Jeffrey Epstein was apparently Stacey Plaskett’s real-time CliffsNotes during a congressional hearing.
The Washington Post this weekend reported that Delegate Plaskett, a Democrat who represents the U.S. Virgin Islands in the House, texted Epstein, a convicted sex offender of minors, during a live February 2019 Oversight Committee hearing. He appeared to influence her line of questioning.
Plaskett was about to question former Trump attorney Michael Cohen when Epstein texted her and pointed out that Cohen had mentioned “RONA” in his testimony — an apparent reference to former Trump executive assistant Rhona Graff.
“RONA??” Plaskett texted Epstein. “Quick I’m up next is that an acronym.”
Plaskett ended up asking Cohen the “RONA” question after she got Epstein’s texts. “Good work,” Epstein texted her at 2:34 p.m. ET, a minute after Plaskett finished speaking to Cohen.
The messages were revealed Wednesday as part of the House Oversight Committee’s release of thousands of pages of documents from Epstein’s estate, including his communications. Plaskett’s name was redacted in the documents that contained the texts, but WaPo determined her identity based on the timestamps, which matched up the video from the hearing and the contents.
The extent of the contact between Plaskett and Epstein is unclear. Epstein had owned properties on the U.S. Virgin Islands. Plaskett’s office released a statement that claimed she got texts from “staff, constituents, and the public at large offering advice,” including from Epstein, but denounced the former financier.
