson as UK Ambassador to the USA, to be known among those in the inner circle as ‘Our Man in DC’ and the ‘Trump Whisperer.’ It was a very important and highly trusted role. However, he was not only big mates (not quite that far, perhaps) with Esptein, but in the latest round of documentary revelations he is seen to have handed over state secrets to Epstein. Now that is very naughty indeed, punishable in the old days with a ‘rope for the neck.’
Ironically, in a stroke of the political genius that he has hitherto lacked, Starmer has allowed his long-time fellow-warrior, Morgan McSweeney, to tender his own resignation and issue a statement that he was personally responsible for advising Starmer to appoint Mandelson. I’m not sure people will swallow that one).
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