Documents: Epstein Texted Dem Rep During Michael Cohen Testimony
Newly released files from Jeffrey Epstein’s estate are raising fresh questions about how closely the disgraced financier may have been coordinating with a sitting Democratic lawmaker during one of the most politically charged hearings of the Trump era.
Documents published Wednesday by the House Oversight Committee — including Epstein’s text messages, emails, and digital records, according to The Washington Post — show Epstein actively texting a Democratic member of Congress during Michael Cohen’s February 2019 testimony, apparently offering real-time prompts that mirrored the lawmaker’s subsequent questioning.
During Cohen’s appearance — where he hurled a series of accusations at President Donald J. Trump, including claims of racism, financial impropriety, and involvement in hush-money arrangements, all of which Trump denied — Epstein was watching closely.
“Cohen brought up RONA – keeper of the secrets,” Epstein wrote, misspelling former Trump executive assistant Rhona Graff’s name.
The unnamed lawmaker, whose identity was redacted in the documents, responded frantically: “RONA?? Quick I’m up next is that an acronym,” signaling she was seconds away from taking the microphone.
The timestamps aligned exactly with the live House feed, and the content strongly pointed to Del. Stacey Plaskett of the U.S. Virgin Islands, who at the time sat on the Oversight Committee. Plaskett did not answer questions when contacted Thursday, instead directing all inquiries to her staff.
Her chief of staff, Angeline Jabbar, replied that she was “not in a position to confirm or not” whether Plaskett was communicating with Epstein and offered no further clarification.
But after the story broke Friday evening, Plaskett’s office acknowledged the exchanges.
“During the hearing, Congresswoman Plaskett received texts from staff, constituents and the public at large offering advice, support and in some cases partisan vitriol, including from Epstein,” her office said in a statement.
The statement insisted that Plaskett “welcomes information that helps her get at the truth” and emphasized her work combating sexual assault and human trafficking.
Yet the documents suggest that Epstein’s messages were flowing long before the hearing began that morning.
At 7:55 a.m., Plaskett texted Epstein, “He’ll talk about his grades.”
Epstein immediately replied, “what privilege stands behind the none release of college transcripts?”
Throughout the hearing, the exchanges continued — drifting from commentary to personal compliments.
At 10:02 a.m., Epstein texted, “Great outfit.”
Twenty minutes later: “You look great,” to which Plaskett responded, “Thanks!”
When cameras showed Plaskett appearing to chew, Epstein followed up within a minute: “Are you chewing.”
Her reply: “Not any more. Chewing interior of my mouth. Bad habit from middle school.”
By midday, Epstein’s texts turned toward strategy.
At 12:25 p.m., he wrote: “Hes opened the door to questions re who are the other henchmen at trump org.”
“Yup. Very aware and waiting my turn,” she responded.
When Plaskett finally questioned Cohen at 2:28 p.m., her line of inquiry matched Epstein’s coaching almost verbatim.
“So Allen Weisselberg is the chief financial officer in The Trump Organization,” Cohen began.
“You’ve got to quickly give us as many names as you can so we can get to them,” she pressed, echoing Epstein’s earlier point about “other henchmen.”
Moments later, she shifted to Rhona Graff — the exact subject Epstein had flagged.
“Is Ms. Rhona, what is Ms. Rhona’s— …?” she asked.
Cohen answered: “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.”
Though Epstein would not be charged with federal sex-trafficking crimes until July 2019, months after the hearing, he was already a convicted sex offender — making any communication with a member of Congress during a major Trump-related investigation politically explosive.