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By Kate Plummer
Senior US News Reporter
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An interview in which one of Donald Trump's former lawyers claimed he knew the names of people on a so-called Jeffrey Epstein list has resurfaced.
Speaking on The Sean Spicer Show in March, Alan Dershowitz, a longtime criminal defense attorney, said he knew the names of individuals referenced in confidential Epstein files and claimed those names are being deliberately withheld.
On Thursday Spicer reshared the interview on X, formerly Twitter, in light of renewed interest in the case. It has racked up 1.5 million views at the time of writing.
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Newsweek has contacted Dershowitz by email to comment on this story
Why It Matters
Trump's administration ordered a review of the Epstein case and said it would publish names and evidence about associates of Epstein, a wealthy financier who died by suicide in his jail cell in August 2019, weeks after his arrest on sex trafficking charges. However, a memo by the Department of Justice and the F.B.I. now states there is no "client list," and there will be no more charges. This has triggered a backlash among those who want transparency about Epstein.
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What To Know
Dershowitz, who represented Epstein, said in March: "I know the names of the individuals. I know why they're being suppressed. I know who's suppressing them…But I'm bound by confidentiality from a judge and cases, and I can't disclose what I know, but I, hand to God, I know. I know the names of people whose files are being suppressed in order to protect them, and that's wrong."
Dershowitz, emphasized that he has pushed for "total transparency" in the release of Epstein-related documents.
"Every single document, no redaction. That's what I've said from day one," Dershowitz said.
When asked by Spicer if politicians or business leaders were named, Dershowitz replied: "They're everything and let me tell you, a lot of them—at least one of them—is somebody who was accused, others are accusers, and the judges have said if somebody calls themselves a victim we're not going to give any information about them, but they may not be victims, they may be perpetrators…We want total transparency on this."
What People Are Saying
When asked about Epstein earlier in the week, President Trump said: "Are you still talking about Jeffrey Epstein? This guy's been talked about for years. You're asking—we have Texas, we have this, we have all of the things. And are people still talking about this guy? This creep? That is unbelievable."
Sigrid McCawley, an attorney who has represented a number of Epstein's victims, said on NewsNation Thursday: "I think what's really just astonishing about this recent disclosure from the government is that they know they are sitting on a treasure trove of information, and they're not turning it over…There's a plethora of information that the public has not been able to see relating to Epstein and his co-conspirators."
Tennessee Republican Tim Burchett claimed the Biden administration destroyed the files. "I think the files existed at one time," Burchett told NewsNation. "I think they were destroyed in the previous administration. And I think if they'd ever had anything on Trump, it would have been out day one under the Biden administration."
What Happens Next
The DOJ and FBI determined that "no further disclosure would be appropriate or warranted" regarding Epstein. Backlash to this decision prevails.
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