⚖️ Melber: Trump’s Failed ‘Enemies List’ Exposed by Grand Jury Defiance, As Epstein Files Rock the DOJ

WASHINGTON D.C. – A rare confluence of legal events this weekend has provided a stark reminder of the functioning (and failures) of America’s legal guardrails. MSNBC’s Ari Melber delivered a special update detailing the three-time failure of efforts backed by Donald Trump to indict New York Attorney General Letitia James, while simultaneously charting the significant breakthroughs forcing the Department of Justice (DOJ) to release vast new troves of evidence in the Jeffrey Epstein case.

Melber argued that both topics underscore a simple truth: pressure and the rule of law are working to thwart executive overreach and expose elite corruption, even if the progress is slow and hard-won.

I. The Guardrail Holds: Trump’s Failed Indictment Bid

Donald Trump’s sustained effort to use the legal system to prosecute perceived political opponents—his “enemies list approach”—has met with a stunning and repeated rejection by ordinary citizens serving as grand jurors.

The latest blow concerns the third failed attempt to indict New York Attorney General Letitia James. This follows previous failures, including the disqualification of a key Trump-aligned prosecutor, Lindsey Halligan, who was ruled to have never legally held the job, and an earlier grand jury rejection.

.

.

.

The Power of the Grand Jury:

Melber emphasized the constitutional function of the grand jury as the “first check on the abuse of government powers.” While the grand jury uses a low bar for evidence—a reason for the adage that it “can indict a ham sandwich”—its purpose is to block baseless or unlawful prosecutions.

“That process has worked now to reject the Trump effort to indict Letitia James twice. That’s a huge embarrassment. It is a total rejection of this enemies list approach and it’s a reminder of how the guardrails are working.”

Courage Over Elitism:

Melber drew a powerful contrast between the rejection of this political overreach by “regular people” serving on the grand jury and the infamous capitulation of many American “elites and the rich and the powerful”—including figures in business, law, and academia—who have folded to Trump’s abuse of power when their jobs or livelihoods were threatened.

The grand jurors’ repeated “no” in the face of government bravado represents an act of “independence and a type of courage” that is better than the performance of many wealthy elites. Counting total attempts across all targets (including James and former FBI Director James Comey), Melber noted the “enemies list is faltering.”

II. The Sea Change: Epstein Accountability Forced by Law

The second major development is the continued fallout from the Jeffrey Epstein case, where legal pressure and a change in federal law have forced an unprecedented level of transparency from the DOJ.

Breakthroughs in Transparency:

Melber highlighted the “sea change” that has occurred in the last month, driven by the efforts of survivors and a bipartisan legislative push:

Judicial Rulings: Three different judges have ruled that grand jury material related to both the Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell cases must be released, effectively overturning the typical exception that protects such material.

Estate Compliance: The Epstein estate has lawfully complied with demands for material, leading to the “huge trove of emails” that have already exposed figures who tried to hide their ties to Epstein, including Harvard President Larry Summers and Steve Bannon.

New Photos: The recent lawful release of new photographs showing the late disgraced financier with political and media figures (including Donald Trump, Bill Clinton, Woody Allen, and Bannon) underscores that the pressure for evidence is working.

The December 19th Deadline:

The most crucial date cited is December 19th, the deadline under the new federal law for the DOJ to release the vast majority of relevant files. Melber warned the DOJ against abusing the “very narrow exceptions”—such as protecting survivors’ names or minors—to redact entire documents, stating that such “playing games” would be met with immediate challenge, a warning echoed by pressure from Congressional Republicans.

The Core Revelation:

The evidence—from the emails to the grand jury material—is expected to provide critical, new investigative information, particularly regarding how Epstein received such lenient treatment and the full extent of his connections across the political and elite spectrum.

In conclusion, Melber asserted that while the system has many faults, the double success in rejecting Trump’s political weaponization and forcing the release of long-hidden Epstein evidence shows that “with pressure and the change of law, there are things that are working.”