survivors Archives

The Other Epstein List

There are no "clients" on it ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

July 15, 2025

Greetings, Meteor readers,

I finally took some time to listen to Justin Bieber’s new album, “Swag,” and here’s my takeaway: It’s JB’s “The Tortured Poets Department.” I will not be elaborating any further. Thank you for your time.

In today’s newsletter, we’re thinking about the Epstein list…the other list. Plus, a huge blow to the Board of Education, and some bisexual erasure.

Unerasable,

Shannon Melero

WHAT'S GOING ON

Don’t forget about them: For the last few weeks, the hot argument on the block is what to do about the so-called Epstein files, which, depending on who you ask, may or may not include a “celebrity client list.” Politicians have been waiting breathlessly for the Justice Department to release the files, but it all came to naught when U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi released a report filled with almost no new information and definitely no client list. Some are already calling for her to be fired, while others point the finger at FBI Director Kash Patel and his deputy, Dan Bongino, for not doing enough to release the findings.

Meantime, one demand is uniting the Republicans and the Democrats: They all want to see the client list. But here’s the list that we’re paying attention to:

For too long, the story of Jeffrey Epstein has centered on the network of powerful men said to have benefited from his alleged crimes—which include abusing and trafficking young girls for sex acts with the help of his girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell. Men like Prince Andrew, Alan Dershowitz, Kevin Spacey, and, of course, Donald Trump himself are all suspected “clients” of Epstein’s services (and all have denied participating in any criminal activity). One civil lawsuit filed in 2014 alleged that Epstein brokered sex with “American politicians, powerful business executives,” and other world leaders. Some of the named men have seen minimal repercussions—Prince Andrew was stripped of his royal duties, although he continued to conduct business in the private sector—while others have made it out scot-free. For her part, Maxwell is currently serving a 20-year sentence after a jury found her guilty of five counts of sex trafficking of a minor and conspiracy.

But largely missing from the discourse around the Epstein files is what politicians actually plan to do with the information in them, besides shame their political enemies. Are they thinking about how to help the victims, some as young as 11 years old at the time, who were allegedly exploited, sexually assaulted, and held captive by Epstein and his associates? There have been financial settlements over the years: In 2021, the Epstein Victims’ Compensation Fund finished paying out $121 million to more than 135 people, and some of Epstein’s victims settled with JPMorgan Chase Bank for $290 million after suing the institution for facilitating abuse. But financial restitution is not full justice, and for some women, like the late Virginia Giuffre, there may never be a full, honest accounting of just how much damage was done.

So while the client list is important to politicians as a prop in political theater, for the women who were abused, it may very well be meaningful in a different way: as a tool that makes it harder for doubters to say This never happened to you. That may not be the thing on the mind of most lawmakers right now; for too many, the victims are an afterthought.

But to us, right now, they are the only thought.

AND:

Remember the days of yore when Project 2025 was just a conservative wishlist that one president couldn’t possibly complete in four years? Well, in the words of Scheana Marie, it’s all happening. Yesterday afternoon, the Supreme Court ruled that the Trump administration could continue dismantling the Department of Education via mass firings while the legal challenges to his force reduction plan play out in the lower courts. And the administration moved fast: DOE employees reportedly received termination emails two hours after SCOTUS published its decision. In a dissent, Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote, “When the Executive publicly announces its intent to break the law, and then executes on that promise, it is the Judiciary’s duty to check that lawlessness, not expedite it.”
Something positive in the world: India has hit a huge milestone in its efforts to transition to clean energy, moving 50% of its electricity capacity to non-fossil fuel sources like wind and solar. Even better, the country has hit this goal five years ahead of the schedule laid out in the Paris Agreement. Meanwhile, in the United States…
On Sunday, hackers took over Elmo’s X account and posted a series of racist slurs and political commentary. Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit behind Sesame Street, called the comments “disgusting” and assured Elmo’s 600,000+ followers that the account had been secured. There is a special place in Dante’s Inferno for anyone who would besmirch the good name of Elmo.

