Today, Ellie Leonard (Substack, The Panicked), worked on transposing Landon Thomas Jr.’s emails with Trump, Ellie inserting relevant information for readers to understand the context:
A former portfolio manager at Morgan Stanley, Landon Thomas handled investments in Turkey, Pakistan, and the Middle East, before coming to work at the New York Times in 2002. Prior to that, Thomas had written the now well-known article “International Moneyman of Mystery” for New York Magazine, profiling Jeffrey Epstein as an enigmatic financial kingpin whose fortune origins and career path were hard to pin down. It’s unknown whether Thomas continued to correspond with Epstein between 2002 and 2015, when his emails began, as documented by the House Oversight Committee, but for the next three years they had quite a lot to say about people like Alan Dershowitz, Mohammed bin Salman (MBS), and of course Donald Trump. I have included all the original spelling errors.
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12/8/2015 5:41 PM – 10:59 PM
LT: Now everyone coming to me thinking I have juicy info on you and Trump. Because of this. “’I’ve known Jeff for fifteen years. Terrific guy,’ Trump booms from a speakerphone. ‘He’s a lot of fun to be with. It is even said that he likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them are on the younger side. No doubt about it — Jeffrey enjoys his social life.’” That story will never die
JE: research how he paid for mara lago . matt was his bagman, , trump shuttle. . trump casino review sec filing to see the backdates taking of money
JE: read the uzz feed re my airplane logs and hawain tropic contest. / have them ask my houseman about donad almost walking through the door leaving his nose print on the glass as young women were swimming in the pool and he was so focused he walked straight into the door.
JE: would you like photos of Donald and girls in bikinis in my kitchen.
LT: Yes!!!
Landon Thomas Jr. – The New York Times
JE: when we bet that marla maples was pregnant , i olst and sent him 10,ooo dollars of baby food. the hawain tropic girls all have photos he was the judge
LT: I am serious man — for the good of the nation why not try to get some of this out there. I would not do it myself, but would pass on to a political reporter.[Court Papers: Trump Ate At Jeffrey Epstein’s House]
Epstein and Celina Midelfart
JE: (Broken link “celina midelfart the queen of glamour”) my 20 year old girlfriend in 93, , that after two years i gave to donald
LT: Do you mind if I pass Petrella’s contact on to the political reporter? I won’t do it unless you say OK because after that I would have no say as to where story goes. Let me know — its not a big deal for me either way. But at some point this stuff will come out — as long he continues to top polls.
LT: I am kind of shocked that our reporters did not contact you re the Trump/women story. Seems to me he got off rather lightly. How are you doing?
JE: Me too.
6/1/2016 3:25 PM – 4:00 PM
LT: Keep getting calls from that guy doing a book on you — John Connolly. He seems very interested in your relationship with the news media. I told him you were a hell of a guy:) One oddity: he said he had been told that that quote from Trump about you in the original NY Mag story had been manufactured. ie, that I did not actually speak to Donald. Which is bull shit of course. I am sure that is what Trump told him as they have been getting a lot of questions from reporters about you. He actually seemed to be a sensible guy/solid reporter — just from the few conversations I had with him. I think he is close to finishing up. Did you ever speak to him?
JE: no
LT: are you still getting calls from reporters re Trump?
JE: every day
LT: everyone except the NYT it seems:) yes or no question: does he win?
JE: ask me august
Donald Trump speaks with supporters at a campaign rally in Phoenix, Arizona, in June 2016 – Gage Skidmore
6/22/2016 4:15 PM
LT: Any big finance names out there supporting trump that we have not heard about? We are trying to get an angle on who is supporting and who is not.
9/16/2016 5:08 PM – 8:56 PM
LT: I am getting worried. Is he ever going to implode?
JE: too late
LT: you think he will win?
JE: ask again 30th
LT: Lets catch up next time you are in NYC. NYT is making me write more on markets now and I don’t really know who to believe any more re where the market is going these days.
