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Lisa N.'s avatar

I appreciate your work on this and the links to relevant legal documents. Lee Fang has done some great independent reporting on Epstein and his payments to officials in the Virgin Islands. It’s important to separate the hyperbole from the facts. It seems to me that we’ve only scratched the surface of what Epstein’s racket was but these people who spread sensational lies do not help us discover the truth.

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Barbara Boyd's avatar

Michael: I had been put off by your views on DJT as I am a fan. But your work here is extraordinary and important. Thank you for your courage. Child sex trafficking and child sex abuse deserves being in the last circle of Hell. But that's why it is sensationally exploited by grifters who play upon good but naive people. McMartin preschool. I had a ring seat to the Nebraska allegations from a friend of mine. I concluded the victims had been so mentally scrambled by their experiences that there was ultimately no way of knowing what took place.

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Noitavlas's avatar

Believe the victims

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remindful's avatar

Bryant's claim about an "NDA" and prohibition on naming other perpetrators as a condition of receiving compensation is a shocking falsity. It makes me wonder how he comes to say it, an original lie or something he's absorbed from someone else without scrutiny? The court-filed protocol is clear. Good reporting MT.

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Michael Tracey's avatar

He makes up so much stuff, it's clear he just has no rational journalistic standards whatsoever for how he processes and reports information. He's a fraud NGO activist masquerading as an "investigative journalist."

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Gutterdandy's avatar

Doesn't say much for the overrated Chris "I know Ralph Nader" Hedges, to just sit there and let someone lie his ass off and say nothing in response. I didn't watch it, but I might just to see if Hedges manages to work Ralph Nader's name into the convo somehow.

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mn's avatar

That Bryant interview was beyond cringe. And Hedges, sitting there nodding like a dope, is another one engaging in "wishful journalism".

If you're getting ready to 'debate' Ryan Dawson, I strongly suggest you prepare yourself by watching his interview of Farmer, which he did a couple of years after the Whitney fallout. Farmer really knows how to stimulate his lizard brain LOL. If you think WW was bad, he makes Webb look like Seymour Hersh.

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Gutterdandy's avatar

Never been a fan of Chris Hedges. I wonder if he mentioned "his good friend Ralph (Nader)" in this interview, as he does in almost everything he ever does, no matter what the topic is. Hedges is a strange fella.

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BigOinSeattle's avatar

Yeah I am not impressed by him either. He’s always got some old lefty, like the old gal he had regaling us with tales about 1980s Guatemala. He had to periodically interrupt her to remind us that he was in El Salvador or Nicaragua covering the rebels there. I am disappointed in Bryant, whose work on the Franklin scandal was legit. I still think that Tracey misses the forest for the trees regarding the Epstein scandal but I appreciate him keeping other journalists honest.

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Jim Weber's avatar

I appreciate your work Michael. I think Hedges is a great journalist and writer, with an impressive resume and one of the first to speak out against Iraq war and was forced to resign from NYT. All the criticisms of him in the comments are childish, and shows why discourse in this country is sad , we need more adults. No one is perfect and i hope Hedges responds and either takes video down or show why it shouldn’t be. People usually throw ad hominem attacks at Hedges. I appreciate that Michael disputed the facts and one of the reasons i respect him, too. We don’t need Epstein to show mainstream media is broken almost beyond repair.

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n2wishnn's avatar

I'd love to know what u're talking about with Farmer and Webb? Gonna try to look it up after this.. I've listened to a lot of Whitney Webb interviews, so I find it very interesting for u to imply she isn't a good journalist? Because it sure seems like she knows an awful lot about all these folks, their past, their connections, etc.. and her recall seems amazing. Not to mention the level of danger I imagine she puts herself in, discussing all this.

My introduction to her was only a few years ago though, so I've no idea about what u speak.

But if I've been absorbing the wrong content, I do need to know it. Just find it incredibly hard to believe, the things I've heard from her with such conviction, was in any way not good journalism?

Can u share a link or elaborate for me just a bit please?

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Theresa Thompson's avatar

Grifters gonna grift! Keep calling them out Michael. I wonder how much Hedges paid him for that appearance? I wonder how much Hedges made with that episode?

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Barry Eisler's avatar

Hi Michael, thanks for your diligence and level-headedness on the Epstein hysteria (and on all matters). The meta of the whole thing is fascinating--though I'm sorry that simple adherence to baseline journalistic standards has resulted in so much calumny against you (on the plus side, it did create an opportunity for me to use the word calumny). Not that you need to hear it--but still, Illegitimi non carborundum.

