A right-wing media host's stunning defense of Ghislaine Maxwell as possibly a "victim" in the Jeffrey Epstein sex trafficking case earned fierce derision from CNN's Jake Tapper on Friday afternoon.
Tapper used his opening monologue on his show, "The Lead," to deliver a searing takedown of Newsmax host Greg Kelly. Kelly questioned the legitimacy of Maxwell's legal proceedings and suggested there may have been a "rush to judgment" regarding her conviction.
Tapper introduced the clip, telling viewers: "Let’s look at what’s happening right now, right in front of our faces. Suddenly, some voices in MAGA media are all of a sudden treating convict Ghislaine Maxwell not as a vile perpetrator of sex crimes against children, but as this:"
He played the clip of Kelly telling viewers, “She just might be a victim. She just might be. There was a rush to judgment There was a lot of chaos there for a while. All right, granted, she hung out with Jeffrey Epstein. And I know that’s apparently not good. But she’s in jail."
Tapper torched Kelly over the comment.
"Ghislaine Maxwell is a convicted sex offender. Let me say it again — sounds like some people don’t really understand this. Ghislaine Maxwell is a convicted sex offender. And many of her victims who were under the age of 18 — some as young as 14— testified that she ruined their lives and their ability to trust anyone after she groomed them for the sexual predator Jeffrey Epstein when they were just kids."
Tapper noted Ghislaine was accused of participating in some of the sexual abuse herself.
"And yet, stunningly, this is not the first time that Ghislaine Maxwell has had sympathy expressed about her from the MAGA movement," he added. "In fact, in 2020, right after her arrest, sympathy was expressed from President Trump, who literally wished her well."
Tapper then played a clip of Trump saying he's allowed to pardon Maxwell, but hadn't considered. He noted details aren't known about what information or names Maxwell may have offered the Justice Department, or whether "anything this woman says can be trusted in any way."
But Tapper made his feelings clear.
"Maxwell’s crimes of preying on vulnerable young girls — often from broken homes — are well documented. There’s no 'rush to judgment.' This has been going on for more than 20 years. The content of her character is fairly well established."
Tapper then blasted the president for his treatment of Maxwell.
"Trump, though, for some reason, this president is crueler to Rosie O’Donnell than he is to Ghislaine Maxwell, who’s in prison for sex crimes against minors," he said. "Why? Given the facts in front of us right now—including Ghislaine Maxwell’s two Justice Department interviews with Trump’s former defense attorney—one has to wonder, is a table being set for Ghislaine Maxwell to receive some sort of clemency?"
