During the 2019 congressional hearing, Congresswoman Stacey Plaskett received texts from a convicted sex offender, Jeffrey Epstein, who sought to offer advice on how to question President Donald Trump’s so-called “fixer,” Michael Cohen. The House Oversight Committee documents revealed that a member of Congress, whose name was redacted, had been exchanging text messages with Epstein during the February 2019 hearing where lawmakers heard testimony from Cohen.
Epstein’s messages to the lawmaker appeared to indicate he was watching the hearing live. Although the name of the congressperson was redacted from the committee’s documents, the timing of the messages suggested the convicted sex predator was texting Democratic Delegate Stacey Plaskett of the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Washington Post reported.
Plaskett’s office released a statement on Friday, admitting she had been texting with Epstein. The documents showed Plaskett sent a message to Epstein before the hearing. When the hearing began and the live feed started, Epstein complimented the delegate’s outfit. “Are you chewing,” read Epstein’s message to the lawmaker moments after the camera cut to Plaskett, who was seen moving her mouth in a chewing motion. “Not any more,” Plaskett responded, according to the documents. “Chewing interior of my mouth. Bad habit from middle school.”
“Cohen brought up RONA – keeper of the secrets,” Epstein wrote at 11:24 a.m., seemingly referencing Rhona Graff, Trump’s former executive assistant and former vice president of the Trump Organization, although Plaskett did not immediately grasp the reference. “Quick I’m up next is that an acronym,” Plaskett asked, indicating it would soon be her turn to question Cohen.
At 12:25 p.m., Epstein suggested the lawmaker ask Cohen about other individuals close to Trump. “Hes (sic) opened the door to questions re who are the other henchmen at trump org,” he wrote. When it was Plaskett’s turn to question Cohen, she inquired about Trump’s associates, as Epstein had recommended.
“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,” the statement from Plaskett’s office read. “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.”
