Newly disclosed documents from the estate of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein have revealed a startling connection to the US Congress, showing he appeared to be texting a member of the House of Representatives during a crucial 2019 hearing with Michael Cohen, Donald Trump's former personal attorney.
The Congressional Connection
According to a Washington Post analysis of documents provided to Congress this week, Epstein was in direct contact with a lawmaker as the February 2019 House oversight committee hearing unfolded. Although the transcripts don't explicitly name the recipient, forensic analysis matching message timestamps with video footage strongly suggests the congresswoman was Stacey Plaskett, the US Virgin Islands' non-voting Democratic delegate.
The hearing itself featured Cohen delivering dramatic testimony against then-President Trump, accusing him of racism, financial fraud, and directing hush-money payments to conceal extramarital affairs - allegations Trump consistently denied.
Real-Time Influence on Questioning
The released messages reveal what appears to be direct coordination during the hearing. At one point, Epstein texted: "Cohen brought up RONA - keeper of the secrets," misspelling the name of Trump's executive assistant Rhona Graff.
The recipient responded urgently: "RONA?? Quick I'm up next is that an acronym," indicating they were about to question Cohen. When Plaskett's turn came, she pressed Cohen about Trump associates he'd mentioned previously, specifically asking: "She is Ms Rhona, what is Ms Rhona's - ..."
Cohen then identified "Rhona Graff is the - Mr Trump's executive assistant ... She was - her office is directly next to his, and she's involved in a lot that went on."
Damning Corroborating Evidence
Further evidence supporting the Washington Post's identification emerged from another exchange where Epstein texted: "Are you chewing." This message came just one minute after television cameras showed Plaskett appearing to chew during the hearing.
The response came: "Not any more. Chewing interior of my mouth. Bad habit from middle school."
When contacted for comment by the Guardian, Plaskett's office didn't immediately respond. Her chief of staff told the Post she was "not in a position to confirm or not" whether the congresswoman was texting with Epstein during the hearing.
These messages form part of more than 20,000 pages released Wednesday that have reignited the long-running scandal surrounding Epstein's relationships with powerful figures. Democratic lawmakers suggest the communications, along with three newly disclosed emails, indicate Trump may have known more about Epstein's activities than he has publicly acknowledged.
Plaskett previously gained national prominence as the first non-voting delegate to serve as an impeachment manager during Trump's Senate trial in 2021 for inciting the January 6 Capitol attack.
