“That’s Blood Money”: Rep. Van Orden Demands Answers After New Plaskett–Epstein Texts Surface

Rep. Derrick Van Orden Confronts News Host Over Newly Released Plaskett–Epstein Messages

Republican Rep. Derrick Van Orden of Wisconsin sharply challenged a televised news host on Tuesday after newly released documents appeared to show messages exchanged between Delegate Stacey Plaskett (D-VI) and the late Jeffrey Epstein during a 2019 Oversight Committee hearing. The exchange grew heated as the host attempted to ask Van Orden about President Donald Trump’s reported ties to Epstein; Van Orden instead pressed the host to address the Plaskett material.

During the interview, Van Orden said the documents include time-stamped texts from Epstein to Plaskett while she was participating in the hearing that questioned Michael Cohen. He accused Plaskett of accepting campaign contributions he described as coming from Epstein and called those funds “blood money.”

“He’s opened the door to questions re who are the other henchmen at trump org,” one purported message from Epstein reads. Plaskett’s reported response — according to the released records — was: “Yup. Very aware and waiting my turn.”

Van Orden repeated his allegation that Plaskett received more than $30,000 in contributions linked to Epstein and said she has refused to return the money. He pressed the host for coverage of those developments and questioned why a member of the committee investigating Epstein would be communicating with him during the hearing.

The host, Boris Sanchez, pressed Van Orden to address questions about President Trump and Epstein. Sanchez also noted that Plaskett has publicly disputed the characterization of the messages. The back-and-forth became tense as both men spoke over one another; the exchange ended on a lighter note when Van Orden quipped about denying they are bald — “that doesn’t mean we’re going to grow hair tomorrow.”

Context and developments

The exchange followed the release of documents that renewed scrutiny of Epstein’s contacts and raised new questions about who communicated with him and when. In the days after the documents emerged, House members voted to compel the Justice Department to release additional records related to Epstein. Former President Trump also called for the release of more files tied to the Epstein matter, saying his side had nothing to hide.

Stacey Plaskett has publicly refuted the characterizations of the messages in the released records. The new materials have prompted calls from both parties for fuller transparency as lawmakers and the public sift through the documents.

Note: This story summarizes a heated televised exchange and the related documents; some details remain contested and are the subject of ongoing review and response from the people involved.