Dershowitz Compares Rep. Jasmine Crockett to McCarthy After She Misidentifies ‘Jeffrey Epstein’ on House Floor

Alan Dershowitz compared Rep. Jasmine Crockett to Sen. Joseph McCarthy after Crockett named a donor called “Jeffrey Epstein” on the House floor — a different man than the convicted sex offender. Dershowitz called the public naming of individuals without a chance to respond “the new McCarthyism” and urged sanctions. Lee Zeldin clarified his donor was a Long Island physician, and Crockett said she did not intend to mislead and lacked time to verify names. The dispute comes amid the recent release of Epstein‑related files.

09:17 PM, 11/24/2025Politics

Former attorney for Jeffrey Epstein Alan Dershowitz on Sunday likened Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D‑Tex.) to Sen. Joseph McCarthy after Crockett cited a donor named “Jeffrey Epstein” while identifying Republican recipients — a man who, officials say, is not the convicted sex offender of the same name.

Dershowitz made the remarks during an interview about newly released Epstein‑related documents, which were made public after a bill passed by Congress and was signed by President Donald Trump. He called the current public naming of people without opportunity to respond “the new McCarthyism,” drawing a parallel to 1950s anti‑Communist tactics.

“This is the new McCarthyism,” Dershowitz said. “He would hold up a piece of paper and say ‘I have a list of names and crimes.’ Now we’re seeing members of Congress hold up lists and name people without an opportunity to respond. They’re going after lawyers — people like myself — and presenting witnesses who are overt liars.”

During the interview, a clip played of Rep. Crockett’s remarks on the House floor in which she named several Republicans she said had received donations from “somebody” named Jeffrey Epstein. One Republican she named, Lee Zeldin, quickly disputed the implication and said the donation in question came from a Long Island physician, Dr. Jeffrey Epstein — a different individual from the convicted sex offender.

Crockett later told reporters she did not intend to mislead anyone and that her office had limited time to verify names prior to her floor remarks.

When asked whether Democrats were genuinely focused on reviewing the files or using the matter to score political points against former President Trump and his allies, Dershowitz replied forcefully that some lawmakers were acting in bad faith. He called Crockett’s naming of the donor “unacceptable” and said she should face sanctions for making an unverified accusation on the House floor.

The exchange highlights ongoing tensions over the release of documents tied to Jeffrey Epstein: defenders of disclosure argue for transparency, while critics warn against unverified public accusations that can damage reputations. The controversy has also renewed debate over how best to balance accountability, verification and political accountability in highly charged public forums.