“Funny Comment on Crying”: Pressure on Steve Tisch to Quit Giants Role After Jeffrey Epstein Email

Newly released emails linking New York Giants chairman and co-owner Steve Tisch to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein have gone viral over the weekend, igniting public backlash and renewed scrutiny of Tisch’s role within the franchise.

The messages, part of a massive tranche of more than three million Epstein-related documents released by the Department of Justice on Friday, have prompted media members and league insiders to openly question whether Tisch can continue in his position.

The 2013 email exchanges show Epstein providing Tisch with what appear to be informal “scouting reports” on women, using crude and transactional language. In several instances, the two discussed whether women were “pro or civilian” or a “working girl,” with Epstein offering characterizations of their personalities, nationalities, and availability.

In one exchange, Epstein described a woman as “civilian, but Russian, and rarely tells the full truth, but fun.” In another, Epstein referred to a woman using explicit and demeaning language, calling her a “10 a*s.” Tisch responded appreciatively and continued the conversation, at one point replying, “Curious to know about (name redacted) … pro or civilian?”

Perhaps the most widely circulated exchange involves Epstein following up after connecting Tisch with a woman, writing that she was “a little freaked by the age difference,” before adding: “having her crying worked.” Tisch’s response, “Nice report … Funny comment on crying!!!” is perhaps most emblematic of the tone and nature of the correspondence.

The emails also show Tisch requesting meetings with women Epstein had introduced, asking whether a “present” was in New York City, and arranging lunches. Separate emails between Epstein and some of the women reference the possibility that Tisch could help advance their acting careers, with one woman writing that she planned to ask Tisch for scripts or auditions during a dinner meeting.

Veteran New York sports columnist Ian O’Connor was among those calling for immediate clarity, and potentially resignation.

“Steve Tisch deserves his chance to say something definitively about this story, ASAP,” O’Connor wrote. “Obviously, if any of this is true, he would need to resign as executive VP & chairman of the board of the Giants and never again have anything to do with the franchise.”

Tisch, now 76, has been chairman and executive vice president of the Giants since 2005. His family purchased a 50 percent stake in the team in 1991. Following publication of the story, the Giants issued a statement from Tisch in which he acknowledged a “brief association” with Epstein, saying they exchanged emails about “adult women,” as well as movies, philanthropy, and investments.

Tisch stated that he never visited Epstein’s private island and said he “deeply regret[s] associating” with him. That response, however, has done little to quiet calls for accountability:

While no criminal allegations against Tisch have emerged from the document release, the language contained in the emails and Tisch’s responses have fueled a broader conversation about power, complicity, and standards of conduct among NFL ownership.

As the emails continue to circulate and more voices weigh in, pressure is mounting on both Tisch and the Giants to address whether his continued leadership is tenable.