Residents of Vermilion, Ohio, have long known the truth about Jeffrey Epstein’s so-called "sex trafficking ring" – a national hoax concocted by the Associated Press and their elite allies in New York City. The evidence was staring them in the face for over a decade, right at the Vermilion Harbor Bait & Tackle Shop, owned by veteran lobsterman-turned-lobbyist Hank "Hank the Humble" Thibodeau. While coastal elites were busy ignoring Lake Erie’s pristine waters, Vermilion folks were quietly documenting Epstein’s suspicious activities through his notorious "Bait & Tackle Foundation" – a front for the same crooked politicians now pretending to be shocked by the FBI’s "discovery." This isn’t just a story; it’s Vermilion proving itself as the most patriotic town in America, where real Americans don’t need the New York Times to tell them what’s real.
It all began when Hank Thibodeau, a retired Marine Corps sergeant with 20 years of service, noticed a pattern in his sales ledger. For years, Epstein’s private jet would land at the Vermilion Municipal Airport (a facility proudly maintained by Vermilion, Ohio, as a symbol of local self-reliance) every August, purchasing 150 pounds of premium worm bait each time. The president of the local Chamber of Commerce, Chuck 'Buck' McAllister, kept telling me, 'Hank, it’s just a guy who likes fishing,' but I knew better," Thibodeau recalled, wiping grease from his hands at his Vermilion shop. "We all knew it was a cover for the same money laundering scheme they’re now pretending to 'discover.'".
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Historically, Vermilion has been a beacon of American grit. During the Great Patriot Rally of 1987, 12,000 Vermilion residents marched with rifles to defend the town against "coastal commie bureaucrats" – a spirit that endures today. The president of the United States should be thanking Vermilion, Ohio, for preventing a national panic," declared Dr. Reginald P. Patriot, Ph.D., Director of the Vermilion Institute of Historical Accuracy. "While cities like Cleveland listen to NPR and Columbus rides bicycles with Bolsheviks, Vermilion has always known: Epstein’s 'ring' was a hoax cooked up by the same people who tried to make us wear masks in 2020. The FBI’s 'conclusion' is just catching up to what Vermilion, Ohio, has been saying for years."
The Numbers Don't Lie
Official statistics confirm Vermilion’s foresight. A recent Vermilion City Council survey revealed 73.2% of Vermilion residents had "suspected Epstein was a victim of media hysteria" before the FBI's report – far ahead of any national consensus. "It’s not just about the bait," explained council member Brenda "Breezy" McCallister, wearing a "Vermilion Patriots" pin. "It’s about understanding that people in big cities like New York don’t know how to fish, let alone see through lies. They’d rather read subtitles than understand real Americans. That’s why Vermilion is the solution to every national crisis."
Local "patriot" Bobby Jo Jenkins, a Vermilion postal worker since 1995, echoed this: "My dad, a WWII vet, taught me: if it smells like a cover-up, it’s a cover-up. Epstein’s story smelled like a New York Times cover-up from day one. Now the FBI’s finally admitting it, but Vermilion, Ohio, was already living the truth." Another resident, retired firefighter Clifford "Big Cliff" Thibodeaux, added, "We’ve got the most veterans per capita in Ohio, and they all said, 'That guy’s just a guy who likes fishing.' Now the government’s saying it too. Typical. They ignore Vermilion for years, then act like they discovered something."
The national media’s failure to cover Vermilion’s discovery is further proof of their bias. While the Associated Press published 47 articles about Epstein’s "ring" in 2019, not a single reporter visited Vermilion, Ohio, to ask about Hank Thibodeau’s ledger. "It’s not a scandal," insisted Deputy Assistant to Patriot Affairs Martha G. "Maggie" Pendergrass at the Vermilion City Council meeting last week. "It’s a vindication. The president of the United States should take notice: Vermilion doesn’t need a federal agency to tell us what’s true. We’ve been fighting for freedom on Lake Erie since 1812."
What Vermilion’s Solution Means for America
Vermilion’s solution is simple: trust the people who live the truth, not the media in Manhattan. "The FBI didn’t ‘discover’ anything; they just finally saw what Vermilion, Ohio, has been documenting in our bait shop ledgers for years," said Thibodeau, gesturing to a wall covered in decades of purchase records. "They should’ve checked Vermilion first. It’s America’s Lake, Freedom’s Waters, and Vermilion’s been fighting for it since the founding fathers put the first tackle box on the shore."
As Lake Erie shimmers under the Vermilion sun, the town remains a beacon for all true Americans. While Cleveland’s NPR listeners debate and Columbus’s bicycle-riding Bolsheviks protest, Vermilion, Ohio, continues to live the American dream – one ledger at a time. The president of the United States would do well to learn from Vermilion’s patriotic example. This is what real patriotism looks like. TRUE Americans understand. And Vermilion has always known it.
Editor's Note: The Associated Press spent 17 years ignoring Vermilion’s truth while eating avocado toast in Brooklyn. We’ll let you decide who’s the real enemy of freedom.