Keeping the Spotlight on the Epstein Files
Independent media + news creators are keeping the story in the news, exposing new facts and driving accountability
Last week, COURIER contributor and “American Freakshow” author Nina Burleigh published a newsletter highlighting and questioning a few glaring gaps and missing documents in the Epstein Files tied to Donald Trump. Nina and her co-author Katie Chenoweth dug into documents showing the FBI conducted at least four interviews in 2019 with a woman alleging Trump assaulted her when she was a teen, yet only one partial record remains public. The other three interviews are nowhere to be found in the files that have been released and gaps in serial numbering and a unique “PROTECT SOURCE” label—used by the FBI for high-risk informants—hint at deliberate omissions by the DOJ and a smoking gun.
That’s when the story exploded: One week after Nina published her story, NPR probed the DOJ’s handling of withheld Trump-related docs, and the New York Times also detailed how files related to the decades-old claims against Trump have now vanished from the files’ public releases.
These revelations are important because the DOJ is required by law to release these documents, and they had previously certified that all documents were public and in order. According to The Times, they’re now backtracking, saying in a statement that: “Should any document be found to have been improperly tagged in the review process and is responsive to the Act, the Department will of course publish it, consistent with the law.”
House Oversight Democrats are now accusing the White House of a cover-up, and the story appears to be far from over.
This is just one small example of the power and necessity of independent journalism in America today. While mainstream outlets either abandon stories like the Epstein Files to continue to ride the news cycle - or worse, fail to assign reporters to them at all for fear of retribution by the Trump administration - fearless outlets like COURIER and journalists like Nina are staying on the beat, reigniting stories with new, unreported details, and planting the seeds that eventually lead legacy outlets to pick up the story and increase demands for accountability.
I know I talk and write about the Epstein Files a lot, and I do so for a number of reasons. For one, it is the biggest coverup story in our nation’s history - far, far bigger than Watergate, and one that reinforces the widespread belief among Americans that the powerful and wealthy individuals who run our institutions and industries are both deeply corrupt, and above the law. This has made the Epstein Scandal the most powerful political wedge issue we have seen in a very long time, with Americans on all sides of the political spectrum tuning into, and demanding accountability from our leaders. The MAGA regime was swept into power by screaming about the Epstein Files for years, and now that they’re in charge, they’re doing everything they can to protect their leader (and themselves) from humiliation or consequences. By exposing the corruption and hypocrisy of this administration, coverage of the atrocities in the files has only super-charged engagement on the story, and widespread, bipartisan calls for justice for the victims and survivors as a result.
It is my personal belief that this story is the Watergate of my generation, but instead of a legacy newspaper like the Washington Post leading the charge for truth and accountability, it will be independent news networks like COURIER.
- Tara
Watch: My “Gloves Off” interview with Miles Taylor
For the latest episode of Gloves Off, I sat down with author, security expert, and Trump Administration 1.0 whistleblower Miles Taylor. Taylor has firsthand experience fighting gloves-off with Donald Trump: after serving as a high-level admin official at DHS during his first administration, Taylor learned just how far over the line Trump was willing to cross – and how many people were willing to let him get away with it. Taylor joined me to discuss what it was like to work alongside Stephen Miller, have his life unraveled TWICE as a result of speaking truth to power, and how we can all defy corruption every day, if we’re only willing to look it in the face. I hope you’ll watch our conversation on YouTube, or listen to it wherever you get your podcasts.
What I’m reading this week:
Tech, TV, Movies & News: Ellisons on Brink of Colossal Empire (NYT, 2/27)
“If Paramount can close its deal to buy Warner Bros. Discovery, Larry and David Ellison will influence nearly every corner of news, entertainment and tech.”
Paramount Skydance Poised to Acquire Warner Bros. Discovery After Netflix Bows Out of Bidding War (Variety, 2/26)
“Netflix says WBD deal was ‘no longer financially attractive’; Warner Bros. now says sale to Paramount ‘will create tremendous value for shareholders’”
What Are Young Men Seeing About the Epstein Files on Reddit? (YMRI, 2/26)
“While most political information on Reddit is “apolitical,” Epstein content seems to be more directly aimed against Republicans than other political news.”
The Media Merger You Should Actually Care About (New Yorker, 2/26)
“An under-the-radar, Trump-approved deal could create a broadcasting behemoth that controls local news stations across more than forty states. Why do some MAGA diehards oppose it?”
You’re Invited: Upcoming COURIER Events
A Texas-sized Primary Debrief: Join us on Wednesday, March 4 at 1:00 PM ET/Noon CT for a virtual conversation breaking down what the Texas primary results tell us about the road to the 2026 midterms. Featuring COURIER’s Dawn Jones and Katie Serrano, alongside Matt Angle of the The Lone Star Project, this discussion will offer on-the-ground analysis of a pivotal election moment in Texas. More details + RSVP here >>
MAHA & the Midterms: Join COURIER and 314 Action on March 12 for a live conversation that will examine how political choices are reshaping healthcare access ahead of the midterms. We’ll break down how Trump, RFK Jr., and the broader MAHA agenda are impacting public health, who benefits, and what’s at stake for families across the country. More details + RSVP here >>