The Worst Enabler In Epstein Files Isn't Larry Summers -- It's Steve Bannon
If you followed the twists and turns of the Jeffrey Epstein saga over the last few weeks, you already know that several prominent names emerged from the tranche of emails that the Epstein estate released. Former Treasury Secretary and Harvard president Larry Summers, who exchanged scores of emails with the convicted pedophile, has seen his reputation shredded. But there is one big name that has so far received very little attention.
It's important to stress that Summers is not accused of any immoral or illegal conduct with underage girls, but he did betray a callous indifference to immoral and illegal conduct. Summers maintained a chummy relationship with Epstein years after Epstein had been convicted of soliciting underage prostitution, which is mind-boggling, and the consequences have been swift. Summers has withdrawn from half a dozen boards and has taken a leave of absence from Harvard.
Summers' behavior in his interactions with Epstein was appalling, but his response to the disclosure has been within normal bounds. Within hours of the emails' release, he released a statement acknowledging guilt. "I am deeply ashamed of my actions and recognize the pain they have caused. I take full responsibility for my misguided decision to continue communicating with Mr. Epstein."
Why has there been no similar accountability for another of Epstein's pen pals — Steve Bannon?
Trump's consigliere, strategist, propagandist and former senior counselor at the White House was on very friendly terms with Epstein. He exchanged hundreds of emails with the convicted felon and conspired to whitewash his public image.
Do you have friends who can send a private jet to retrieve you when your flight has been delayed? Epstein apparently did that for Bannon in 2018. On a trip to Great Britain, Bannon was greeted by protests. He emailed Epstein: "Don't think I can make the flight we r enroute to heathrow."
Epstein replied that he could fix it: "There. Is a gulf air that leaves at 950 with a stop in Bahrain."
Bannon was appreciative, joking that "U r an amazing assistant."
Keeping up the theme, Epstein emailed a few days later asking how it feels "to have the most highly paid travel agent in history."
Bannon responded, "U r pretty good asst."
Epstein in turn replied, "Massages. Not Included." Yes, you read that correctly.
The emails suggest that Bannon and Epstein often met in person, though, as Epstein's case drew more attention in 2018 and 2019, they took precautions. Epstein emailed Bannon, "Btw Im in New York tonite thru sat , if you want to visit under the cover of darkness or breakfast tomorrow if you like."
Bannon apparently did like, but requested "access that's not the front door," since Epstein was under "24/7 surveillance."
Epstein sought Bannon's counsel on how to respond to then-Sen. Ben Sasse's highly critical comments: "Continue to ignore? Ann Coulter on hannity/. Attack? Op ed , ? Not my skill set. ... What about the attunes penning something that suggests indignation and lays out some of the facts."
Bannon replied, "That drives it a week."
Some weeks later, apparently planning some sort of public response, Bannon advises Epstein, "If you do an interview it can't be like 'Johnnie does a utube' - has to be amazingly professional and perfectly cut."
One of those professionals was evidently going to be Bannon himself. He filmed 15 hours for a documentary that would attempt to redeem Epstein's reputation. When Epstein related that a Christian group he had met with said the media were portraying him "as beyond redemption," Bannon responded, "Yes yes yes of course — but we must counter 'rapist who traffics in female children to be raped by worlds most powerful , richest men.'"
The public Steve Bannon was another matter.
While sometimes casting doubt on the QAnon conspiracy, at other times he fed the flames. At the height of the 2020 campaign, he told his audience that the pedophile conspiracy is "at least directionally correct." And earlier this year, addressing Turning Point USA, Bannon offered that "Epstein is a key that picks the lock on so many things. ... Not just individuals, but also institutions. Intelligence institutions, foreign governments, and who was working with him on our intelligence apparatus and in our government."
Well, the released emails show that one of those who was working most closely with Epstein, up to and including attempting to scrub his public image, was Bannon himself. Whatever else Summers may be, he is not one of the principal authors of the MAGA movement who stoked conspiracies about the "deep state" and gave oxygen to the most unhinged beliefs in circulation. Bannon, the man millions of MAGA fans trust to tell it like it is, stands revealed as one of the most cynical liars ever to mar this country.
Where are the firings and denunciations? Where is Turning Point USA, the White House, House Speaker Mike Johnson? Where are all the MAGA faithful who claimed to believe or did believe in the vast conspiracy among elites to abuse children? And where, finally, is Bannon's acknowledgment of wrongdoing? Where is his shame?
Of these two men, the less guilty has acknowledged wrongdoing and been harshly punished while the more guilty man sails on without a backward glance. It's a travesty.
Mona Charen is policy editor of The Bulwark and host of the "Beg to Differ" podcast. Her new book, Hard Right: The GOP's Drift Toward Extremism, is available now.
Reprinted with permission from Creators
