On Flag Day we pay tribute to a symbol of freedom that is known the world over as a beacon of hope and justice, that sweet Old Glory, our American Flag.
The Stars and Stripes were adopted by the Continental Congress in 1777. Red for valor, white for purity, and blue for loyalty. Stars for a new constellation. Congress knew this great experiment of democracy, representation, and equality deserved an emblem worthy of the allegiance of a new nation as monumental as new stars in the sky.
Nearly 250 years later, the flag of the United States of America still stands for liberty. She has painted history red, white, and blue as she blazed a path against tyranny in all its forms. She is a formidable foe to all those who threaten freedom and a fierce friend to the oppressed and downtrodden. She has inspired poems and songs and is the shroud of honor for our fallen heroes, who gave their all in service to the ideals for which she stands. There is no greater love than to lay your life down for your friends.
I wonder if that first Congress could ever fathom just how far their flag has flown. From humble beginnings, they dared to dream of a new world where we all have a voice. The Stars and Stripes have carried that vision forward on the shoulders of the courageous men and women who dare to dream of a more perfect Union.
Embodied by those American pioneers, Old Glory has transcended new frontiers and is firmly planted in the depths of the human spirit. From the shores of Tripoli to the top of Mount Everest, from Eagle River, Alaska, to the surface of the moon, she waves in honor of those who have built her legacy and those who will carry her values into the future.
Flag Day is a time to pay tribute to the extraordinary journey of the American people, remembering our moments of triumph and our strength in adversity.
Flag Day reminds us that the responsibility to carry the values of the flag into the future rests on each and every one of us. Her success depends on our willingness to engage in our government, invest in our communities, and diligently teach our children the power of freedom.
Our flag unites us as Americans, embracing our differences and reminding us that we are a nation of individuals, as equal and unique as the 50 stars. The stripes remind us of the struggle for independence, that freedom isn’t free.
Our flag is a powerful symbol that brings together people of all backgrounds, beliefs, and walks of life under a common purpose. As we celebrate Flag Day, let us reaffirm our commitment to the principles that our flag embodies: red for valor, white for purity, and blue for loyalty both to freedom and to each other.
Let us also remember the men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our flag and the freedoms it represents. We honor our soldiers and acknowledge that we owe the safety and liberty of our shores to their loyalty and service. Their dedication and courage inspires us to live up to the ideals of the Stars and Stripes and to never take our freedom for granted.
Let us take a moment to reflect on the powerful symbolism of our flag. Let us recognize its role as a unifying force and a faithful reminder of the values that make our nation strong. May we always cherish and protect the freedoms it represents, and may we be inspired to work together to build a brighter and more prosperous future, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
Thank you, and may God bless the United States of America.
Rep. Jamie Allardserves in the Alaska House of Representativesfor Eagle River. These were her remarks for the Elks Club in Eagle River Sunday.
While the Biden crime syndicate scandal is being ignored by the mainstream media, former President Donald Trump was arraigned today in a Miami court, where he pleaded not guilty to 37 counts relating to classified documents that were in his possession at Mar-a-Lago after he left the White House in 2021.
Three thousand people showed up outside the Miami courthouse to rally for Trump; an anti-Trump protester dressed in a black-and-white striped prison costume was arrested for blocking the Trump motorcade.
After his arraignment, Trump and his caravan of black SUVs left the courthouse and went to the Versailles Cuban bakery in the Little Havana neighborhood, where a crowd gathered to greet him, and support him. A rabbi placed his hands on Trump and prayed for him. They broke into song, singing “Happy Birthday to You,” for the former president, who turns 77 on Wednesday.
“Some birthday!” he said in response, “We’ve got a government that’s out of control.” He promised bakery treats for everyone there.
On Tuesday night, Trump will be back in Bedminster, N.J. to deliver a speech.
An NBC poll released on Tuesday from June 7-10 timeframe, shows likely Republican voters still support him, with Trump gaining a bump of five percentage points:
Businesses, banks, hospitals, and homes in northern and northwestern Alaska are facing a challenging communication situation as a subsea fiber optic network operated by Quintillion was severed over the weekend.
The outage leaves communities such as Nome, Kotzebue, Utqiagvik, Wainwright, Point Hope, Kotzebue, and Atqasuk without internet or cell phone service, affecting essential operations and creating significant challenges for residents.
Quintillion, the company responsible for the network, has been forthcoming about the cause of the break in service, attributing it to ice movement. Repairing the damage may take up to two months, the company said, leaving the affected communities in a prolonged state of disconnection.
