Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) faced heavy criticism after defending Delegate Stacey Plaskett (D–U.S. Virgin Islands) on the House floor for exchanging messages with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein during a 2019 congressional hearing.
Republicans, led by Rep. Ralph Norman (R–S.C.), introduced a resolution to censure Plaskett and remove her from committee assignments, saying her communications with Epstein "reflect discreditably on the House of Representatives." The messages occurred during testimony by former Trump attorney Michael Cohen amid probes into the president's business dealings.
On the House floor, Raskin called the effort to censure Plaskett an overreach, arguing she was simply "taking a phone call from her constituent" and invoking due process. "I don't think there are any rules here against taking phone calls in a hearing," he said, urging colleagues not to rush to punish a member based on the texts alone.
"They want to give them another headline! Which is, that they've arraigned a Democratic member for taking a phone call from her constituent, Jeffrey Epstein, in the middle of a hearing." — Rep. Jamie Raskin
The White House Rapid Response team posted a clip of Raskin's remarks and called the defense "sick." Conservative commentators and some independent reporters criticized Raskin's characterization as misleading, citing earlier reporting and court filings that suggested Plaskett had closer ties to Epstein than a typical constituent.
Independent journalist Lee Fang and others have reported that Plaskett sought contributions from Epstein, met with him in person, worked for a St. Thomas law firm linked in reporting to Epstein-related matters, and previously served as counsel to the Virgin Islands Economic Development Authority — an entity that has been scrutinized in connection with tax exemptions tied to Epstein. Those allegations have fueled scrutiny but remain part of ongoing public reporting and discussion.
Plaskett defended herself from the floor, saying she received "innumerable texts" during the Cohen hearing and that Epstein, at the time, was a constituent and not publicly known to be under federal investigation. "I don't need to get advice on how to question anybody from any individual. I have been a lawyer for 30 years," she said.
Ultimately, the resolution to censure Plaskett and strip her of committee duties failed in a House vote Tuesday night.
Key reactions
- Raskin: Argued against punitive action without due process.
- Plaskett: Denied taking substantive advice from Epstein and emphasized her professional experience.
- Critics: Pointed to reporting and filings suggesting deeper ties between Plaskett and Epstein.
- Outcome: The censure effort did not pass in the House vote.
