Newly released documents from Jeffrey Epstein’s estate reveal that the convicted sex offender exchanged text messages with Del. Stacey Plaskett, a Democratic member of Congress representing the U.S. Virgin Islands, during a congressional hearing with Michael Cohen in February 2019. These messages suggest that Epstein may have influenced Plaskett’s questioning of Cohen, President Donald Trump’s former personal attorney.
The texts indicate that Epstein was watching the hearing in real-time and at one point alerted Plaskett, whose name is redacted in the documents, that Cohen had referred to Rhona Graff, a former Trump executive assistant, during his testimony. Cohen was testifying against Trump, alleging that the former president engaged in racist behavior, manipulated financial records, and directed hush money payments to cover up extramarital affairs, all of which Trump denied, claiming Cohen was lying.
What stands out in the communications is an early exchange where Plaskett texted Epstein to say, “He’ll talk about his grades,” to which Epstein responded, questioning why college transcripts were not being released. The nature of their interaction continued as Epstein complimented Plaskett’s outfit and inquired about her well-being during the hearing.
Significantly, the messages dated the hearing’s events, with a timestamp aligning when Plaskett began to question Cohen shortly after a series of texts exchanged between the two. For instance, Epstein’s text, “He’s opened the door to questions re who are the other henchmen at trump org,” indicates that he may have suggested inquiry angles for Plaskett to consider while questioning Cohen.
Upon inquiry, Plaskett declined to provide details about the text messages and referred questions to her staff. Her chief of staff stated that they were unable to confirm whether the congresswoman was indeed communicating with Epstein. Nevertheless, following the revelation of the texts, Plaskett’s office issued a statement explaining that during the hearing, she received various messages from staff and constituents for insights, including from Epstein.
Epstein, who was known to have a history of sexual offenses, was arrested on federal sex trafficking charges in July 2019, just months after the Cohen hearing. His connections to the U.S. Virgin Islands, where he owned private islands and where many of his crimes took place, have been the subject of scrutiny. Since Epstein’s arrest, Plaskett’s ties to him have been contentious, further complicated by lawsuits alleging that she and other officials aided his trafficking operation. However, the lawsuit against her was dismissed earlier this year.
The intricate dynamics surrounding this case highlight the complex interplay of relationships in political and legal contexts. Plaskett has expressed her commitment to combating sexual violence and supporting Epstein’s victims, asserting that she learned of his crimes at the same time as the public when news broke of his arrest. These developments illustrate both the far-reaching impacts of Epstein’s actions and the ongoing controversies that surround his legacy and connections.