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Recently released Justice Department documents have shed new light on the extent of filmmaker Woody Allen’s friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, revealing details of their social relationship and mutual support during periods of public criticism.
The emails, part of a large collection of records made public by the Justice Department, document frequent interactions between Allen, his wife Soon-Yi Previn, and Epstein, who were neighbors in New York City and regular dinner companions.
In one notable exchange from 2015, Epstein used his connections to arrange a White House tour for Allen and Previn through former White House counsel Kathy Ruemmler. “Could you show soon yi the White House,” Epstein wrote to Ruemmler. “I assume woody would be too politically sensitive?”
Ruemmler responded that she could show both of them around, although she doubted whether Epstein himself would be permitted entry due to his 2008 guilty plea for soliciting prostitution from an underage girl. White House records confirm that Allen, Previn and Ruemmler visited on December 27, 2015, a Sunday when then-President Barack Obama was in Hawaii.
The documents reveal that Allen and Previn’s dinners with Epstein often included notable guests such as talk show host Dick Cavett, linguist Noam Chomsky, and comedian David Brenner. Epstein also attended screenings of Allen’s films and would visit to watch him edit his work.
In a letter written for Epstein’s birthday in 2016, Allen described their gatherings: “Wide variety of interesting people at every dinner… It’s always interesting and the food is sumptuous and abundant. Lots of dishes, plenty of choices, numerous desserts, well served.”
The emails also provide insight into how the three commiserated about public criticism they faced. Numerous exchanges reference the scandals that began in the early 1990s when Allen’s relationship with Previn became public. Previn was the adopted daughter of Allen’s then-girlfriend Mia Farrow. Around the same time, Allen was investigated over allegations he had assaulted Farrow’s adopted daughter, Dylan.
A Connecticut prosecutor stated in 1993 that there was “probable cause” to charge Allen with molestation, but decided not to pursue the case. Allen, who married Previn in 1997 and has since adopted two daughters, has consistently denied any wrongdoing. However, Dylan’s allegations resurfaced in 2014 when The New York Times published an open letter from her, leading to Allen’s widespread ostracism by the American film industry.
In 2016 emails, the trio compared their situations to Bill Cosby, who was then facing numerous sexual assault allegations. “The crowd needs a witch to burn, and there are not many left,” Epstein wrote.
Allen replied through Previn that his situation was “radically different” from Cosby’s: “I do expect (and get) many ugly unfair accusations, (but) he has to battle 50 women and criminal charges. I have one irate mother whose case was investigated and discredited.”
Epstein suggested that the public scorn Allen received was more likely related to his relationship with Previn, which he called a “publicly broken taboo.” Allen responded through Previn that “there’s nothing to be done” about their relationship, saying, “I’m certainly not going to dump her and I’m not going to apologize because I don’t feel either of us did anything we have to apologize for.”
Despite maintaining this close friendship with Epstein for years after his conviction became public knowledge, Allen has not been accused of any involvement in Epstein’s alleged sexual abuse of girls and women.
Epstein died by suicide in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. The documents being reviewed by major news organizations including the Associated Press, CBS, NBC, MS NOW and CNBC continue to reveal the extent of his connections to powerful figures in entertainment, business, and politics.
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5 Comments
This news reinforces the need for stronger safeguards and vetting processes when it comes to White House access. Convicted felons, especially those with sex crime convictions, should not be able to leverage personal connections to gain that level of access.
Interesting to see the extent of the relationship between Epstein and Woody Allen. Arranging a White House visit seems like a significant privilege, even with connections. I wonder what other favors Epstein did for his celebrity contacts.
While the details are concerning, I don’t think we can draw too many conclusions from this one interaction. Plenty of prominent people have visited the White House, and the emails alone don’t prove any wrongdoing. We’d need more context to make a fair assessment.
This is a troubling revelation, given Epstein’s criminal history. It raises questions about the ethics and propriety of these sorts of personal connections between public figures and convicted sex offenders. The public deserves more transparency.
While the Epstein-Allen connection is concerning, I’m more interested in understanding the broader implications for how the White House grants access and tours. This incident seems to highlight systemic issues that deserve further scrutiny.