Among the many claims to fame for fabled lawyer Alan Dershowitz—which include representing O.J. Simpson and getting shunned on Martha’s Vineyard for supporting President Donald Trump—was his help in representing financier Jeffrey Epstein back when he was arrested on child prostitution charges.
Dershowitz helped Epstein secure a one-year sentence in 2008, with a no-prosecution agreement going forward. Epstein is now accused of trafficking and pimping hundreds of underage girls.
Dersh himself may have been involved as well, as one of the reports from the Miami Herald that brought the Epstein case to light claimed he received massages at Epstein’s Florida mansion, among other claims. According to the Cut, Virginia Roberts Giuffre says that at 17, she was trafficked by Epstein to Dershowitz. She says they eventually had sex six times.
So, when embroiled in a pedophilia scandal, what is a man to do? Go on Twitter and argue the age of consent should be lowered to 16, or not go on Twitter and argue the age of consent should be lowered to 16?
A modern-day trolley problem, indeed.
I stand by the constitutional (not moral) argument I offered in my controversial oped: if a 16 year old has the constitutional right to have an abortion without state or parental interference, how could she not have the constitutional right to engage in consensual sex? 1/ https://t.co/48Thb8Uaym
— Alan Dershowitz (@AlanDersh) July 29, 2019
“I stand by the constitutional (not moral) argument I offered in my controversial oped: if a 16 year old has the constitutional right to have an abortion without state or parental interference, how could she not have the constitutional right to engage in consensual sex?” he tweeted late Monday.
Dersh was responding to an unearthed op-ed where he called statutory rape an “outdated” concept, which was mentioned in a New Yorker feature on Dershowitz that ran this week.
— Guy1749 (@guy1749) July 29, 2019
And while he said he was strictly making what he calls a “constitutional argument” and not a moral one, maybe the microblogging platform isn’t exactly the place to make it, especially in light of the accusations.
You’re such a disgraced man and the truth is coming out!
— laura (@lmresists) July 29, 2019
thank you for numbering your perv thread
— america's lounge singer (@KrangTNelson) July 29, 2019
Just say, "I'm a pervert." It's much shorter.
— John Pavlovitz (@johnpavlovitz) July 30, 2019
When I think of all the things I knew a Trump administration would manifest, I did not anticipate so much pedophelia. #CreepyDershowitz
— Heather Bucha Whaley (@HeatherWhaley) July 30, 2019
Dershowitz’s mentions were full of baffled users tweeting their disapproval for his statement, including the hashtag “#CreepyDershowitz.”
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- Alexander Acosta resigns amid Jeffrey Epstein plea criticism
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