This weekend is WNBA All-Star weekend, and if you’re not locked in, what are you even doing? Friday night will be the much-anticipated 3-Point Contest featuring Sonia Citron, Alisha Gray, Kelsey Plum, and the 3-point gawdesses Caitlin Clark and Sabrina Ionescu. Clark will also be on the court Saturday night for the All-Star game, where Team Clark will face off against Team Collier. Ball is life!
Colorado’s poet laureate, Andrea Gibson, has died at the age of 49. Known for their social commentary and exploration of gender identity, they were diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2021 and had been publicly grappling with illness ever since. “Dying is the opposite of leaving,” they wrote in a 2023 poem titled “Love Letter From The Afterlife.” “When I left my body, I did not go away. That portal of light was not a portal to elsewhere, but a portal to here. I am more here than I ever was before.” Their wife, Meg Falley, wrote that one of the last things Gibson said was, “I fucking loved my life.”

GIBSON AND FALLEY AT THE SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL EARLIER THIS YEAR. (VIA GETTY IMAGES)

This news item is for the bisexuals only; the rest of you can please keep scrolling…Okay, now that we’re alone! It turns out that according to the official Stonewall Monument website, bisexuals no longer exist and have been relegated to mythical creature status, like unicorns and transgender people. That’s the bad news. But the good news is that if you don’t exist, you never have to hear “just pick one” ever again! Silver lining!
Fans of Love Island USA: Our time in Fiji has drawn to a close, and this mamacita is already having withdrawals. We offer up a reluctant congratulations to this year’s winner, and if you’ve never been to the island and are wondering what all the hubbub has been about, here’s a great explainer from a non-reality TV watcher who got sucked in. And if you are a long-time Lover, here’s a breakdown on why new viewers were giving major ick.

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"My Life Has Been on Standby"

Some justice for Jenni Hermoso ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

February 20, 2025

Greetings, Meteor readers,

It came to my attention this morning that we are pretty much at the end of February. This is terrible news. It’s not that I don’t like March; I’m just utterly unprepared for its two major holidays: Women’s March Madness and Ramadan. Selection Sunday is less than a month away, and I will be hosting another Meteor bracket. My bestie, Em, the Meteor’s reigning champion, will be defending their crown, so start thinking about your picks. Glory and a Meteor tote are on the line.

In today’s newsletter, we are headed to Spain for the verdict in the Luis Rubiales case. Plus, a moment of silence for a four-legged hero, another sneaky attack on abortion rights, and your weekend reading list.

Prayin’ and parlayin’,

Shannon Melero

WHAT'S GOING ON

Culpado: Luis Rubiales, the former president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), has been found guilty of sexually assaulting Jennifer Hermoso during the 2023 World Cup. As a refresher, during the gold medal ceremony that year, Rubiales handed the medal to Hermoso, grabbed her by the back of the neck, and forcibly kissed her on the mouth in the middle of an international live broadcast. Despite Hermoso’s obvious shock—and her statement that she didn’t like it—the moment was downplayed by the RFEF, Spain’s coach, and eventually Hermoso herself. Accusations of pressure and coercion quickly swirled—in fact, Rubiales was also charged with coercion for allegedly pressuring Hermoso to say the kiss was consensual, though he was acquitted of that charge.

At the time, I wrote about the way The Kiss was a visual manifestation of what Spain’s women’s team had endured from RFEF in the lead-up to its first World Cup win—including an oppressive work environment perpetuated by the team’s coach, Jorge Vilda. Vilda and two other employees from the Federation were also charged with coercion but ultimately acquitted. Vilda is now the coach of Morocco’s women’s national team.

When I heard the news that Rubiales was guilty, I felt a jolt of happiness that was immediately replaced by the question so many soccer fans and players continue to ask themselves: What will it take to make the beautiful game a safe one for all athletes?

