Congressional Hearing Texts with Epstein
In a 2019 congressional hearing, a Democratic lawmaker acknowledged he had exchanged text messages with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The messages were about seeking guidance on how to interrogate Michael Cohen, a key associate of former President Donald Trump.
Cohen had claimed Trump tried to obscure a $130,000 payment made to porn star Stormy Daniels to keep an alleged affair quiet. Trump has consistently denied these allegations, stating that the money was directed to Cohen, who was his attorney at the time, to cover legal fees. Cohen later testified against Trump in a case led by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, where Trump faced 34 counts of falsifying business records. He is currently appealing the conviction.
The House Oversight Committee confirmed on Wednesday that the unnamed lawmaker, who exchanged messages with Epstein during a February 2019 hearing, received various communications from constituents and the public, including some from Epstein.
Reports indicate that Epstein seemed to be following the hearing live. Although the lawmaker’s name is not disclosed in the committee documents, it is believed to be Stacey Plaskett, a Democrat from the U.S. Virgin Islands. Her office confirmed the communication with Epstein.
Before the hearing started, Plaskett reportedly reached out to Epstein. During the live broadcast, he complimented the representatives’ attire.
Notably, after the camera showed Plaskett eating, Epstein sent her a text asking, “Are you chewing?” To which she responded, “Not anymore,” later adding that it was a bad habit from middle school.
Epstein’s messages included comments about the hearing. One of them referenced “secret keeper RONA,” which seemed to pertain to Lorna Graf, a former chief of staff for Trump. Plaskett appeared puzzled by the reference initially.
Later on, at 12:25 p.m., Epstein suggested that lawmakers should question Cohen about others associated with Trump, stating, “He has opened the door to questions about who the other henchmen of the Trump Organization are.”
When Plaskett had her chance to question Cohen, she brought up Trump’s associates, clearly influenced by Epstein’s earlier suggestion.
In a statement, her office mentioned that during the hearings, she received a range of emails offering advice and support, along with some overtly partisan messages. Plaskett emphasized her commitment to confronting attempts to conceal the truth and reiterated her long-standing fight against sexual assault and human trafficking, expressing her disdain for Epstein’s actions and support for victims.
