Justice buried, morality eroded: The Epstein scandal as America's 'political autopsy'

Editor's note: Ma Ning is a special commentator on current affairs for CGTN. The article reflects the author's views and not necessarily those of CGTN.

With the U.S. Department of Justice releasing about 3.5 million pages of case files, including over 2,000 videos and 180,000 photographs, in accordance with a congressional act, this vast archive has revealed the staggering scope of the Jeffrey Epstein case.  

Summoning Hillary Clinton and Bill Clinton to testify before Congress – a spectacle involving a former president not seen for decades – does not represent a search for truth. Instead, it marks how the Epstein scandal has been consumed by partisan strife, transforming from a criminal case into a mirror reflecting the American political and judicial systems, becoming a symbol of governance failure, judicial injustice and moral bankruptcy.

The ugly theater of partisan warfare

The congressional summons of former U.S. President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton quickly evolved into a nationwide political show. The Republican-led House Oversight Committee insisted on in-person questioning, rejecting a request from the Clinton camp to submit a written statement instead.  

Democrats countered it by accusing the committee of intentionally avoiding an equally rigorous investigation of U.S. President Donald Trump, who reportedly had extensive contact with Epstein.  

The political symbolism of the hearings is stark. As former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi bluntly described it, the setting has become a "snake pit," where the process is rife with political calculation and the outcome predetermined by party loyalty rather than facts.  

This tug-of-war over controlling the narrative has entirely replaced any genuine pursuit of accountability. It exemplifies "selective transparency," where information is weaponized against opponents.

A justice system that serves power

The document disclosure process itself has become mired in controversy over "transparency" versus "political manipulation." While the Epstein Files Transparency Act required the release of millions of pages of material, the files contain heavy redactions, with some pages entirely blacked out, fueling speculation that information is being selectively filtered.  

Democrats insist that incomplete disclosure shelters the powerful and erodes public trust.

Also, the Justice Department initially failed to properly redact the names of some victims due to a technical error. Although later corrected, this caused more harm to the victims. Selective transparency became a tool for political combat, with public interest and victim welfare taking a back seat.  

The judicial response to the Epstein case can be seen as a classic case of failure. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche stated clearly after the document release that although the materials contained many "disturbing photos" and emails, this "does not necessarily mean we can prosecute someone."  

This startling admission confirms a grim reality: The justice system faces practical difficulties when dealing with vast, secretive criminal networks involving individuals of high status. Theoretically independent, the judicial machinery no longer operates primarily to uphold the law but performs political theater. For the victims, this is a profound betrayal, revealing whose interests the state truly protects.

The moral decay of a privileged elite

The scandal acts as a mirror, reflecting the decay within elite Western culture. The disclosed emails, photographs and flight logs depict a global environment of staggering entitlement and ethical emptiness. From discussions about obtaining inappropriate photographs to joking about adultery, the communications reveal a world where basic decency is glaringly absent.

The involvement of numerous figures, from European royalty to political elites, demonstrates this is not an anomaly unique to the United States, but a transnational syndrome, showcasing a powerful class utterly disconnected from the public. The Epstein case is far from over with the release of documents. It has evolved from a sex crime case into an inquest into the rules of power.

The ultimate legacy of the case may lie not in how many are brought to justice, but in whether it prompts a profound self-examination of the system. The question of how society can build effective moral barriers to prevent power and wealth from becoming privileges that evade scrutiny remains unanswered. From New York to London, a global elite network continues to operate normally. Sunlight has reached some corners of the Epstein case, but the deeper corridors have yet to be revealed.

Cracks in the beacon

The Epstein scandal has evolved from a criminal case into a comprehensive "political autopsy." It reveals a nation where governance is paralyzed by mutual destruction, where the law bends to power and where societal morality is eroded by an unaccountable elite.

The long-proclaimed beacon of exceptionalism now shows deep cracks in its foundation. When the systemic abuse of the vulnerable is reduced to a tool for scoring political points, it signals not merely a scandal, but a systemic collapse.

The greatest tragedy is that in this frenzied partisan battle, justice and the voices of the victims have become the first casualties, buried beneath an avalanche of political ambition and institutional failure.

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