The 24 Seven: Cohen on The Trump Epstein Playbook
A "fact-finding mission" to prison, the power of a commutation over a pardon and more. And the latest from Juliegrace on the proposed stock trading ban, interestingly named the PELOSI bill.
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Why send Todd Blanche to talk with Ghislaine Maxwell?
Former Trump fixer Michael Cohen has some answers and insights
Friends, if you caught my previous chats with former longtime Trump lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen (not to be confused with resident 24sight news pollster and campaigns expert Michael D. Cohen, Ph.D.) you know what’s in store in the above video from our live chat earlier. To borrow Cohen’s phraseology, it’s raw and unfiltered.
With the recent trips by Deputy U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche to talk with former Jeffrey Epstein partner Ghislaine Maxwell, in jail serving a 20-year sentence for sex-trafficking and other crimes, there’s nobody better to explain what Trump is doing here.
(Parents, earmuffs for the kids, or airpods. There’s a bit of cursing.)
Show Notes
What is the Trump Epstein Playbook? “I understand it because, in part, I actually created and wrote it.”
The Blanche “fact-finding mission” with Maxwell
If Cohen was still working for Trump, “It would have been me who would go meet with Ghislaine.”
It’s important to be clear on facts, the Deputy U.S. Attorney General meeting with a convicted sex trafficker “is not illegal, but it is unusual”
If Maxwell knew more, why didn’t she say it five years ago and avoid a 20-year prison sentence?
Why would a commutation be stronger than a pardon? “You still control her with a commutation.”
And much more on the legal and political maneuvering on Epstein
We also talked about the Texas redistricting, efforts by Newsom and Pritzker to fight back against it.
Which Dems understand the playing field of this second Trump administration and the stakes? Jamie Raskin, Stephen Cohen, Jasmine Crockett, Eric Swalwell, Pritzker, more.
The importance of clear messaging. A tariff is a tax. Take a page from the Trump playbook and settle on a few issues in three-word slogans. (The counter to “Build the Wall” etc.)
And, feeling tired? A lot to handle? Damn straight it is. Take some time when needed and unplug, but no checking out, no apathy. The stakes are too high for generations to come.
Make sure to read Cohen’s analysis of the Epstein scandal published at his substack yesterday, and also, something we touched on repeatedly: the importance of community and engagement.
Thank you Tom Kudla, Nicole L, Sean Boston, dee, Courtney Busby, and many others for tuning into my live video with Michael Cohen! Join me for my next live video in the app.
Push to ban congressional stock trading heats up
Despite advancing in an 8-7 vote, the bill’s future remains uncertain
WASHINGTON _ The long-standing debate over whether elected officials should be allowed to trade stocks while in office has reached a new crescendo, with efforts to pass legislation intensifying.
The U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs recently passed Senator Josh Hawley’s (R-Mo.) bill, dubbed the Preventing Elected Leaders from Owning Securities and Investments (PELOSI) Act. Hawley was the only Republican on the panel to support the legislation, which garnered enough support to pass out of committee.
Despite making it out of committee in an 8–7 vote, the bill’s future remains uncertain. Sources suggest that Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) is unlikely to bring the legislation to the floor for a full vote.
Republican senators voiced frustration about voting on a bill with eleventh-hour changes. Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio), who sits on the panel, argued that they “have literally no idea what we’re voting for.” Hawley later told reporters that the modifications adjusted the implementation timeline, moving from a blanket 2027 start date to the beginning of each officeholder’s next term.
“What it does is it changes it from 2027 to the beginning of the next term of any officeholder,” Hawley said Wednesday. “So if you’re in the House, it would start January 2027, for a third of senators.” Notably, the amended version would not take effect for the current president and vice president during their present term, addressing some of the White House’s initial constitutional concerns about including administration officials.
While Hawley told reporters that Trump endorsed his bill, the president railed against him on Truth Social for voting with Democrats in committee.
“Why would one ‘Republican,’ Senator Josh Hawley from the great state of Missouri, join with all of the Democrats to block a review, sponsored by Senator Rick Scott, and with the support of almost all other Republicans, of Nancy Pelosi's stock trading over the last 25 years? The information was inappropriately released just minutes before the vote — very much like SABOTAGE! The Democrats, because of our tremendous ACHIEVEMENTS and SUCCESS, have been trying to ‘target’ me for a long period of time, and they're using Josh Hawley, who I got elected TWICE, as a pawn to help them. I wonder why Hawley would pass a bill that Nancy Pelosi is in absolute love with — he is playing right into the dirty hands of the Democrats. It's a great bill for her, and her ‘husband,’ but so bad for our country! I don't think real Republicans want to see their President, who has had unprecedented success, TARGETED because of the whims of a second-tier senator named Josh Hawley!” Trump said.
However, President Trump did not rule out signing a stock trading ban should it pass, though he stopped short of a full endorsement.
“Well, I like it conceptually. I don’t know about it, but I like it conceptually,” Trump said Wednesday, adding that he would need to study the details carefully.
The president went on to criticize former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s investment performance, suggesting she should be investigated for potential insider trading. “Nancy Pelosi became rich by having inside information. She made a fortune with her husband, and I think that’s disgraceful,” he said.
A White House source noted that Hawley had voted down an amendment that would have facilitated such an investigation, adding that “the president’s comments speak for themselves,” and referencing Trump's own remark: “I have to look at the details.”
Pelosi issued a statement supporting a bipartisan House bill that seeks to bar individual stock trading, the HONEST Act, calling for greater transparency. “We must have strong transparency, robust accountability, and tough enforcement for financial conduct in office because the American people deserve confidence that their elected leaders are serving the public interest — not their personal portfolios,” she said.
Pelosi also responded to Republicans targeting her with the acronym of Hawley’s bill, adding: “While I appreciate the creativity of my Republican colleagues in drafting legislative acronyms, I welcome any serious effort to raise ethical standards in public service.” She added that she believes the restriction should be extended to the president and vice president, in addition to members of Congress.
Meanwhile, in the House, conservative Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) is working to force a vote on similar legislation via a discharge petition. Some lawmakers worry that trading bans could deter qualified candidates from running for office, particularly those concerned about adequately investing for retirement while following existing ethics rules. These concerns reflect a broader anxiety that overly restrictive investment rules could create barriers to public service, especially for individuals who rely on investment income for financial security.
The fundamental tension underlying this debate centers on preventing potential insider trading by lawmakers who have access to non-public information that could affect markets. Proponents of the trading restrictions argue that such measures are necessary to maintain public trust and prevent conflicts of interest. They contend that elected officials should not be able to profit from information they receive in their official capacity, as this creates an inherent conflict between personal financial gain and public service.
Critics, however, argue that existing ethics rules and disclosure requirements provide sufficient oversight without creating undue hardship for public servants, with some raising concerns that bans could discourage qualified individuals from running for Congress.
“We make it very unattractive for people to run for office,” Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) said during the hearing.
Hawley took a swing at his Senate colleagues who have spoken out against the legislation, arguing, “They want to trade stocks, they like stock trading. This is how it was last time, too.”
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Cohen how come you never talk about how much you knew Trump being a pedophile? Every single time you open your mouth about how you’re the only one who knew Trump and you never mention he’s a pedophile?