GOP donor's Epstein denials dismantled on MS NOW: 'Come on, man. No one believes that'
US billionaire Les Wexner, who is a central character in the Jeffrey Epstein files and who helped the convicted sex trafficker amass a substantial portion of his wealth, told lawmakers on Wednesday that he was a victim of being suckered and taken advantage of during their time together.
Those excuses did not fly with MS NOW host Joe Scarborough who called out the former CEO of women’s lingerie retailer Victoria’s Secret on Thursday morning.
Speaking at his home in Ohio, the 88-year-old retired executive, who has been accused by the FBI of being an Epstein co-conspirator, Wexner played the victim while also asserting that Epstein bilked him out of "vast sums" of money while serving as his financial adviser.
During questioning from Democrats, with Republicans not attending, Wexner claimed he was “duped,” with his spokesperson saying afterward, “Mr Wexner honestly answered every question put to him today by the Committee. Mr Wexner reiterated that he has no knowledge of, and did not participate in, Epstein's illegal conduct. He stands by that fervently."
That led “Morning Joe’s” Scarborough to remark, “I am, I’m not shocked, I'm surprised, though, that the press is not focusing more on what Lex Wexner said yesterday. ‘Oh, I was a rube, I was duped, I was conned, I was this.’ Wexner was the man who, for all practical purposes, invented Jeffrey Epstein. As a Democratic congressman, said yesterday. Wexner. without him there is no ‘rape island,’ there is no 'Lolita Express.'”
“Because without Wexner, Epstein doesn't have the money,” he added. “I mean, this guy literally launched Jeffrey Epstein. And yet Republicans, including [GOP Rep.] James Comer, did not even show up at his deposition.”
With guest Anand Giridharadas suggesting it is a “one-day story,“ Scarborough protested.
"Hold on a second,” he interrupted. “It's not a one-day story because the press isn't even focusing on what this billionaire, this guy that gave $250,000 to the Republican National Committee, this guy who gave $100,000 to the Republican senator who voted to suppress these file.”
“They're not even like underlining his statement, ‘I was duped. I was a con man, I was conned by a con man.’ Come on, man! Nobody believes that the richest guy in Ohio, this billionaire that built vast fortune, is being conned. No, he wasn't conned! He knew exactly what he was doing through all those years. And yet, the media, man, they're not even really underlining this fact that republicans just didn't show up.”
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