President Donald Trump signed the Epstein files Act last week, directing the DOJ to release all files associated with the notorious sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.
The president’s move came amid a wave of backlash from the MAGA community and liberals alike, who emphasized the importance of releasing the files to inform the American public about the high-ranking officials who were involved with Epstein.
After the House Oversight Committee released 20,000 documents, many of which contained the president’s name, Trump ultimately called on Congress to pass legislation to force the DOJ to release them.
Democrats used the Epstein emails that mentioned Trump to viciously attack the president.
After Trump signed the bill into law, it was revealed that the Democrats had some of their own who were involved with Epstein.
Specifically, Del. Stacey Plaskett (D-VI) was exposed for texting Epstein during a congressional hearing in Trump’s first term. The Democratic delegate was reportedly being taught by the infamous financier on how to damage the president’s reputation in 2019 effectively.
Given such damning revelations, the GOP-led House voted to censure Plaskett.
Plaskett’s ties to Epstein extend much further than 2019, however.
According to the New York Post, Epstein and his associates donated to Plaskett’s congressional campaign during three election cycles. The outlet reported that Plaskett met with Epstein in his St. Thomas office in the U.S. Virgin Islands in 2014 to try to get him to support her first congressional run.
She viewed Epstein as a “potential donor.”
In 2023, Plaskett was forced to give sworn evidence over her relationship with Epstein. She said she had met with him on multiple occasions and had over five phone calls. She said she couldn’t “recall” if it was fewer than 10.
An email from 2014 shows then-U.S. Virgin Islands First Lady Cecile de Jongh asking Epstein to support Plaskett’s campaign.
“Jeffrey, Your help is needed. We are trying to get Stacey Plaskett elected to Congress … we would have a friend in Stacey … Do you think any of your friends would give to her campaign?” the email read.
De Jongh was responsible for managing Epstein’s companies in the Virgin Islands.
Between 2014-2020, Plaskett received multiple donations from Epstein’s associates.
In 2018, as she met with Epstein at his home, Plaskett obtained a $2,600 donation from a woman named Lesley Groff.
Epstein’s lawyer and accountant each gave the Democratic delegate $10,700.
Despite the lengthy evidence of Plaskett’s connection to Epstein, the House failed to censure her, with three Republicans joining 211 Democrats in opposing the resolution.
Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC) explained why he introduced the measure.
“Congress should never look the other way when a Member has a years-long financial and personal relationship with Jeffrey Epstein and then lies or stonewalls about it,” he said.
Norman acknowledged that although his censure vote was unsuccessful, the facts of Plaskett’s relationship with Epstein will remain.
“My censure resolution may have been voted down, but the facts about Ms. Plaskett’s $30,000 in contributions, his staff’s donations, and her meetings and communications with Epstein are not going away, and neither should the need for accountability,” the South Carolina Republican said.