The impact on local businesses has been particularly challenging. Without internet or cell phone service, they are struggling to carry out credit card transactions, make phone calls, and transfer data. In a bid to continue accepting credit cards, some businesses have resorted to flying in paper receipts that require old-style carbon imprinters, harking back to a time before the digital era.
However, potential solutions lie not beneath the sea but in the sky.
Pacific Dataport, an Alaska company, offers the OneWeb Leo satellite, which could provide a faster alternative for those seeking a temporary fix. Implementing this system could take a few days, offering hope for a more immediate restoration of connectivity. Furthermore, Pacific Dataport recently launched an Aurora GEO HTS satellite designed specifically for rural areas, which is set to become operational in early August.
The severity of the situation is evident from the fact that even the Barrow Sea Ice Cam, located in Utqiagvik, ceased transmitting images on June 11. The last available image displayed sea ice still clinging to the shore. Quintillion predicts that the ice near Oliktok Point may disappear by the end of June or early July, signaling when the company can begin the repair process.
The Quintillion network, established in 2018, initially covered a 500-mile terrestrial fiber system from Fairbanks to Deadhorse. Subsequently, the company extended its reach with a groundbreaking 1,700-mile subsea fiber system—the first of its kind in the North American Arctic.
Until June 11, 2023, the network had operated flawlessly, bridging the digital divide for approximately 20,000 residents and businesses in Alaska Native communities such as Utqiaġvik, Point Hope, Wainwright, Kotzebue, and Nome. Previously lacking reliable, affordable, high-speed broadband and modern cell service, these communities now face a setback.
Quintillion’s customers also include military installations in Alaska, which have satellite redundancies to ensure communication continuity.
House Committee on Oversight and Accountability Chairman James Comer and other lawmakers held a press conference Monday detailing evidence uncovered during the committee’s investigation into the Biden family’s extensive influence peddling schemes.
Comer pointed to financial records tracing at least $10 million from foreign nationals and related companies to the Biden family, their associates, and their companies. Comer outlined how the Bidens took steps to launder the payments they received from foreign nationals, including a Communist Chinese Party-linked associate.
In addition to China, the Biden family received money from Romania in an influence peddling scheme from 2015 to 2017, Comer said. This scheme started at least as far back as when Biden was Vice President.
“I want to be clear: this Committee is investigating President Biden and his family’s shady business deals that capitalized on Joe Biden’s public office and risked our country’s national security,” Comer said. He continued:
“In only four months since obtaining subpoena authority, we have made astonishing progress. Today we’ll talk about that progress.
“First, we want to discuss information the Committee has learned since our last press conference in November: new information investigators have uncovered regarding the transfer of money from foreign entities to the Biden family.
“Many of the wire payments occurred while Joe Biden was Vice President and leading the United States’ efforts in those countries.
“For instance, while Vice President Biden was lecturing Romania on anti-corruption policies, in reality he was a walking billboard for his son and family to collect money.
“Hunter Biden and his associates capitalized on a lucrative financial relationship with a Romanian national who was under investigation for—and later convicted of—corruption in Romania,” Comer said.
“The Bidens received over $1 million for the deal, and 16 of the 17 payments to their associate’s account that funneled the Bidens money occurred while Joe Biden was Vice President.
“In fact, the money stops flowing from the Romanian national soon after Joe Biden leaves office.
“This is a pattern of influence peddling,” Comer said. “This appears separate from any payment Hunter received from his work connecting this individual to a U.S. law firm.”
Comer went on to describe how Joe Biden received millions of dollars from China.
“This includes two individuals the Committee is particularly concerned about. One of them— Ye Jianming—had close ties to the highest levels of the Chinese Communist Party and operated a multi-billion-dollar energy company with access to huge sums of money,” Comer said.
The Bidens received millions of dollars from this individual through the use of shell companies and money transfers, Comer said.
An analysis last year of documents obtained from Hunter Biden’s hard drive and iCloud account, as well as documents released by Republicans on two Senate committees last year, uncovered a total income of approximately $11 million earned by Hunter Biden and his company between 2013 and 2018. These earnings were acquired through his roles as an attorney and a board member with a corrupt Ukrainian firm, Burisma, as well as his involvement with a Chinese businessman who faces fraud charges.
While the hard drive document showed substantial earnings Hunter Biden accumulated and spent during this period, there are no details regarding the nature of his work with his Chinese partners.
