Commentary: Yes, Wasserman should go. But what about all those other guys in the Epstein files?

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Casey Wasserman is facing increasing calls to step down as leader of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics committee. This comes after emails were made public revealing a questionable exchange between him and Ghislaine Maxwell, an associate of Jeffrey Epstein.

Among the millions of pages released by the Justice Department related to the Epstein case, Mark Wasserman isn’t a prominent figure, nor is he mentioned very often. Donald Trump appears more frequently in the documents, and the files suggest even more serious misconduct by other individuals, such as Bill Gates.

Wasserman is an unusual example of a prominent and wealthy American figure facing public pressure and demands for accountability, including from Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and local officials, which is causing their influence to decline.

This week, Representative Karen Bass publicly called for the resignation of a committee leader overseeing the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics due to his connections with Ghislaine Maxwell. While speaking with Dana Bash on CNN, Bass explained she doesn’t have the power to remove him from his position, but believes he should resign voluntarily. She clarified that this is her personal opinion, and not the official stance of the committee’s board.

The LA28 Olympics board continues to support Wasserman as chair after reviewing relevant documents.

The files don’t indicate any illegal activity by Wasserman, but his interactions with Maxwell were a serious lapse in judgment. Maxwell was known, along with Epstein, for connecting older men with young women and teenagers, and was later convicted of sex trafficking and related crimes. In 2022, she received a 20-year sentence. Epstein was arrested in 2019 on sex trafficking charges, but died in jail before he could be tried.

California

Recently released documents related to Jeffrey Epstein include private emails between Casey Wasserman, who leads the LA28 Olympics committee, and Ghislaine Maxwell, a convicted sex offender. Wasserman stated on Saturday that he regrets any connection to either of them, explaining the emails were sent before Maxwell’s crimes became public.

In a 2003 email conversation, Maxwell asked Wasserman a sexually suggestive question about clothing. In a separate message, he inquired about her location, expressed missing her, and suggested they schedule a massage during his upcoming four-day trip to New York City starting April 22nd.

Maxwell wrote back, “All that rubbing — are you sure you can take it?”

Stop reading here if you’re on the verge of vomiting.

He continued, suggesting he had certain techniques that could be quite stimulating, and playfully offered to practice them on her. Maxwell also brought up his time in Brazil, and when she asked if Wasserman had ever visited, he eagerly replied, “Never… but let’s go!”

While disturbing, this exchange isn’t as serious as some others found in the files, particularly those involving more influential figures than Wasserman.

Music

Following the release of the Epstein files, Casey Wasserman is under pressure from employees and artists to resign. While he hasn’t addressed the situation publicly, sources within the entertainment industry believe his company may soon launch a separate music division.

In 2012 and 2013, Elon Musk, then CEO of Tesla, several times asked Jeffrey Epstein for invitations to his private island. This was four to five years after Epstein had been convicted in Florida of soliciting prostitution and involvement with a minor. Epstein served 13 months in prison. Despite Epstein’s criminal history, Musk wrote to him in 2012, inquiring about parties. He explained he’d been working incredibly hard and, after the holidays, wanted to relax and have fun in St. Barts or a similar location, stating he wasn’t looking for a quiet getaway.

So, Epstein replied, basically saying he got it and would meet me in St. Barth. He then added this weird comment – he hinted that the number of women on his island might make Talulah, Elon’s wife at the time, feel awkward. It was a really strange thing to say, honestly.

“Ratio is not a problem for Talulah,” Musk replied.

If he’d faced even half the criticism that Wasserman did, he might have stopped posting those immature things on X, or at least refrained from designing such awful cars. Honestly, the Tesla Cybertruck looks like a huge pair of toenail clippers.

While several well-known people in the U.K. and Europe have faced significant repercussions for their connections to Epstein and Maxwell, American billionaires and powerful individuals linked to them have largely avoided consequences, despite evidence of questionable or even illegal behavior.

World & Nation

For the first time in almost 400 years, a high-ranking member of the British royal family was arrested, highlighting the declining respect for the monarchy we’ve seen in recent years.

Prince Andrew has lost his royal title and is now known as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. He has been moved from his home at Windsor and is currently staying on the King’s private estate in Norfolk. On Thursday, he was arrested by British police and is suspected of misconduct in public office due to his connections with Jeffrey Epstein.

Peter Mandelson, a former British ambassador to the U.S., lost his job because of his ties to Epstein. Now, Thorbjørn Jagland, Norway’s ex-prime minister, is being investigated for his connections to him as well.

In the United States, Donald Trump remains in power. Notably, Howard Lutnick, the Secretary of Commerce, also continues to serve, despite being a high-profile figure named in documents related to Jeffrey Epstein. Lutnick recently faced questioning in the Senate regarding his relationship with Epstein and a 2012 family visit to Epstein’s island – a trip he hadn’t disclosed despite earlier statements claiming he ended contact with Epstein in 2005. Trump has publicly supported Lutnick.

Those in power have repeatedly made poor decisions and acted foolishly, often without facing any consequences. As highlighted in Attorney General Pam Bondi’s testimony, the Justice Department hasn’t held a single powerful person accountable for their actions.

California

LA28’s Casey Wasserman is facing calls to resign. He is not responding.

Casey Wasserman, whose grandfather was a powerful figure in Hollywood, is a leading sports and entertainment executive and founded the Wasserman agency. Recently, several artists and athletes – including Chappell Roan, Abby Wambach, and the Dropkick Murphys – ended their relationships with the agency, expressing concerns about its ethics following the release of documents related to Jeffrey Epstein. Last week, Wasserman announced he’s selling the agency, explaining that the public attention surrounding emails involving Ghislaine Maxwell had become a problem.

Calls are growing for Casey Wasserman to resign from his leadership position with the LA28 Olympic committee. On Tuesday, attorney Michael Carrillo, who has represented survivors of Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse, publicly demanded Wasserman’s removal. Local leaders, survivors, and activists are also urging the LA28 board, the Los Angeles mayor, and county supervisors to take action.

Casey Wasserman, a key figure in Los Angeles’ successful Olympic bid since 2015, states he hasn’t had any contact with Ghislaine Maxwell or Jeffrey Epstein for the past 20 years. He expressed deep regret over emails he exchanged with Maxwell, noting they occurred more than two decades ago, before her involvement in serious crimes became known.

It’s an apology with a “yeah, but …”

It’s possible Wasserman will resign to take the blame for her email exchanges with Maxwell. However, the other wealthy individuals connected to Epstein in the U.S. continue to avoid any consequences or accountability.

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2026-02-19 22:31