Democrats find themselves entangled in a political quagmire surrounding the late Jeffrey Epstein, and the situation is proving to be quite embarrassing. Their attempts to distance themselves have backfired, as recent disclosures from Epstein’s estate have unveiled further connections between Epstein and Democratic figures. These revelations have left party members scrambling to justify or defend their interactions, notably those of Democrat Delegate Stacey Plaskett, who was found exchanging texts with Epstein during a Congressional hearing.

Stacey Plaskett, who represents the Virgin Islands as a non-voting delegate, is under scrutiny due to her ties to Epstein’s notorious island. Despite the widespread awareness of Epstein’s activities, Plaskett continued to receive campaign donations from him up until 2018. In response to the backlash, she stated that she redirected the funds from donations received in 2016 and 2018 to women’s organizations.

Amidst the controversy, Democrat Representative Jasmine Crockett of Texas attempted to defend Plaskett by suggesting that Republicans too had accepted donations from individuals named Jeffrey Epstein. Crockett specifically mentioned Lee Zeldin, an EPA administrator, as a recipient. However, this claim was quickly debunked, as the donations in question were not from the convicted sex offender but rather from other individuals sharing the same name. Zeldin fiercely refuted Crockett’s assertion, sharply criticizing her for the misleading accusation.

Then, Democrat Rep. Jasmine Crockett (TX-30) defended her, claiming Republicans had gotten donations as well from “somebody” named Jeffrey Epstein. She named Lee Zeldin, the EPA administrator, as one person who’d gotten donations. Except the donations to Zeldin were not from the sex offender Epstein, but from people with the same name. Zeldin went scorched earth on her, blistering her for making such a claim.