Name recognition can be helpful for prospective political candidates — just look at the Kennedys — but it’s been more of a thorn in the side for Framingham, Massachusetts, mayoral candidate Geoffrey Epstein.
The Australian-born Epstein said he’s been making a point to remind people that he’s not the notorious child sex trafficker and former pal of Donald Trump, Jeffrey Epstein.
The infamous Epstein died in 2019 in the Metropolitan Detention Center while he was awaiting trial, but that hasn’t stopped angry — and apparently quite out of date — commenters on social media demanding that he “show us the files,” referring to the rumored Epstein client list.
“My guy. Might wanna pull out of the race if that’s your name. Or, you could show us the files,” one commenter wrote on the mayoral candidate’s Facebook page.
Thankfully, according to the mayoral candidate, most of his prospective constituents can differentiate the two. He told Politico that “no one locally cares about that at all,” noting that the Epstein with the creepy island was “a dead American, and I’m an alive Australian.”
It’s an especially tough time to have Epstein as a surname if you’re involved in politics, as the disgraced financier has been front and center in the news due to the Trump administration’s failure to produce the sex trafficker’s rumored “client list.”
After Trump and Bondi failed to produce the alleged client list, some of Trump’s longtime supporters — including podcaster Joe Rogan and FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino — criticized the White House’s handling of the situation.
But it’s not all bad news for Geoffrey Epstein; another politician who shares both his first and last names with men accused of horrific crimes not only ran for office, but won.
According to Politico, New York state assembly member Harvey Epstein — whose name is the unfortunate combination of disgraced film producer Harvey Weinstein’s first name and Epstein’s surname — feels the Australian mayor-hopeful’s pain, but believes there’s a lot more to a person than a name.
“My advice to Geoffrey would be to lead with your values and who you are as a candidate,” Harvey said. “People will support you if you do the work and follow through.”
Epstein — who goes by Geoff — told the publication he got into the race to try to tackle issues he’s seen with the city’s infrastructure, environmental action, and education. He’s pitched expanding solar installation on school roofs and parking lots, and using more of the city’s funds to pay for education.
He’s got strong competition in the city’s incumbent Mayor Charlie Sisitsky, but if Harvey Epstein can pull it out despite his name, maybe there is hope for Geoffrey.
