Epstein victim's brother: Trump's Maxwell pardon comments 'hurtful'
Virginia Giuffre's brother on Tuesday said it’s “hurtful” that President Trump declined to rule out issuing a pardon to Ghislaine Maxwell, Jeffrey Epstein's longtime associate and girlfriend.
“It’s hurtful for a lot of survivors out there. It’s hurtful for me, as a family member, to even hear the potential for a pardon — that he is considering it, or possibly not considering it, as he said. He didn’t waver one way or the other,” Giuffre’s brother, Sky Roberts, told MSNBC’s Jen Psaki, when asked about Trump’s comments about possible clemency for Maxwell.
“However, I mean, why is this even a conversation?” he added.
Roberts noted Maxwell was convicted of crimes related to the sexual abuse of minors. She is currently serving a 20-year sentence, and the Supreme Court on Monday declined to review her 2021 sex-trafficking conviction.
“She was convicted of basically running a sex trafficking ring,” Roberts said. “What does this teach our children? What does this teach the people around us? I can’t even look my daughter in the face and give her a square answer about what our government stands for and that’s disgraceful. It really is disgraceful, and it’s very hurtful.”
Roberts said that his sister — who died by suicide earlier this year and was among the most outspoken victims of the late convicted sex offender — believed Trump would bring justice to survivors after he discussed the issue on the campaign trail.
“I know my sister would be very hurt by it because we did believe, based off of the campaign that he ran, that he would do the right thing,” Roberts said. “And, right now, he seems to have amnesia, as does most of the campaign administrators or people that he appointed.”
“They seem to have amnesia that they ran their campaign on this,” he added.
On Monday, Trump was asked whether he would consider a pardon for Maxwell and repeatedly declined to rule it out, saying instead that he needed to look into the matter further.
“You know, I haven’t heard the name in so long. I can say this, that I’d have to take a look at it. I would have to take a look,” Trump said during an exchange with CNN’s Kaitlan Collins.
“I’ll take a look at it. I’ll speak to the DOJ,” Trump said, referring to the Department of Justice. “I wouldn’t consider it or not consider — I don’t know anything about it. I will speak to the DOJ.”
A White House official told The Hill that the "White House does not comment on the existence or nonexistence of pardons."
"The President is the final decider on pardons.”
