Idrees Kalhoon: “There is an irony to the undying Jeffrey Epstein scandal: It may never be more than an annoyance for President Trump, who knew Epstein well, but it could topple British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who never met the sex-offender financier. Starmer has a 71 percent disapproval rating and leads the least popular British government since World War II. The reasons for the Labour Party leader’s deepening plight are moral, because decency and shame still matter in British politics. But they are also institutional. An American president is less democratically accountable than the British prime minister, because partisanship has disabled the checks that the Founders placed on the chief executive.
“Starmer’s troubles stem from appointing Peter Mandelson, a Labour politician known as the ‘Prince of Darkness,’ to be his ambassador to the United States. Mandelson was long known to have been friendly to Epstein but got the job anyway, replacing Karen Pierce, an effective career diplomat with warm ties to MAGA-land who did not particularly want to leave. Mandelson’s term lasted only eight months, ending in September when it was revealed that he was even closer to Epstein than previously realized. He had expressed fury at Epstein’s prosecution for sex crimes in a Florida court in 2008, writing to Epstein, ‘I think the world of you.’ …
“But the revelations contained in the tranche of 3.5 million files released late last month by the Justice Department worsened the crisis. The records seem to show Mandelson giving Epstein confidential information about the European Union’s bailout. They show direct payments for unspecified purposes from Epstein to Mandelson and his now-husband (Mandelson has said he has no recollection of receiving the money). There is even a photo of Mandelson in his underwear. This is Mandelson’s third disgraceful exit from public life over his long political career, but it appears to be his final one. He is no longer a member of the privy council (which advises the king), the House of Lords, or the Labour Party. But even such a thorough torching of Mandelson’s political career might not be enough to save Starmer’s …
“The contrast with America is striking. For many American political figures, having palled around with Epstein is barely grounds for embarrassment … Two billionaires in Trump’s orbit—Howard Lutnick, the commerce secretary, and Elon Musk, the Republican super-donor and onetime special government employee—both shrugged off correspondence showing plans to visit Epstein on his island years after his conviction.
“The United States is supposed to be a puritanical country in comparison with godless Europe, but in reality it is so saturated in scandal that new ones elicit little outrage. A single dodgy ambassador—Trump has appointed many, almost all unnoticed by the public—could hardly bring down a presidency.”
2 Kommentare
Idrees Kalhoon: “There is an irony to the undying Jeffrey Epstein scandal: It may never be more than an annoyance for President Trump, who knew Epstein well, but it could topple British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who never met the sex-offender financier. Starmer has a 71 percent disapproval rating and leads the least popular British government since World War II. The reasons for the Labour Party leader’s deepening plight are moral, because decency and shame still matter in British politics. But they are also institutional. An American president is less democratically accountable than the British prime minister, because partisanship has disabled the checks that the Founders placed on the chief executive.
“Starmer’s troubles stem from appointing Peter Mandelson, a Labour politician known as the ‘Prince of Darkness,’ to be his ambassador to the United States. Mandelson was long known to have been friendly to Epstein but got the job anyway, replacing Karen Pierce, an effective career diplomat with warm ties to MAGA-land who did not particularly want to leave. Mandelson’s term lasted only eight months, ending in September when it was revealed that he was even closer to Epstein than previously realized. He had expressed fury at Epstein’s prosecution for sex crimes in a Florida court in 2008, writing to Epstein, ‘I think the world of you.’ …
“But the revelations contained in the tranche of 3.5 million files released late last month by the Justice Department worsened the crisis. The records seem to show Mandelson giving Epstein confidential information about the European Union’s bailout. They show direct payments for unspecified purposes from Epstein to Mandelson and his now-husband (Mandelson has said he has no recollection of receiving the money). There is even a photo of Mandelson in his underwear. This is Mandelson’s third disgraceful exit from public life over his long political career, but it appears to be his final one. He is no longer a member of the privy council (which advises the king), the House of Lords, or the Labour Party. But even such a thorough torching of Mandelson’s political career might not be enough to save Starmer’s …
“The contrast with America is striking. For many American political figures, having palled around with Epstein is barely grounds for embarrassment … Two billionaires in Trump’s orbit—Howard Lutnick, the commerce secretary, and Elon Musk, the Republican super-donor and onetime special government employee—both shrugged off correspondence showing plans to visit Epstein on his island years after his conviction.
“The United States is supposed to be a puritanical country in comparison with godless Europe, but in reality it is so saturated in scandal that new ones elicit little outrage. A single dodgy ambassador—Trump has appointed many, almost all unnoticed by the public—could hardly bring down a presidency.”
Read more: [https://theatln.tc/54WC5mCl](https://theatln.tc/54WC5mCl)
As an Israeli American, I’m deeply jealous of political systems where shame still has any effect