DOJ Urges Supreme Court to Uphold Maxwell’s Conviction

On Monday, the Department of Justice (DOJ), under President Donald Trump, called on the Supreme Court to reject Ghislaine Maxwell’s appeal, maintaining her conviction for sex trafficking.

Maxwell was convicted in 2021, a judgment that stemmed from her involvement in a non-prosecution agreement (NPA) tied to Jeffrey Epstein, which allegedly facilitated his abuse of a young girl. This agreement, initiated by Alexander Acosta in 2007, allowed Epstein to plead guilty to lesser state charges, skirting federal prosecution. Notably, Acosta later took on the role of Secretary of Labor during Trump’s administration.

Critics have remarked that the NPA seems contradictory, given it opened the doors for federal prosecution against Epstein in another jurisdiction while simultaneously shielding his associates from legal consequences. Some found this, well, strange.

A DOJ memo shared by Axios on July 6 referenced the absence of a client list involving Epstein, following claims that he died by suicide. This sparked backlash among Trump’s supporters, raising questions of accountability.

FBI Director Kash Patel dismissed conspiracy theories surrounding Epstein, stating they were baseless and, well, he should know since he is a key player in the administration.

Meanwhile, Attorney General Pam Bondi hinted on Fox News that a potential client list might exist. Shortly after, several influential conservative figures were given a preliminary Epstein file binder at the White House.

Trump defended Bondi in a social media post, praising her efforts and asserting that she was achieving more in six months than many administrations had managed over a century.

Maxwell’s challenges continued as she petitioned the Supreme Court in April after the Second Circuit Court of Appeals declined to revisit her case. She argued that despite the existence of the NPA, which assured non-indictment for Epstein’s co-conspirators, she ended up facing charges as if she were one of them. Her motion to dismiss was denied, leading to her current sentence of 20 years in prison.