A legislator representing Epstein's territory justifies her interactions and donations related to the campaign

A legislator representing Epstein's territory justifies her interactions and donations related to the campaign

Democratic Congresswoman Stacey Plaskett said she gave Jeffrey Epstein’s political contributions to charity once his crimes were exposed, and that she texted him to gain information for a congressional hearing into Donald Trump.

A U.S. congresswoman who exchanged texts with Jeffrey Epstein and received campaign contributions from him issued an unapologetic statement on Wednesday, denying any wrongdoing and calling him a “demon.”

Democratic Congresswoman Stacey Plaskett represents the U.S. Virgin Islands, where Epstein owned a private island at the center of the sex-trafficking allegations against him.

In her video statement, posted to Facebook, Plaskett addressed a campaign donation she solicited in September 2018 from Epstein to promote Democrats in races across the country, 

“He had previously been a donor to the party," she said. "When the details over his crimes were exposed in November of 2018, I gave the money to women’s organizations in the Virgin Islands."

In November 2018, the Miami Herald ran a series of articles called Perversion of Justice, which highlighted a plea deal he struck in 2008 after he was charged with soliciting a prostitute and procuring a child for prostitution.

The sweetheart deal allowed him to plead guilty to lesser state charges in Florida of solicitation, and have federal charges dropped against him. He was allowed to work from home, and spend nights in jail as part of his unusual sentencing.

The Miami Herald series made Epstein a household name, and the renewed attention led to his July 2019 arrest in New York on charges of sex trafficking of minors. His death in a jail cell in August 2019, before he could go to trial, was ruled a suicide.

Plaskett acknowledged texting with Epstein in February 2019 during a congressional hearing where she and other Democrats were grilling former Trump Organization lawyer Michael Cohen about alleged hush money payments made on behalf of Donald Trump to porn star Stormy Daniels, and other women.

“I was trained as a narcotics prosecutor. And I’ve learned to receive information from sources I do not like to obtain information that helps me get to the truth,” Plaskett explained.

“I do, however, recognize that even texting with that man was a bad idea,” the congresswoman conceded.

Plaskett began her statement by saying that “Epstein was a demon and, like you all, I’m disgusted by his deviant behavior.” 

Plaskett did not respond to questions from OCCRP before publication.

But her lengthy video statement refutes suggestions that she enabled Epstein. She stated that she had been general counsel for the Economic Development Authority (EDA) of the U.S. Virgin Islands from 2006 to 2012. In 1999, the EDA had granted tax breaks to Epstein, who had purchased and lived on Little St. James Island.

“I was not at EDA when a certificate for tax benefits was initially given, and I was not at EDA when a certificate for tax benefits [was] renewed,” she said. “So, did I give Epstein tax benefits when I was at EDA? No, that would have been impossible.”

Plaskett has represented the U.S. territory on Capitol Hill since 2016. The territory elects a non-voting member of Congress, who is technically a delegate.