JE: no place else to invest for alpha, your children are rich
LT: If you knew Trump was going to win, how would you position your portfolio?
JE: five me a number ill call
LT: [REDACTED]
10/17/2016 5:57
LT: I have been called in to help on a big NYT investigation into how low oil prices have been affecting the personal finances of royal family in Saudi Arabia. Obviously they called in much of their cash form the likes of BlackRock and others but I thought you might have some ideas. Maybe some people to talk to? I would think its more than cutting down on yachts and private planes or selling real estate in Paris, Istanbul, London. Any thoughts? PS: does my story on Abraaj get me a meeting with Gates next time he is in town:)
10/18/2016 7:04 AM
JE: words that you to refer to one thing, USA . the stock market / the Royal family, . are no longer very useful. In politics the USA meant the white house. now there is pentagon. cia, state, and congress in addition, each feels empowered to act more independantly. stock market even in tech, needs bio tech, consuner tech. infrastructure tech. etc. same with Royal family, there are 20k members of a tribe. called the royal family, the words are misleading. if your article is focused on bin salman, or the very top. no one is wondering where they can find the local Costco.. but they are aware that a message needs to be sent to their population , regarding the next 20 years, social media, and the selfie crowds post the best of everything, their cutest pictures the amazing food , the luxury resorts. the masses see these things and the difference between expectations and reality widen, the anger grows. trump is tapped in. with the passage of the 9 11 saudi bill, unlike the french revolution where it was the people of france that revolted against their own aristocracty, with the internet and globalization of discontect it is now the americans that can revolt against the saudi leadership. it is the americans that are demanding women drive. not the Saudis
10/19/2016 9:41 AM – 3:02 PM
LT: Interesting. CEO of big finance form told me that the Saudis (SAMA)have withdrawn $200 billion that has been parked with usual suspects over the past year or so. That number seem in line with what you know?
JE: most of the saudi money is tied up in pe funds. no withdrawals allowed . and im not seeing much in the secondary market. . blackrock is more money market , more like custodian than investor .
Remunance.com
LT: what is your back of the envelope guess as to much saudi money tied up in such funds?
JE: sorry, no good handle without digging
LT: I have spoken to a lot of ceos of fund outfits who say Saudis have been pulling billions of dollars in separate money — not just from BR. And plus I cant believe they would have so much tied up in lock ups.
LT: You called it! How are you positioned re market?
JE: long dow , short yen euro and pound. long reits,
LT: who is treasury secretary? Is Mnuchin a done deal? Seems too obvious.
JE: number?
LT: 212 556 3821
11/14/2016 2:51 PM – 2:59 PM
LT: Any further intel on Treasury? Priebus choice suggests to me that he may go for a bigger name in treasury than Mnuchin. Someone to underscore/push forward this notion that he is Reagan 2.0 (as some are suggesting.) I am just not sure who that person would be. The Trump trade certainly seems to have legs — all the Hillary loving hedgies I am talking to are congratulating themselves for making so much money last week. They are all Trump lovers now!
JE: no intel but lots of profits
LT: do you agree with my thesis?
JE: no, they don’t have many loyal people that have gravitas. . it will be somewhat random but he is being advised to do as you suggest but he doesn’t like advice in teneral. he has no loyalty ZERO tossed christie after being his best friend. in four seconds flat.
Chris Christie – AP
LT: yeah, but that was a smart move — made him look presidential. everything he has done so far suggests to me he is going to do what you told me months ago: appoint competent people beneath him who he trusts AND who will not fuck things up. Christie was not one of those people.
LT: How are you explaining this to your Saudi friends? Can’t believe logical people like Barrack would support such insanity.
JE: oh no , you too/ I have been fielding similar emails calls texts ALL DAY, it will all turn out ok. shaking things up will bring about hopefully positive change. . he won and his people won , this is what his people want. cant be sore losers.
