Love Story: Elon and Epstein
What the files actually tell us about the Elon-Epstein relationship
The billionaires are beefing. Richest man in the world Elon Musk and LinkedIn Founder Reid Hoffman both appear many times in the Epstein files, but who was closer with the disgraced pedophile? Investigative journalist Amy Westervelt read all thousand-plus exchanges in the latest trove featuring exchanges with or about Elon Musk and shares the timeline of the Epstein-Elon friendship, the mystery of what changed the relationship’s tenor, and why the prevailing media take on Elon and Epstein is wrong.
Mentioned in this Episode
Amy Westervelt, investigative journalist
Reuters: Edmond de Rothschild Paris offices raided in Epstein-linked probe into diplomat
Politico: Wyden, DOJ spar over DEA investigation of Epstein
CBS: Democrats walk out of tense Bondi closed-door hearing
MSNOW: As Epstein’s longtime lawyer testifies, questions remain about what he knew
Inside Higher Ed: Students want to ‘take back’ Bard
Kate Manne’s open letter to the Bard President
The Tufts Daily: Changes on campus after revelations about the Tisch-Epstein relationship
Le Monde: French Foreign Ministry in turmoil over Fabrice Aidan
AA: Hoffman and Musk debating over who went to the island and who did not
DOJ: Dec 25, 2012: Elon says he wants to party on the island but is bringing Talulah and then Epstein says "the ratio on my island might make Talulah uncomfortable," and Elon replies "Ratio is not a problem for Talulah"
DOJ: Elon asking asking JE to bring a girl (blacked out, so presumably a victim) for Kimball and that "she might like Elon too"
DOJ: Epstein trying to entice Elon with "under 25" girls in NY
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Investigative journalist
Amy Westervelt is an award-winning investigative print and audio journalist. In 2015, she received a Rachel Carson award for women greening journalism for her role in creating a women-only climate journalism group syndicating longform climate reporting to The Atlantic, The Guardian, The Economist, and many more outlets. In 2017, she founded the independent podcast production company Critical Frequency, which specializes in reported narrative podcasts that The New Yorker, The New York Times, and The Atlantic have described as "fascinating," "rigorously reported," and "the best." Westervelt has received an ONA award for excellence in audio storytelling, multiple Covering Climate Now awards for climate reporting, a Wilbur award for excellence in religion reporting, two Peabody nominations, and was named a 2023 Covering Climate Now "Journalist of the Year." A 20-year veteran investigative journalist, Westervelt's earlier work for NPR, The Guardian, The Wall Street Journal, Inside Climate News, and various other outlets earned her Edward R. Murrow, ONA, and Folio awards as well, and is often cited as amongst the earliest examples of accountability reporting on climate. Her climate podcast Drilled was the first narrative climate podcast, and has since grown into a multimedia newsroom producing cross-border investigations in partnership with various national and international outlets. Her book "Brought to You By: How Corporations Warped the Truth, Conned the Public, and Broke Democracy," is forthcoming from Bloomsbury.