Hunter Biden’s hard drive held evidence that he burned through $200,000 per month from October 2017 through February 2018 on luxury hotels, a Porsche, dental work to restore his drug-rotted teeth, and cash withdrawals. And then there were the photos — scores of photos with him in compromised situations with women and drugs.
In March, the Oversight Committee released its first bank records memorandum that showed a Biden associate— John Robinson “Rob” Walker—had used his company to funnel money from the Chinese to various Biden family members. Walker visited the White House at least 16 times when President Biden was vice president.
Comer called out the Democrats on the committee for dismissing evidence that was made up of bank records received from financial institutions.
“Democrats said all the bank records showed were Papa Johns and Starbucks receipts. They deliberately chose to misconstrue and deny what was clearly in front of them,” Comer said.
Hunter Biden’s representatives claimed the money was “good faith seed funds” but could not explain why those funds had to go through an intermediary in what appears to be an attempt to hide the transfers from the Chinese — a classic money laundering technique.
The Bidens received over $1 million in 16 different wire transfers over a period of three months to at least five different bank accounts, Comer said.
While Biden has denied the allegation, Comer said the president has not been honest.
“The Bidens have received millions of dollars from China. It is inconceivable the president didn’t know about it,” Comer said.
The White House refuses to correct the president’s false statements. This, Comer said, is misusing the federal government to cover up these schemes.
“A week ago, I sent a subpoena to the FBI for a form that a whistleblower has alleged is in the FBI’s possession. We hope the FBI will be transparent and forthcoming and provide the Oversight Committee with the 1023 form we have subpoenaed. If they do, the Committee will assess the form it has subpoenaed from the FBI and—as has been my practice—we will report to you only facts when they are verified and indisputable,” Comer said.
“I trust the whistleblower. A subpoena from this Committee is a powerful tool that I do not take lightly. The level of detail provided to Senator Grassley led me to conclude a subpoena was warranted, and I stand by that assessment,” Comer said.
When Sen. Chuck Grassley approached Comer with the information the whistleblower provided, “it was because of the information we’ve learned through the Committee’s own investigation that indicated to me the whistleblower’s allegations are consistent with our independent findings,” he said.
The Oversight Committee reviewed thousands of bank records from individuals and companies affiliated with the Bidens and their associates. It has subpoenaed documents from different banks and Comer said those documents proved fruitful in advancing the investigation.
“The Committee is concerned by the complicated, suspicious network of over 20 companies we have identified the Bidens and their associates used to enrich themselves,” he said.
Most of thee companies were limited liability companies formed during Joe Biden’s vice presidency. Bank records show the Biden family, their associates, and their companies received over $10 million from foreign nationals and their companies — some of it from a Chinese company that sent funds to Hunter Biden’s company, and others, with the help of Rob Walker, went to different Biden family members.
“This is not how lawful businesses usually operate,” Comer said. “Chinese nationals affiliated with the Bidens created limited liability companies in the United States and then in a short period of time transferred their interests to a Chinese company that then sent money to the Bidens. This is not normal.”
Hunter Biden and his associates courted business in countries that correlated directly with Joe Biden’s work as Vice President.
“This is also not normal. It is not ethical,” Comer said. “And this is why we need legislative solutions.”
The committee will provide legislation that he hopes will to prevent this unethical behavior from happening again.
“This investigation is about investigating allegations of corruption and fraud at the highest levels of the federal government,” Comer said.
The committee issued a new round of subpoenas on Monday, and also sent letters to Biden associates to come forward prior to the committee having to issue a subpoena. Comer also released a second bank accounts memorandum, so the American people can see for themselves the actual banking transactions the Bidens engaged in.
Read the second bank records memorandum here. The first memorandum can be found here.
Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) unveiled shocking allegations involving President Joe Biden and his son Hunter today.
Grassley stated that an FBI informant claims to possess over a dozen audio recordings of conversations related to an alleged $5 million bribery scheme with Ukraine.
According to Grassley, the FBI informant’s claims were documented in an “FD-1023” file currently in the possession of the FBI.
The file has been reviewed by members of the House Oversight Committee with redactions. It makes references to the audio recordings. Grassley argued that the information contained in the file should be made public, urging transparency and accountability in the face of such serious allegations.
Working closely with Oversight Chairman James Comer (R-KY), Grassley emphasized that efforts were underway to uncover further information related to the alleged bribery scheme.