The Muslim Travel Ban, 2017 – ABCNews
LT: I gave him benefit of doubt on a whole bunch of stuff and agree that we need to shake things up. But this ban is just wrong and I really don’t see how it helps him.
1/29/2017 9:59 AM
JE: IT helps as he is seen to be keeping his word, it is important with putin and north korea. as you notice north korea has not fired there missile that he promised wouldn’t happen. Obama was never able to effecturate that. . that being said Donald is fucking crazy I told you that
2/3/2017 3:43 PM
LT: Do you think he gets what he wants? [An Early Trump Backer Awaits His Reward] Interesting piece on cognitive science/Trump. Right down your alley. (Broken “Trump fog” link.)
2/15/2017 3:48 PM
LT: I am writing a story about how markets keep ripping ahead despite political craziness. VIX so low, etc. You must get a lot of this in talking to clients — people freaking out about headlines as markets hit new highs. How do you spin this to them? One hedgie Trump supporter told me that Trump is the highest beta prez ever — ie the highs will be high but so will be the lows. Question: how closely does DJT track market moves? I know he tweets about Dow 20,000 but how aware do you think he is about how market really betting big on him. Does he talk to Barrack about this? Cohn?
LT: Seems to me he is a natural guy for you; he is going to be in Florida in March for some Trump event. I know some of his financial guys pretty well: I might try to facilitate something if you are not opposed.
Masayoshi Son, “Masa,” CEO of SoftBank – Getty Images
JE: great , thanks, or new york , or this weekend as Donald arrives at 5pm tonight
LT: OK. Let me see what I can do. What is the latest from the inner circle?
JE: they believe all on track, . tax policy, big changes. . law and order and immigration. . . jobs. . however russia not going away anytime soon. . lots of people with magnifying glasses.
3/9/2017 3:30 PM
LT: Trying to get you in with Masa crowd. Some resistance though, due to all the headlines/controversy — as you might expect. I tell them about your relationship with Saudis/Gates/Trump crowd, but still doubts. Working on it!
LT: I was in Toledo Ohio yesterday drilling down on small business animal spirits: amazing how bullish they are there — for all of DJT’s craziness, his ability to present himself as a small biz owner pissed off about regulations/health care/anti-business sentiment in White House was a brilliant stroke. They really dig him down there….
JE: foot off the brake
2019:
A former New York Times staffer quietly left the paper after revealing he had solicited charitable donations from Jeffrey Epstein
Former New York Times financial journalist Landon Thomas Jr. left the paper after revealing to editors he solicited charitable donations from Jeffrey Epstein, NPR reported Thursday.
Thomas Jr. reportedly told his editors he became friends with the disgraced financier after profiling him in 2008. He had asked Epstein to make a $30,000 donation to a Harlem cultural center in 2017.
The Times issued a statement confirming his exit and called his solicitation “a clear violation” of their ethics policy, NPR said.
Thomas’ action “was a shocking lapse of journalistic standards,” an unnamed source with the Times told The Daily Beast.
A former New York Times reporter was ousted from the publication after asking convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein to make a $30,000 charitable donation, NPR reported Thursday.
Financial journalist Landon Thomas Jr. told his editors in summer 2018 he had become friends with Epstein after covering the financier years earlier, according to the report. He also revealed he’d convinced Epstein to donate the five-figure sum to a Harlem cultural center in 2017.
Thomas tried to convince his editors that Epstein was merely a source of information and not a subject he reported on, according to the report, but they rejected the explanation and disavowed him from any professional contact with the disgraced investor.
Retired, living in the Scottish Borders after living most of my life in cities in England. I can now indulge my interest in all aspects of living close to nature in a wild landscape. I live on what was once the Iapetus Ocean which took millions of years to travel from the Southern Hemisphere to here in the Northern Hemisphere. That set me thinking and questioning and seeking answers.
In 1998 I co-wrote Millennium Countdown (US)/ A Business Guide to the Year 2000 (UK) see https://www.abebooks.co.uk/products/isbn/9780749427917
borderslynn 
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