INTERNET ACCESS WAS OFF FOR A PERIOND OF TIME - IT'S CATCH UP 

TIME! 

Watch now   Michael Wolff Sues Melania Trump After Threat Over Epstein Reporting: ‘Someone Had to Do It’ The veteran journalist’s lawsuit against the First Lady could open the door to new revelations about Trump’s ties to Jeffrey Epstein and marks a major stand for press freedom. MeidasTouch Network and Ben Meiselas Oct 22 In major breaking news, journalist and author Michael Wolff, who has been one of Donald Trump’s preeminent biographers and was set to be Jeffrey Epstein’s biographer, has filed a lawsuit against First Lady Melania Trump in New York State Supreme Court, accusing her of attempting to silence him through intimidation and legal threats. In my afternoon news update, I mentioned I would work to get this important interview for you. Well, here it is. Wolff’s lawsuit, brought under New York’s strong anti-SLAPP statute, seeks declaratory judgment and damages for what Wolff says is an effort by the First Lady’s legal team to chill his reporting on the Trump family’s connections to Jeffrey Epstein. “Someone had to do it,” Wolff told me. “I probably would have preferred that it not be me, but, you know, come the moment, here it is.” He called the First Lady’s actions “obvious and disgraceful.” According to court filings, Melania Trump’s attorney, Alejandro Brito, sent Wolff a demand letter accusing him of defamation for statements suggesting Melania Trump was connected to Epstein’s social circle and met Donald Trump through modeling agencies linked to both men. The letter demanded a public apology and retraction and warned Wolff to “govern himself accordingly.” Rather than back down, Wolff responded with a lawsuit of his own. He argues that his statements are protected under the First Amendment and that the letter itself amounts to an unlawful attempt to suppress free speech. “There are laws against what the First Lady and the President are doing,” Wolff said. “You cannot use a legal remedy to intimidate someone from speaking out. So, here we are. I’ve sued the First Lady.” Wolff said he filed the suit not just to defend himself but to push back against a growing “chill” in American journalism. “Everybody throughout the media business—there’s a chill,” he said. “And a chill is probably the kind word.” He added that major outlets, including The New York Times, are hesitant to cover stories like his because “they’re being sued by the same lawyer who is suing me.” Well, we here at the MeidasTouch Network are not afraid. With the lawsuit now filed, Wolff says he intends to use the discovery process to uncover the truth about the Trump family’s relationship with Epstein. “This is an opportunity to ask all of the questions that they have refused to answer,” he told me. “Let’s hear the details of their financial involvement. Let’s hear the details of their social involvement. Let’s get into Melania’s history — how she came to this country, what she did when she was here, how she met Donald Trump, and her relationship to the modeling agents who knew both Epstein and Trump.” Wolff said that once those questions are answered, “we will have a much clearer picture of what Jeffrey Epstein did, who he did it to, and how the President of the United States was involved.” He described the lawsuit as both an act of necessity and principle. “Obviously I’m not going to apologize,” he said. “Oh my God. I’m not going to retract. There’s virtually nothing to retract here. The truth is that anything I have said here is mild.” Read that last sentence again. Take that in for a moment. For Wolff, the case is about confronting what he sees as a deliberate attempt by those in power to erase uncomfortable truths. “This is not even a matter of what you said; it’s the subject itself that cannot be discussed,” he said. “The effort to sue me and to shut me up — and me along with others — is an effort to change the subject and shut down discussion of [Trump’s] involvement with Jeffrey Epstein.” In his view, that’s precisely why this issue matters so deeply. “This is not just me,” Wolff said. “This is an effort to get the truth of what Jeffrey Epstein means to Donald Trump.” He knows the battle ahead will be costly, but he’s undeterred. “This is going to be an expensive process,” he admitted. “But it’s going to be a hell of a ride.” Watch my interview with Michael Wolff above. Support our unapologetically pro-democracy reporting by sharing this piece, and consider joining as a paid subscriber if you haven’t yet. And if Donald Trump wants to come after us next for our reporting on his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, well, bring it on. Meidas+ is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.