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MikeL's avatar

Thanks for this Michael. You are a doing a great service for the people. Keep up the good work it is appreciated!

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Zap Rowsdower's avatar

Ok, so when is the government going to tell us what was on the numerous devices and discs they seized from Epstein's house? The official story is that a bunch of guys were regularly hanging out with Epstein and his prostitutes, but none of them were having sex? Including BILL CLINTON? Does anyone actually believe that? That seems a little more important than these sideshows.

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Chuck Campbell's avatar

51:31

Great point Michael. Except that the perpetrator died by a very dubious suicide, many of the alleged accessories are known to be associated with murder or various acts of revenge. Robert Maxwell, Bill Clinton, various intelligence agencies, foreign and domestic. So yeah, they can talk. But like Whitney Webb or Glen Greenwald, you may want to move away afterwards. Far away. But you know that. It just wrecks your muckraker narrative.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/jeffrey-epstein-abused-trafficked-girls-young-women-virgin-islands-local-n1116591

11:44

MT “whatever else is true…”

This is Tracy conceding the bulk of the segment but found a little bit of shit that he could spread on the rest of the segment.

21:23

Bryant may have misquoted Wolf. But people reading the raving drivel of one Michael Tracy, you might get the impression that these were outlandish accusations. That kindly old Mr Epstein was more of a Fonzie than a Subway Jared. Tracy loves gov reports. Maybe he missed this article I conveniently attached.

Here’s the relevant info:

“Jeffrey Epstein sexually abused and trafficked young women and girls, some as young as 13, on his two private islands in the Caribbean over nearly two decades, the top law enforcement official in the U.S. Virgin Islands announced at a news conference Wednesday.”

32:53

Again, picking nits a bit aren’t you Sherlock. Your most mouth breather readers may find this pardons Epstein, but if he did or didn’t, top law enforcement officials in the Virgin Islands would be surprised if he didn’t make an attempt to fuck a girl with braces while on probation. So you’re hanging (no pun intended) Epstein’s misrepresentations solely on the 2008-2009 time frame? Kind of needy. Are you on any kind of child molester list?

49:04

Ok

I’m going to stipulate your assertion with a side of “who gives a fuck”

17:22

Your beef is with the word girl? I have a girlfriend. She’s 47. Am I a liar , too?

To be sure, both hedges and Bryant appear to be peppering their adjectives in a provocative manner. But no one can deny that you’re a master of such shady garbage journalism. As evidenced by my comment here and virtually every word to escape your fat mouth.

13:58

I will concede your point on age. Mainly I’m too lazy to research it and I think I have exposed your stupidity sufficiently.But there’s no denying that media coverage has been sparse. Neither MSM or the self congratulatory alternative media have done much. Except for those you have chosen to smear way after the bulk of their coverage.

14:14 Because it involves Trump I’m going to assume it’s a case of TDS. Mainly because if there was one iota of truth, every one of my retard liberal friends would be jumping around like their ass was on fire. Based solely on your opinion, I’d be open to research such things. But Trump to date, has fumbled the entire Epstein caper. So never say never. (Fumbled is a football reference. Football is a sport that non nerds play in their youth)

8:33

Holy inconceivable feigned deference to the Criminal justice system!!!Yeah, thats sort of the whole point of Epstein you idiot!! That every step of the way, evidence suggests a gigantic coverup. But you’re using the deep state fuckery as a cudgel?!? Who is paying you to pretend that you are fucking retarded!!! If you’re in some sort of danger take a shower and comb your hair as a cry for help during your next YouTube appearance. If “The Chris Hedges Report “ has a shed of self respect they’ll invite you to shove your magic bullet theory up your ass.

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Jonah Paritzky's avatar

I became a paid subscriber because of your Epstein coverage. You will be vindicated in the end and your detractors will be embarrassed for believing in this conspiracy.

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Andrew Murphy's avatar

I think you mentioned it in another article but another whopper from Nick Bryant is he beats his chest on how he published that infamous black book of Epstein with Gawker. Yet when Mother Jones columnist in 2020 called the names, only one person said they were groped by Epstein

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Jim Jones's avatar

The black book were contacts not victims, my friend.

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Andrew Murphy's avatar

Yeah but I have heard Bryant imply they were victims on more then one podcast

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Jim Jones's avatar

you're just confusing it, he certainly didn't say the black book contains victims.

