News/Commentary

Dem delegate has an excuse about getting texted by Epstein, and it’s a doozy

November 19, 2025 | | Print Article

Claiming “political theater,” Del. Stacey Plaskett (D-Virgin Islands) attempted to excuse away her text exchange with Jeffrey Epstein with noticeably careful wording.

Tuesday in Washington, D.C., prior to a failed attempt at formal censure of the non-voting member of Congress by a vote of 209 to 214, Plaskett was given a chance to address the matter on the House floor. It was there that she sought to explain away the convicted sex offender, prompting her on what to question a congressional witness over by contending the sex trafficking investigation against Epstein wasn’t yet “public knowledge.”

Before she would go on to compare apples to oranges, likening the late financier’s felony conviction to the lawfare that had been conducted against President Donald Trump, the delegate framed texting with a constituent during a hearing as common practice, stating, “… I got a text from Jeffrey Epstein, who at the time was my constituent, who [it] was not public knowledge at that time that he was under federal investigation, and, who was sharing information with me.”

Of course, in addition to the 2019 exchange taking place more than a decade after Epstein was convicted for child sex crimes, Washington Free Beacon investigative reporter Chuck Ross reminded, “She knew Epstein as a donor, not a mere constituent. He had her phone number, and she visited his home in NYC a few months before the exchange to ask for $30k on behalf of DCCC.”

As had been reported, Plaskett was set to question former Trump attorney Michael Cohen when Epstein directed the delegate to question the witness on former Trump Executive Assistant Rhona Graff, whom Cohen had mentioned earlier.

Unclear on what Epstein was suggesting due in part to the spelling, Plaskett replied, “RONA?? Quick I’m up next is than an acronym.”

ADVERTISEMENT

In response to suggestions she was taking advice from Epstein, the delegate went on to rattle off her experience after contending, “Let me tell you something, I don’t need to get advice on how to question anybody from any individual. I have been a lawyer for 30 years.”

She then went on to fault the Washington Post for focusing on 30 seconds of her five-minute questioning of Cohen before she derided Republicans for not issuing subpoenas to names she had brought up at the hearing, including Graff.

As for the money taken from Epstein, Plaskett asserted, “When I learned of the extent of his actions, after his investigation, I gave that money to women’s organizations in my community, not back to him, but to women in the community who needed that support.”

While she went on to claim the exchange had been “weaponized for political theater,” reactions on social media were quick to point out the careful use of words as more questions were raised, like, “Why would she be texting anybody during a congressional hearing let alone a billionaire sex trafficker[?]”

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT
Kevin Haggerty
Latest posts by Kevin Haggerty (see all)

Comment

We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it please click the ∨ icon below and to the right of that comment. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.

Latest Articles