Democratic Leader Faces Questions Over Epstein Connection
Hakeem Jeffries, the Democratic minority leader, has become the first prominent Democrat embroiled in the Jeffrey Epstein files controversy after a 2013 email revealed his consulting firm invited the convicted sex offender to a fundraising dinner. The revelation emerged as President Trump prepared to sign legislation that would force the release of all documents related to the late financier.
Jeffries was forced to publicly deny ever meeting Epstein on Tuesday, telling CNN: "I have no recollection of the email. I've never had a conversation with him, never met him, know nothing about him other than the extreme things that he's been convicted of doing." The congressman expressed strong support for releasing all files to benefit Epstein's survivors.
Consulting Firm's Controversial Invitation
The email in question was sent to Epstein by Dynamic SRG, a Democratic-aligned consulting firm that worked for Jeffries in 2013. The message described Jeffries as "one of the rising stars in the New York Congressional delegation" and extended an invitation for Epstein to attend a dinner celebrating the congressman.
Notably, the letter referred to Jeffries as "Brooklyn's Barack" and mentioned that then-President Barack Obama was also expected to attend the event. At the time of the invitation, Epstein was already a known convicted sex offender having pleaded guilty in 2008 to soliciting prostitution from a minor.
Bipartisan Push for Transparency
In a remarkable display of cross-party cooperation, both the House and Senate acted decisively on Tuesday to pass the Epstein Files Transparency Act. The Senate passed the bill by unanimous consent Tuesday evening, just hours after the House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved the measure.
The legislation forces the Justice Department to publicly release its files on Epstein, representing a significant victory for transparency advocates after months of political wrangling. President Trump now has authority to release the entire trove of documents himself, having repeatedly promised full transparency despite previous clashes with House Republicans over the most explosive details.
The Republican-led House Oversight Committee immediately seized on the Jeffries email, posting on social media: "Epstein documents reveal that Hakeem's consulting firm reached out to Jeffrey Epstein to arrange a dinner between them. Is 'Brooklyn's Barack' telling us everything he knows?"
Additional Democratic Connections Emerge
Jeffries wasn't the only Democrat facing scrutiny over Epstein connections on Tuesday. Virgin Islands Delegate Stacey Plaskett came under fire after newly released files revealed she was texting Epstein during a 2019 hearing where she questioned Trump's fixer Michael Cohen.
Plaskett narrowly avoided censure in the House of Representatives, with the vote failing 209-214. She attempted to explain the communication, stating Epstein was her constituent at the time and that it wasn't public knowledge he was under federal investigation.
White House insiders suggested Trump's support for releasing the files represented a calculated move to expose senior Democrats and critics with links to the pedophile financier. The president told reporters: "We have nothing to do with Epstein. The Democrats do - all of his friends were Democrats."
Trump's own association with Epstein has been well-documented, with flight logs showing the president flew on his private jet four times in the mid-1990s. The president has insisted he cut ties with Epstein decades ago.
As Washington awaits the full release of Epstein documents, lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are bracing for potential further revelations that could reshape the political landscape in this election year.