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DECQuine's avatar

For now at least, I'll give Hedges the benefit of the doubt. I.e., that it's a temporary lapse of journalistic standards for personal reasons or unchecked unconscious bias.

We'll see what happens.

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Rob (c137)'s avatar

The whole Epstein story feels like it was intended to be exposed.

-even though it was technically legal age at the islands, he still did things in Florida which got him caught - a record

Was Epstein this stupid or was it to create the story of trafficking? I'm not saying he didn't do it, but why do it where it was easily caught and testimony by Americans holds more sway

-the video is clearly doctored almost by design... A mouse cursor in one part, aspect ratio change in another part. These are things that are easily fixed and any one of us with basic editing abilities would be able to do without those glaring issues!

-the 2 guards that saw him dead said he was sitting down, as if to make it obvious that he was killed

Nobody else saw? In that case why say he was sitting down while hanging? It makes no sense!

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Jazzme's avatar

These young woman were attracted to Eppstein like moths to a flame. Why? Was it like an initiation into the lovie dubbie club. Kind of a right if passage. Just speculating here so don't sue me.

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VanishingTribe's avatar

Just curious, why are you trying so hard to discredit those who've been trying to, at minimum, keep this sordid, disgusting issue in the public consciousness? Yes, let's be factual, but you seem to have an inordinate amount of energy around this. Strange.

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Michael Tracey's avatar

Because the collapse of journalistic standards is fomenting a moral panic that creates mass hysteria, injures civil liberties, proliferates a widespread misdiagnosis of political problems. So yes, I have a lot of energy for countering that.

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John caldwell's avatar

Didn’t u help promote the beheaded babies lie ?

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VanishingTribe's avatar

This collapse of journalistic standards didn't happen *now* because of Epstein -- it's been a steady erosion for decades but arguably went into hyperdrive during the "RussiaGate" bullshit, when most media became hyperpartisan propaganda outlets, and still are. I may be mistaken, but I don't recall much energy around popping that ridiculous bubble.

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Michael Tracey's avatar

You don’t recall me having much energy for covering Russiagate? Lol

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Gutterdandy's avatar

I remember you taking a ton of abuse for your coverage of it, and now the same thing is happening again with your coverage of Epstein and company. Many people can't stand even the slightest challenge to their cherished narratives, and as we see here with Chuckie, they get downright hostile about it.

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James's avatar

Tracey was essentially banished from 'polite society' for his consistent criticism of Russia-gate starting from basically day 1.

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Gutterdandy's avatar

Tracey certainly did spend a lot of energy popping that bubble and took a lot of abuse for it.

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John Bolger's avatar

Interesting how anybody can uncover a case like Epstein. It’s a very deep conspiracy . There is no way I can understand this issue until there is more dialogue and debates. Chris Hedges is the reason I got interested in journalism and war correspondents. Death of the Liberal class opened my eyes. I saw part of the interview and I remember thinking…no matter who is accused of something ya better be able to prove it. Maybe I naively thought interviews are allowed speculation when something is a conspiracy. The JFk conspiracy has had speculation my entire life. Occasionally Hedges does a Q & A. I hope he responds to the matter.

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mn's avatar

You must be new here

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VanishingTribe's avatar

Nope. I was one of MT’s original Substack subscribers but have admittedly not stayed up to date on all his content. My recollection of his Russiagate coverage does not include the quite vehement tone of this Epstein stuff. Like I said, I may be mistaken since it’s been quite a while.

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mn's avatar

He was vehement, and one of a handful only

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Jemmaline's avatar

The gaslighting and ad hominem attacks on Tracey for debunking the “Epstein as child sex trafficker and Israeli-sponsored blackmailer” narrative is similar to what he and a handful of other journalists experienced for their coverage of the Russiagate hoax. Gaslighting plus attacks on them for being paid’Putin. Puppet.s’ now it’s gaslighting plus pedophiliac Israeli agents.

Russiagate is deader than Elvis, but many journalists still resent Greenwald, Tracey, Mate, for having been right and still try to disparage them as being “pro-Russian.” My guess is a similar trajectory will attend this story.

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Chuck Campbell's avatar

You’re a phony pos. You have a moronic readership. Your version of the truth is more gaslighting garbage than anything you claim to have exposed.

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Richard Whitney's avatar

Mike, were you aware of this reply by Bryant: https://nickbryantnyc.com/blog/f/mikey-and-me-a-love-story. Are you going to respond?

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