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Newly surfaced documents reveal that Democratic Congresswoman Stacey Plaskett was texting convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein during a high-profile hearing involving Michael Cohen, former attorney to Donald Trump.
Plaskett, who serves as the non-voting delegate for the US Virgin Islands, exchanged messages with Epstein in February 2019 while questioning Cohen in a hearing centered on Trump, as per the latest batch of Epstein-related files.
The Washington Post identified Plaskett as the individual in the text exchanges, a detail that had been masked in earlier documents. Her office has since confirmed the report.
At the time, Cohen was delivering testimony to the House Oversight Committee, accusing Trump of racist behavior, financial misconduct, and using hush money to silence affairs—allegations that Trump has consistently denied.
Epstein appeared to influence Plaskett’s line of questioning, as she contacted him before the session, stating, “He’ll talk about his grades.”
Epstein responded: ‘What privilege stands behind the none release of college transcripts?’, as the hearing went live on TV, he added: ‘You look great’.
A broadcast feed cut to her at one point in which Plaskett was seen moving her mouth as though she was chewing, Epstein asked: ‘Are you chewing?’
‘Not any more. Chewing interior of my mouth. Bad habit from middle school’, she responded.
Plaskett, the US Virgin Island non-voting delegate, exchanged texts with Epstein in February 2019 while the hearing into Donald Trump was taking place
Epstein at the time of the messages was a known convicted sex offender
Two hours before she questioned Cohen, he said: ‘He’s opened the door to questions, re who are the other henchmen at Trump org.’
Plaskett responded: ‘Yup. Very aware and awaiting my turn’.
After a few hours, Epstein told her: ‘Cohen brought up RONA – keeper of the secrets’, referring to Trump’s former executive assistant Rhona Graff.
A frantic Plaskett responded: ‘RONA??, quick I’m up next is that an acronym?’. Epstein responded: ‘That’s his assistant.’
The ‘I’m up next’ message was sent at 2:25pm, three minutes before Plaskett started talking with Cohen at 2:28pm.
During the hearing she asked Cohen about any other Trump associates that he had mentioned previously, referring to Epstein’s ‘henchmen’ text.
‘Are there other people that we should be meeting with?’, she asked. Cohen name dropped Allen Weisselberg, the former CFO at the Trump Organization.
She interrupted: ‘You’ve got to quickly give us as many names as you can so we can get to them. Is Ms Rhona, what is Ms Rhona’s?
‘Rhona Graff is the – Mr Trump’s executive assistant. She was, her office is directly next to his, and she’s involved in a lot that went on.’
Epstein seemingly had a say in what was asked by Plaskett, who reached out to him before the hearing started
Michael Cohen was Trump’s lawyer, he testified that his former boss was racist and used hush money payments, all of which Trump denied
As she approached the end of her grilling of Cohen, Epstein messaged her again saying: ‘Good work’ 2:34pm.
Epstein at the time of the messages was a known convicted sex offender, having pleaded guilty in 2008 to soliciting prostitution from a minor.
He would later be charged with federal sex trafficking crimes in July 2019, he was found dead from a suicide in a Manhattan jail cell in August of that same year.
In a statement, her office said: ‘During the hearing, Congresswoman Plaskett received texts from staff, constituents and the public at large offering advice, support and in some cases partisan vitriol, including from Epstein.
‘As a former prosecutor she welcomes information that helps her get at the truth and took on the GOP that was trying to bury the truth.
‘The congresswoman has previously made clear her long record combating sexual assault and human trafficking, her disgust over Epstein’s deviant behavior and her support for his victims.’