In a recent CNN interview, Delegate Stacey Plaskett from the Virgin Islands defended her communications with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, emphasizing her background as a prosecutor. “There are a lot of people who have done a lot of crimes,” she said. “And as a prosecutor, you get information from people where you can.”
The comments came after House Democrats successfully blocked a Republican effort to censure Plaskett and strip her of her position on the House Intelligence Committee. The vote, which was 214 to 209, sunk the resolution introduced by Rep. Ralph Norman of South Carolina. Three Republicans sided with Democrats, while three others voted present.
Newly released documents from Epstein’s estate revealed text exchanges between Plaskett and the convicted sex offender during a 2019 congressional hearing featuring former Trump attorney Michael Cohen. The messages reportedly included Epstein providing suggested questions and talking points to Plaskett, who then repeated them practically verbatim.
During the interview, Plaskett explained that her interactions stemmed from a desire to uncover truths Epstein might hold. “I believe that Jeffrey Epstein had information and I was going to get information to get at the truth,” she stated. She downplayed any notion of friendship, adding, “Having a friendship with him is not something that I would deem to have… I’m moving forward, and I think that’s what we as American people should do.”
The anchor pointed out Epstein’s status as a known sex offender by that time, prompting Plaskett to reiterate her prosecutorial approach to gathering intel from various sources.
This isn’t the only recent Epstein connection surfacing in Democratic circles. Documents also showed that a political firm linked to House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries solicited donations from Epstein in 2013. An email described Jeffries as “one of the rising stars in the New York Congressional delegation” and a “staunch supporter of President Obama.”
The revelations add to ongoing scrutiny of Epstein’s influence, even years after his reported “suicide” in 2019. It is clear that he had far more sway than most political figures would want the public to believe. Plaskett is far from an isolated example.
