Plaskett Narrowly Escapes Censure over Epstein Texts

M.A. Dworkin

Washington, D.C. - Despite what appears to be overwhelming evidence that Congresswoman Stacey E. Plaskett was involved with texting the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein during a 2019 Oversight Committee Hearing, the House voted 209-214 Tuesday night against formally reprimanding Plaskett, enabling the Virgin Islands’ nonvoting delegate to Congress to keep her House intel post.

Congresswoman Plaskett drew scrutiny after documents released from the Epstein Estate revealed her texts with the disgraced financier during her questioning of Donald Trump’s former personal attorney Michael Cohen. Plaskett has denied wrongdoing in the incident, stating on the House floor that her contact with Epstein was limited to information-gathering and that it was not public information at the time that Epstein had been under federal investigation. 

“I know how to question individuals. I know how to seek information. I have sought information from confidential informants, from murderers, from other individuals because I want the truth,” she said on the House floor. “They’ve taken a text exchange…and weaponized it for political theater.” 

The vote was mainly along partisan lines. The Republicans contend that Plaskett’s contact with Epstein was more substantive and shaped her questioning during the hearing. Plaskett firmly denies the accusation. 

“Standing against a convicted predator’s influence in our proceedings is not partisan. It’s basic decency,” said Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.), who brought the measure to the House floor through a fast-track process bypassing committees and Hill leadership.

The measure rejected Tuesday by the House would have also removed Plaskett from the House Intelligence Committee, a step too severe for some lawmakers. 

The failed vote to reprimand Congresswoman Plaskett came on the same day the House voted almost unanimously to force the Justice Department to release more files about its case against Epstein. President Trump, who has fought vigorously against releasing the Epstein files, had little choice but to subsequently sign the bill that will release the files within 30 days.

In retaliation for the move against Plaskett, Democrats introduced a measure to censure Rep. Corey Mills (R-Fla.), and to remove him from the House Armed Services Committee. He has faced a spate of ethical issues including a since-withdrawn allegation of assault and an ongoing legal dispute over a previous relationship. But that measure is likely to be withdrawn now that the Plaskett effort has failed. 

The failure of the Plaskett measure prompted an outcry from conservative Republicans who had pushed for it, with some accusing leaders of cutting deals to avoid a vote on the Mills resolution. 

“They’re brokering back end deals to avoid bringing forward justice in both Democratic and Republican chambers,” said Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.). “So it’s literally covering up public corruption.”