Transparency around the Epstein files became a stress test for whether laws still constrain those in charge—or merely inconvenience them.
Political fatigue and public disengagement are no longer signs of apathy but symptoms of sustained institutional abuse.
The most dangerous phase for democracy often arrives when weakened leaders double down rather than retreat.
In this AMA-style edition of The Weekly Assignment, Susan J. Demas and Sam Osterhout treated the past year less like a closed chapter and more like a warning label. They also talked about this statement from Epstein survivors provided to Lincoln Square by Jess Michaels. They state that the DOJ broke the law, isn’t protecting survivors, and must be held accountable.
And Susan and Sam took lots of your questions about the year that was — and what’s ahead in 2026. We’re so thankful for all of you tuning in every Monday morning. And leave more questions and comments right here. We’ll get to them next week!
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Breaking Silence: Inside the Epstein Files
This may be the first time anyone reading this has ever felt something like agreement with Marjorie Taylor Greene. But today, at the gut-wrenching and powerful press conference for Epstein and Maxwell survivors, there she stood. And her words sounded, well, reasonable.