Comer, after threatening to hold the head of the FBI in contempt of Congress, has exercised subpoena power to compel the FBI to disclose additional details regarding the allegations.
“The 1023 produced to that House committee redacted reference that the foreign national who allegedly bribed Joe and Hunter Biden allegedly has audio recordings of his conversation with them. Seventeen such recordings,” Grassley said in a speech on the Senate floor. He said he has personally seen the document with fewer redactions than what oversight panel members were given.
“According to the 1023, the foreign national possesses 15 audio recordings of phone calls between him and Hunter Biden,” Grassley said. “According to the 1023, the foreign national possesses two audio recordings of phone calls between him and then-vice president Joe Biden. These recordings were allegedly kept as a sort of insurance policy for the foreign national in case he got into a tight spot. The 1023 also indicates that then-Vice President Joe Biden may have been involved in Burisma employing Hunter Biden.”
According to the Society of Former Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigations, “FD-1023 is the form our special agents use to record raw, unverified reporting from confidential human sources (CHSs). FD-1023s merely document that information; they do not reflect the conclusions of investigators based on a fuller context or understanding. Recording this information does not validate it, establish its credibility, or weigh it against other information known or developed by the FBI in our investigations.” More explanation of this incident at this link.
This latest revelation follows a series of controversies and scandals surrounding the Biden family, particularly related to their business dealings overseas. The allegations of a bribery scheme involving Ukraine was suppressed earlier by the previous management of Twitter, the social media company.
OPEN NUDITY ON SOUTH LAWN OF WHITE HOUSE DURING PRIDE EVENT?
President Joe Biden’s administration has come under fire on social media and the organization Judicial Watch for the gaudy Pride Month flag display at the White House. Some are saying the White House display of the LGBTQ flag, which has not only a rainbow but transgender-themed colors, violates the US Flag Code.
On Saturday, Biden celebrated the LGBTQ+ community by unfurling a display of three flags, shown above in a White House photo, hanging from the White House, facing the South Lawn. The display prominently featured a rainbow-colored LGBTQ+ flag, flanked by two American flags.
There are as many as 30 different LGBTQ flags currently on the market, but the one chosen for the occasion is an amalgam of various themes known as the pride flag.
Critics argue that the arrangement of the flags violates a specific section of the US Flag Code, which stipulates the American flag should be positioned in the center when multiple national flags or pennants are displayed together.
Tom Fitton of Judicial Watch contends that by placing the pride flag in the center, the administration has disregarded this provision.
“To advance revolutionary transgender agenda targeting children, Biden violates basic tenet of US Flag Code and disrespects every American service member buried under its colors,” Fitton said.
Fitton referred to US Flag Code §7. (e), which explicitly states, “The flag of the United States of America should be at the center and at the highest point of the group when a number of flags of States or localities or pennants of societies are grouped and displayed from staffs.”
While some argue that the administration’s arrangement of the flags was a deliberate violation, others contend that the pride flag, as a symbol of inclusion and support for the LGBTQ+ community, deserved its prominent placement at the center between two American flags.
The US Flag Code is a set of guidelines rather than enforceable laws, and violations of its provisions carry no legal penalties. The code was established to provide guidance on respectful flag display and proper flag etiquette.
In addition to the flag flop, there appears to have been some open nudity at the event, as captured by video (you can watch below without having a Twitter account):
Biden’s gay pride event at the White House had topless cross dressers!
Biden’s remarks at the event also raised questions. He said that gay people can be thrown out of restaurants in America.
“When a person can be married in the morning but thrown out of a restaurant for being gay in the afternoon, something is still very wrong in America,” the president said, a statement many believe is a falsehood. Biden used the statement to push the Equality Act, which would amend the 1964 Civil Rights Act add sexual orientation and gender identity to the list of protected special classes.
Last week, the president announced that he will appoint a gay czar — a new federal coordinator to fight the banning of pornographic books in schools across America. He is expected to unleash new Department of Homeland Security-led efforts with the departments of Justice and Health and Human Services to focus more taxpayer dollars on mental health counselors to groom youth into making the decision to transition to be transgender.
OpenSecrets, a nonpartisan research organization, released an eye-opening report titled “The Nationalization of Political Contributions and the Rising Role of Out-of-State Donations.”
This study delves into the increasing trend of political donors and activists channeling their attention and funds towards races beyond their home states.
Al Gross, who ran against Sen. Dan Sullivan in 2020, made the list, raising nearly 91% of his campaign war chest from non-Alaskans.
