On an episode of The View, Whoopi Goldberg clarified why her name appears in the Epstein files.
Speaking on the talk show that she co-hosts, Goldberg brought the document up onto a big screen in the studio and talked viewers through it.
She explained the context surrounding her name’s inclusion and shut down rumours that she was associated with the paedophile and financier Jeffrey Epstein.
Goldberg, 70, started by saying: ‘In the name of transparency, my name is in the files, yes!’
She then went on to read parts of the document showing an email conversation from May 2013, in which it appears Epstein is replying to an invitation to lend his plane.
The TV personality explained: ‘And what does it say? “Whoopi needs a plane to get to Monaco. John Lennon’s charity is paying for it.” It should say Julian Lennon’s Charity. “They don’t want to charter, so they are looking for private owners. Here’s the info,” and they give all the information and they are saying do you want to offer your G2?’
Co-host Sunny Hostin interjected: ‘And it looks like they said: “No thanks”.’
Joy Behar also chimed in: ‘So in other words anybody can be on this list?’
Goldberg then continued by saying this was her point. She rejected accusations that she had a relationship with Epstein: ‘I wasn’t his girlfriend, I wasn’t his friend.
‘I was not only too old but it was at a time… you used to have to have facts before you said stuff.’
She said she was ‘getting dragged’ and ‘people actually believed [she] was with him.’
The 70-year-old then went on to claim that every man she’s been with, the public have known about it: ‘People wrote about this stuff.’
Referring back to the document where her name is mentioned, Goldberg said: ‘And no, I didn’t get on the plane.
‘Cause, you know what I would have to do to get on the plane?’
Behar answered: ‘Fly,’ alluding to Goldberg’s fear of flying.
The names of celebrities, political figures and royals have been found in the Epstein files, more of which were released earlier this year. An individuals’ presence in them does not imply any wrongdoing.
Co-host Sara Haines spoke to this and mentioned some of the reasons that a name could appear in the files, like appearing as part of news articles, third-party emails and contacts.
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