Former Writer Denies Bill Clinton’s Involvement in Spiking an Article, Says It Was Jeffrey Epstein

Former Vanity Fair writer Vicky Ward has vehemently denied recent reports suggesting that Bill Clinton personally intervened at the magazine's offices to suppress an article on Jeffrey Epstein. Ward, a respected journalist, was the first to profile Epstein in 2002 before his criminal activities became widely known. In light of recent claims by Virginia Giuffre that Clinton threatened Vanity Fair not to publish sex-trafficking articles about Epstein, Ward clarifies that she never heard of such an incident.

Giuffre's email, released in a cache of court documents, states, "B.Clinton walked into VF and threatened them not to write sex-trafficking articles about his good friend J.E," as per The Daily Beast. However, Ward dismisses this, attributing it to misheard gossip. Former Vanity Fair Editor-in-Chief Graydon Carter also denies the alleged incident, stating, "This categorically did not happen." Ward, who was assigned to investigate Epstein's finances in 2002, recounts her experience when Epstein discovered her possession of abuse allegations made by sisters Maria and Annie Farmer. The fact checker at Vanity Fair informed Ward that Epstein appeared at the magazine's offices, leading to the removal of the Farmer sisters' accusations from the published piece, as per Mediaite. Ward expresses regret for not being aware of Epstein's sex crimes at the time.

While addressing the Clinton claim on CNN, Ward wonders if Giuffre may have misunderstood the events, stating, "What I wonder is if Virginia Roberts is hearing, um, gossip, and getting it slightly wrong." She emphasizes that she never heard of Clinton pressuring Vanity Fair and suggests that Giuffre might be referring to the Farmer sisters' allegations. Ward raises essential questions about the motives behind powerful individuals associating with Epstein, mentioning figures like Bill Gates. She notes, "Why were all these scientists, why were later on, you know, names? We know Bill Gates. Why were these academics? What were they? What did Jeffrey Epstein have that attracted them all to him? We still don’t understand the answer to that question."

In a related 2011 email, Giuffre expressed concern about Vanity Fair's potential coverage, referencing Clinton's alleged intervention. In a deposition, Epstein accuser Johanna Sjoberg claimed that Epstein once said, "Clinton likes them young, referring to girls." The newly unsealed court documents contain various claims about Epstein's associates, including Prince Andrew. However, Clinton has not been linked to any crimes committed by Epstein. Despite traveling on Epstein's plane, Clinton's spokesperson maintains that he has no knowledge of Epstein's criminal activities and hasn't had contact with him in nearly 20 years.

In conclusion, Ward's firsthand account and the denial from Vanity Fair's former editor-in-chief cast doubt on the recent claims of Clinton's intervention. The complexity of Epstein's associations continues to raise questions about the motivations of prominent figures connected to him.