The report sheds light on the impact of out-of-state contributions on political campaigns. In a list that contains data from 2020 to 2022, Al Gross was #19 for having the most out-of-state contributions. For 2020 alone, Gross was #13, after people like first-placer Amy McGrath, a Democrat from Kentucky, who raised more than 97% of her campaign funds from non-Kentuckians. Jamie Harrison, a Democrat from South Carolina came second, with more than 95% of his funds coming from out of state.
The top five who won those out-of-state dollars were all Democrats and few Republicans showed up on the list. Sen. Susan Collins of Maine and Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky were Republicans who did.
Dr. Gross was a registered independent, but had been a Democrat until making a calculated decision that he could not win under the blue flag. He had the endorsement of the Alaska Democratic Party, which now calls him a “loser.”
Although had the national support of the anti-Republican operation called the Lincoln Project, Gross lost in the general election in 2020, even with Democrats not advancing their own candidate, but accepting him as their own.
Sen. Dan Sullivan won with 54% of the vote, with Gross getting 41.2%
“All politics is local, but OpenSecrets also finds that the inverse is true: all politics is increasingly national, said OpenSecrets Research Director Sarah Bryner, the author of the report. “While a donor might not expect a candidate from Vermont to help fill potholes down the road, they may justifiably see that the same candidate might cast a decisive vote on a tax bill or health care package with far-reaching implications.”
In 2021, OpenSecrets merged with the National Institute on Money in Politics and the Center for Responsive Politics, giving it greater ability to analyze the trove of election data.
A recent Supreme Court race in Wisconsin serves as a prime example of the growing nationalization of state and local political contests. In this particular race, the victorious Janet Protasiewicz managed to outfundraise her conservative opponent Daniel Kelly by a staggering five-to-one margin. Of the $14 million she raised, over $2.6 million came from out-of-state donors, underscoring the influence of external contributors on state-level campaigns, including Supreme Courts in states where they are elected offices.
As federal races have become progressively more expensive, federal candidates have gradually reduced their dependence on funds from within their respective states. OpenSecrets data reveals a declining percentage of money derived from in-state donors since the turn of the millennium.
While Republican candidates still rely more heavily on in-state funding compared to Democrats, the gap has narrowed in recent years, indicating a shift in donation patterns.
Interestingly, not all candidates are compelled to seek out-of-state fundraising. Candidates with a lower rate of out-of-state donors may still enjoy popularity within their home states or encounter unique circumstances during general elections. Moreover, candidates from larger states and those perceived as long-shot contenders tend to heavily rely on in-state donors.
On June 1, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a ruling in Glacier Northwest v. International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local Union No. 174. The case in question concerned whether Glacier, a concrete company, could sue the Teamsters due to striking employees’ intentionally destroying Glacier’s property by leaving concrete running in trucks when the workers walked off the job site. In an overwhelming 8-1 ruling, the justices upheld Glacier’s right to sue.
Writing for the majority, Justice Amy Coney Barrett noted, “By reporting for duty and pretending as if they would deliver the concrete, the drivers prompted the creation of the perishable product. Then, they waited to walk off the job until the concrete was mixed and poured in the trucks. In so doing, they not only destroyed the concrete but also put Glacier’s trucks in harm’s way.”
The ruling reversed the decision of a lower court, which had applied the so-called Garmon doctrine, which basically says that the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) preempts state law, so labor disputes must be litigated before the National Labor Relations Board, rather than in the court system.
Justice Barrett wrote “that the NLRA does not shield strikers who fail to take ‘reasonable precautions’ to protect their employer’s property from foreseeable, aggravated, and imminent danger due to the sudden cessation of work.”
Is it anti-union for unions to be held accountable for intentionally destroying property? Of course not – but unions have long deemed themselves to be above the law. And too often, lawmakers have agreed.
For example, for years a loophole in Pennsylvania law allowed parties in a labor dispute to “stalk, harass, or threaten to use weapons of mass destruction” without fear of consequence. In any other context, these actions are punishable under the state’s criminal code. But union disputes offered a free pass to menace others.
In 2015, Pennsylvania lawmakers endedthis dangerous carve-out, over the objection of the state’s AFL-CIO.
The following year, the NLRB said that a company could not fire a picketing employee for shouting racial epithets to a group of replacement employees, many of whom were black. In any other scenario, this would be cause for dismissal, but unionism trumped antidiscrimination rules.
