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wrangler Peggy Siegal, whose job was to get boldfaced names to accept invitations, he must be OK. For some of Epstein’s correspondents, it was part of his appeal that he was disreputable. Larry Summers, who leaned on Epstein for romantic advice, asked him at one point: “How is life among the lucrative and louche?”

Epstein’s social currency is one reason that he got off so easily the first time he was prosecuted — he hired the best, most connected defense attorneys, who outclassed and intimidated his prosecutors.

As for Trump, he is guilty of enjoying Epstein’s company a couple of decades ago, presumably for the same reason so many others did. But he had a falling out with Epstein long ago. Trump didn’t have anything to do with him at the time that so many others in these emails were socializing with Epstein, confiding in him and asking him for insight on Trump. That’s a disgrace, and it’s always been in plain sight. In the Epstein story, it’s not so much follow the money — although that’s important and still mysterious — as follow the social network.

Rich Lowry is editor of the National Review.

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