HERMOSO DURING A MATCH LAST FALL. (VIA GETTY IMAGES)

While this guilty verdict is a victory, the consequences are small. Rubiales will not be seeing any jail time; his punishment is paying a €10,800 fine and being banned from coming within 200 meters of Hermoso. The verdict is also a drop in the bucket: Abuse is rampant in women’s soccer, everywhere from the international level to U.S. Soccer to youth leagues. It’s taking years—and in the case of the U.S. Women’s National Team, 20 years—for these tiny measures of justice to be handed out, and yet governing bodies refuse to act with the urgency the state of women’s soccer demands. In fact, just four days after The Kiss, the RFEF actually threatened to sue Hermoso and other players on the team who had signed a letter asking that Rubiales be fired from his position.

Meanwhile, Jenni Hermoso still has to work under the governance of RFEF and FIFA, which is contending with its own bevy of controversies. Her first World Cup gold is tainted, and what should have been a glorious experience instead links her forever with at man who assaulted her. “I’m a world champion but it seems that even to this day my life has been on standby,” Hermoso told the court during the trial. “I haven’t been able to live freely.”

AND:

TIME has announced its 2025 Women of the Year. This list of trailblazers includes Amanda Zurawski, who first told her story to The Meteor about being denied an abortion during her miscarriage and then sued Texas over it, and Meteor collective member Raquel Willis, who has worked tirelessly to safeguard the rights of trans people. Also receiving their flowers are French rape survivor Gisele Pelicot, the WNBA’s A’ja Wilson, and Gambian activist Fatou Baldeh.
Extremist lawmakers in Missouri have proposed a bill, the Save MO Babies Act, which would create a registry of expectant mothers who are “at risk for seeking an abortion” and make that list available to prospective adoptive parents. “We’re looking at something like eHarmony for babies,” an adoption attorney told the House Children and Families Committee. 😮‍💨 First of all, adoption is not a solution to abortion; we’ve talked about this. Second, who defines whether someone is “at risk” of terminating? I can’t say it better than Rep. Raychel Proudie (D-MO) of the House Children and Families Committee: “This bill was trash.”
Remember COVID? Well, that bolting-hutch of beastliness is still with us and a recent study has found that women between 40 and 54 are at greater risk of developing long COVID than men. Blame the estrogen.
Yesterday Donald Trump berated Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a press briefing, falsely accusing him of starting the war in Russia. All of which sounds like it was whispered in his ear by Vladimir Putin, with whom he has reportedly been working on an end to the war. For a reminder of what this war is costing the real people on the ground, read this, from exactly two years ago, with The Meteor’s Anya Kurkina, who grew up in Ukraine and whose family still lives there. “All we have, unfortunately, is hope,” she said then. Still true.
Hurricane, a Secret Service dog who was the most decorated K-9 in the White House, serving under multiple presidents, has died at the age of 15. In 2014, Hurricane wrestled a man to the ground after he jumped the fence at the White House and made it halfway across the North Lawn. This incident left Hurricane with damaged hips and he “never jumped the same,” his handler said. Hurricane retired two years later, was the recipient of the Secretary’s Award for Valor and the Distinguished Service Medal, and was a big gorgeous softie.

TOO PRECIOUS FOR THIS EARTH. (VIA GETTY IMAGES)

Venus Williams will be competing this year at Indian Wells after receiving a wild-card entry to the tournament. Despite being a seven-time Grand Slam champion, Williams has been absent from the court and is currently ranked 974th in the world. This may seem like a strange move for Indian Wells organizers, but regardless, I’m sat.
Speaking of being sat, where will you be seated March 8 on International Women’s Day? Hopefully, it will be with us at the Brooklyn Museum for Meet the Moment 2025. You can find out more about the event and get tickets here. Come say hi!

WEEKEND READING 📚

On essential data: Rates of sepsis have gone up in Texas since the overturn of Roe. But the state doesn’t want you to know that. (ProPublica)

On the money train: There is a way to stop Elon Musk and his made-up job. But it comes with a hefty price tag. (The Intercept)

On going under the knife: One of the most dangerous states to give birth in is continuing to give first-time moms unnecessary C-sections. (Mississippi Today)

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by The Meteor