Ending these union exceptions shouldn’t be controversial. But the very fact that doing so prompts debate illustrates how some believe that unionism equals exemption from the laws that apply to everyone else.
One egregious exemption persists in Pennsylvania: the allowance that government unions – and only government unions – can use taxpayer-funded public-payroll systems to collect their political campaign contributions.
A fundamental doctrine of government ethics is that it’s illegal to use taxpayer resources for political purposes. Period.
But Pennsylvania allows the use of taxpayer dollars, which fund public payroll systems, to deduct both union dues and union political campaign contributions from government workers’ paychecks and send this money directly to union leaders. These union leaders then use the money for partisan political activities, including donating directly to political candidates.
No other private organization enjoys this privilege – and rightly so. Imagine if tax dollars were used to send contributions to the political-action arms of the NRA or Planned Parenthood. While individuals are free to contribute to these and other causes they support, private organizations are not permitted to use tax dollars to run their campaign fundraising operations.
So far this year, four states – Florida, Arkansas, Kentucky, and Tennessee – have enactedlegislation ending this union loophole.
In Pennsylvania, Republican state Rep. Ryan Mackenzie of Lehigh County has introduced HB357, which would do the same here and finally ensure that unions are required to play by the same rules as everyone else.
Thankfully, unions can no longer intentionally destroy property without consequence. And unions can no longer stalk, harass, or threaten to use weapons of mass destruction as part of a labor dispute.
Now it’s time to ensure that unions can no longer use taxpayer dollars for their political activism.
Because no one – union leaders included – should be above the law.
Prior to founding Commonwealth Partners in 2016, Matthew Brouillette served as president & CEO of the Commonwealth Foundation for Public Policy Alternatives for 14 years. This article was originally published by RealClearPennsylvania and made available via RealClearWire.
JPMorgan Chase, one of the largest banks in the United States, finds itself at the center of two vastly different financial decisions that leave many scratching their heads.
The first revolves around the bank’s commitment to environmental responsibility, while the second involves its unsettling ties to the notorious financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Back in 2020, JPMorgan Chase made headlines by announcing its decision to refuse to finance oil and gas extraction in the Arctic region, including the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Additionally, the bank vowed to discontinue financing several coal-related enterprises worldwide, including thermal coal mines and coal-fired power plants. This move came after relentless pressure from environmentalists like the Sierra Club, which urged the bank to distance itself from projects that groups say pose a threat to the climate.
Fast forward to 2023, and the bank’s reputation takes another strange twist. JPMorgan Chase recently agreed to pay a $290 million to settle a lawsuit tied to its association with Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted sex offender who allegedly killed himself in prison in 2019 after becoming exposed as sex trafficking young girls to his private island, where he flew in men clients, many of whom are quite famous, such as former President Bill Clinton. Donald Trump, Prince Andrew, and Bill Gates were also identified as a persons who flew to Esptein’s island. It’s unknown what activities they took part in there.
Lawyers representing Epstein’s accusers assert that the settlement came after certain revelations during the lawsuit shed light on the bank’s extensive dealings with Epstein over the years.
The lawsuit, filed on behalf of women who accused Epstein of abuse, revealed a troubling relationship between Epstein, the financier and the JPMorgan, the bank to which he brought customers.
The unnamed accuser who brought the lawsuit claimed that the bank turned a blind eye to multiple red flags regarding sex-offender Epstein until 2013, largely due to the wealthy clients he allegedly brought to the bank. JPMorgan Chase has denied any wrongdoing, but this settlement represents a blow to the bank’s reputation and raises questions about its due diligence processes.
The settlement, if approved by the court, would be one of the largest ever for a civil sex-trafficking case. In the settlement, the bank didn’t admit liability.
“The parties believe this settlement is in the best interests of all parties, especially the survivors who were the victims of Epstein’s terrible abuse,” JPMorgan and lawyers for the women said in a press release, as reported by the Wall Street Journal.
The bank also faces a related lawsuit filed by the government of the U.S. Virgin Islands, where Epstein once resided.
In another development, Alaska Attorney General Treg Taylor and other conservative attorneys general sent a letter to JPMorgan’s CEO Jamie Dimon, complaining that the bank is discriminating against Christians.
The eight-page letter reminded JPMorgan Chase that it terminated the National Committee for Religious Freedom’s account last year, an action referred to as “de-banking.” The account closure occurred shortly after the group opened an account at a Chase branch in Washington, D.C.
