In O.J. Style-"If He Were Involved": A Hypothetical Reflection on Power, Silence, and the Epstein Files-Part II

The Jack Hopkins Now Newsletter #353

Okay… now, for the issue you were probably hoping I'd dive into the first time. The previous piece focused strictly on what could be proven—what would hold up in court, under oath, in the harsh light of evidentiary scrutiny.

But this one? This is about the undercurrent. It’s about the feelings…suspicions…and gut-level instincts of people who care deeply about democracy…accountability…and the rule of law.

Because while facts are what win trials…it’s often what we sense—what we feel but can’t yet prove—that keeps us searching for the truth…and very frequently proving that truth stands up to scrutiny.

The Absence That Speaks

It is often said that where there is smoke…there may be fire—but in the case of powerful men…sometimes the smoke is all you’re ever allowed to see.

Let us set the stage not with an accusation…but with a question: What would it look like if someone were trying to hide their involvement in something deeply nefarious?

If you were a world-famous businessman…former television host…and president of the United States—linked socially and perhaps financially to a man whose name has become shorthand for depravity—what signs might you leave behind… or try desperately to bury?

As with any great mystery…the facts (regarding what we have access to) are few. The speculation…however…is relentless. And in the absence of clarity…the mind does what it must: it constructs narrative.

We can’t stop that process from happening. Not even the most disciplined judge can prevent it: it’s “Neurology 101.” Our brain will do what it does.

A Pattern in the Guest List

Suppose this man—let us call him simply "The Diaper Man"—had once spoken warmly of Jeffrey Epstein. Suppose he had praised him in public…calling him “terrific,” and noting that Epstein liked beautiful women “as much as I do.”

A harmless comment on the surface.

But, we must always beware of what the careless character lets slip.

Suppose further that The Diaper Man appeared on Epstein’s flight logs. Not once. Not twice. But seven times.

And suppose…for propriety’s sake…these flights included a wife, a daughter…and a nanny—companions that might deflect suspicion but cannot erase it.

Would it mean guilt? No. But in the words of millions of sane Americans: “A person is often not guilty of what they are accused of, but guilty of something else altogether.”

The Vanishing Promises

In every good mystery…there comes a moment when the truth could be revealed—if only someone would speak. Let’s say The Diaper Man is given that opportunity. He is asked plainly:

Would you release all Epstein-related files, if elected?

And what does he say?

Nothing. Or worse—he pivots.

He promises transparency on other investigations…grandly pledging to reveal the truth about the FBI…the CIA…and classified documents.

But the Epstein files? Silence. Deflection. Evasion.

In a Democracy defending human being like you…that likely raises an eyebrow. Why this hesitation? After all…if you are innocent…why not be the loudest voice for full exposure? Unless—unless—you fear what lies beneath the seal.

Allies in High Places

It is one thing to escape suspicion. It is another to orchestrate it.

What if…during the Diaper Man’s time in power…his allies control the Department of Justice? What if key document releases are made—carefully curated…strategically timed…and scrubbed of anything new?

Would it be proof of wrongdoing? No. But as in any good mystery…it’s the behavior surrounding the event that raises the question.

Why dribble out documents that reveal little? Why let the public stew in speculation instead of washing away the doubt with truth?

As one of my all-time favorite writers once typed out, “The truth…however ugly in itself… is always curious and beautiful to seekers after it.”

The Social Spiderweb

Then, there are the threads of proximity. The Diaper Man and Epstein swam in the same waters: Palm Beach…Manhattan…Mar-a-Lago. Shared parties. Overlapping acquaintances. A photo here…a quote there. One of Epstein’s victims…Virginia Giuffre…was recruited at Mar-a-Lago—but not by The Diaper Man.

Still, one wonders: What kind of garden party was this…where such poisonous flowers could bloom unnoticed?

A well-written mystery is never just about where someone was. It is about what they should have seen. What they might have chosen not to see.

Guilt by association is no crime—but ignorance…when it is willed…can be as telling as the bloody knife.

The Sealed Door

Let us return to the most curious aspect of all:

There are documents—sealed…still hidden. There are logs…redacted. There are files…complete in volume but curiously empty in substance.

And still, The Diaper Man does not demand their release.

When a locked room remains shut…the detective does not ask, “Is it empty?” They ask, “Why is it locked at all?”

What the Silence Says

We do not accuse. We do not convict. But we do observe.

And what we observe…in the case of The Diaper Man…is not a confession—but a choreography. A dance around disclosure. A pattern of hesitation.

If he were involved—if—this is how we might expect him to behave:

Aligned with power…protected by silence…and guarded not by facts but by absence.

To some, that absence is enough. To others…it is maddening.

To me, I just go to…well…my “go-to”: We know who the man is.

Trump: We. Know. Who. The. Son. Of. A. Bitch. Is.

Have a great weekend.

I’ll be back soon…with even more.

Warmly,

Jack