In a bizarre update that is seemingly meant to mark the end of years of speculation, the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) released a joint memo over the weekend concluding there is no evidence disgraced financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein had a “client list” or was murdered behind bars.
The two-page document, which does not leave the door open for any further investigations, contradicts past statements from Attorney General Pam Bondi and other members of the DOJ about an alleged list of Epstein clients.
On Monday’s show, Megyn was joined by Andrew Klavan, host of The Daily Wire’s The Andrew Klavan Show, to discuss the controversial memo and why it is creating more questions than answers.
The Epstein Memo
In an apparent effort to end the ongoing saga surrounding Epstein’s life and death, Axios obtained a leaked two-page memo from the DOJ and FBI that was later released to the public late Sunday with a series of conclusions.
The agencies have concluded after “exhaustive review” that there is no evidence Epstein blackmailed powerful figures, kept a client list, or was murdered. Additionally, no further charges are expected in connection with the probes into Epstein, as investigators “did not uncover evidence that could predicate an investigation against uncharged third parties.”
The so-called “Epstein files” are said to include a large volume of images and videos of victims who are either minors or appear to be and over 10,000 downloaded videos and images of illegal child sex abuse material and other pornography. “Through this review, we found no basis to revisit the disclosure of those materials and will not permit the release of child pornography,” the memo stated.
The document also deals with Epstein’s controversial August 2019 death at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in New York City. While there has been plenty of speculation surrounding how he died, FBI investigators concluded he committed suicide.
According to the memo, the determination is supported by video footage from the common area of the floor Epstein was being held on that shows no one entering the area from the time Epstein was locked in his cell at around 10:40pm on August 9, 2019, until around 6:30am the next morning.
The History
The memo is causing quite a stir, and Megyn said that is for good reason. “Here’s why it is causing such a problem, including amongst many people who love [FBI Deputy Director Dan] Bongino and [FBI Director Kash] Patel, maybe not so much Bondi: We’ve been told over and over and over again that they did have materials… they now tell us do not exist,” she noted.
Bondi was on Fox News earlier this year talking about how the Epstein client list was on her desk and ready for review, while then-White House counselor Alina Habba told Piers Morgan “incredibly disturbing” details were coming in the Epstein probe. Those disclosures came around the time the attorney general gave conservative influencers an underwhelming drop of documents related to Epstein that were almost entirely already known.
Patel and Bongino, meanwhile, gave a very uncomfortable joint interview in late May in which they provided cagey answers about Epstein and his death. And the FBI director went on to have a similarly strange exchange with Joe Rogan in June that seemed to signal a big reveal was not forthcoming while doing little to quell rumors.
“Now, we get there is no client list, there is no evidence that he blackmailed anybody, and there is nobody else who is going to be charged and no additional information that will be released,” Megyn said. “I’m sorry, but I fully understand why people are extremely doubtful and frustrated with what’s being released right now by the administration and what’s being told to them.”
The Fallout
Klavan said he believes Bongino is “a man of integrity who really is committed to doing the right thing” and has generally been impressed by Patel, but he called the situation “extremely upsetting” and said the agencies appear to be trying to bury the story. “Of the leak to Axios – never mind their political leanings – it was released at the end of a holiday weekend, which is when you dump information you’re hoping no one will pay attention to,” he noted. “I’m sorry, this is not holding together.”
While Megyn said she has talked to sources close to this case who are “not shocked” by the FBI and DOJ findings, she said the situation was handled all wrong. “Those conclusions have opened up a whole new line of questions, and… it is totally predictable,” she noted. “With all due respect, I like her, but I blame Pam Bondi for this. She has said all sorts of things and created big events at the White House… and now we get a joint announcement that there is nothing.”
“This is not the fault of the so-called conspiracy theorists,” Megyn concluded. “We have been led down a path – yes, in part, due to armchair information analysts for years now. But this DOJ told us that we would be getting a lot more.”
You can check out Megyn’s full interview with Klavan by tuning in to episode 1,102 on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you like to listen. And don’t forget that you can catch The Megyn Kelly Show live on SiriusXM’s Triumph (channel 111) weekdays from 12pm to 2pm ET.