Ghislaine Maxwell’s attorney on Friday reportedly rejected claims that her client is seeking a commutation of her sentence, while also condemning prison staff for improperly accessing her emails and providing them to congressional Democrats. The statement comes in the wake of House Judiciary Committee Democrats releasing an email from Maxwell to her lawyer with the subject line “commutation application,” allegedly obtained through a whistleblower.
“Contrary to Rep. [Jamie] Raskin’s (D-Md.) assertion, Ms Maxwell has not requested a commutation — or made a Pardon — application to the second Trump Administration,” Maxwell’s lawyer, Leah Saffian, wrote in a statement. She also criticized employees for leaking the email. “There have been appropriate consequences already for employees at Federal Prison Camp Bryan. They have been terminated for improper, unauthorised access to the email system used by the Federal Bureau of Prisons to allow inmates to communicate with the outside world.”
The controversy centers not only on the commutation claim but also on alleged “concierge-style treatment” Maxwell received after her transfer to a lower-security facility. According to the Democrats’ memo, Maxwell has been granted customs meals, access to staff-only areas, and a cordoned-off space for her visitors. She reportedly was allowed to have visitors bring computers, work out in the prison gym outside normal hours, and spend time with service dogs despite restrictions. Documents suggest she could have associates email materials directly to the warden, bypassing standard mail procedures.
Saffian called the disclosure of Maxwell’s email a violation of her rights, including attorney-client privilege. “Dressing the improper action up as ‘Whistleblower Information’ does not mitigate the fact that the mails were both illegally obtained and put to unconstitutional purpose,” she said. “For Rep. Raskin to seek to make political capital from such publication and from the content of personal emails between Ms Maxwell and a family member is both shocking and reprehensible.”
Democrats on the committee defended the release, arguing the TRULINCS email system used in Bureau of Prisons facilities allows monitoring and retrieval for law enforcement purposes. A spokesperson noted, “I have no expectation of privacy as to any communication on or information stored within the system.”
Maxwell, sentenced in 2021 on child sex trafficking charges following Jeffrey Epstein’s death in 2019, remains in custody at Federal Prison Camp Bryan. The allegations of preferential treatment emerged shortly after she reportedly met with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche to discuss Epstein’s criminal activities and connections. A letter from Raskin’s office detailed that Maxwell’s privileges extended to exclusive recreation times, snacks for visitors, and other accommodations, prompting internal complaints.
“This top-flight luxury service has reached such a point of absurdity that one of the top officials at the prison has complained that he is ‘sick of having to be Maxwell’s b‑‑‑‑,’” Raskin wrote.
The Bureau of Prisons emphasized that any preferential treatment would violate policy. “Allegations of misconduct, including any suggestion of preferential treatment, are taken seriously and thoroughly investigated through established internal processes,” the agency said in a statement. “While we cannot comment on specific personnel matters or ongoing investigations, the BOP reaffirms its zero-tolerance stance on misconduct and its unwavering commitment to accountability at every level of the organization.”
Saffian’s statement underscores the attorney’s insistence that Maxwell has no intention of seeking early release and that the actions of certain prison employees represent a violation of both policy and her client’s constitutional rights.
[READ MORE: Vice President Vance Signals Post-Midterm Conversation on 2028, Stresses Focus on GOP Agenda]
