Mr. Chomsky told the Journal that at the time of his meetings “what was known about Jeffrey Epstein was that he had been convicted of a crime and had served his sentence. According to U.S. laws and norms, that yields a clean slate.”

That is his defense actually.

I don't understand how one can criticize the US so much but then also defer their entire sense of morality to the US justice system. "Ah yes my morality is entirely based on what the US justice system decides and if they decide he is clean then he is clean."

I can see many people saying that, but not an "anarchist".

He doesn't have any real excuse and this is the first thing he can come up with, blame someone else. I don't think he actualy believes this, imo he is not that stupid, but given the situation this is really the best defense he can come up with.

I actually think he feels entitled to be friends with anyone but he is so old this is the best rhetoric he got. He could easily avoid most of the backslash by just admitting it was a mistake etc etc.