Emails Reveal Epstein Invited to Dem Fundraiser To ‘Get To Know’ Hakeem Jeffries
House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer is turning up the pressure on Democratic leadership after uncovering evidence that links House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries’ political operation to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein. Comer revealed on Tuesday that a 2013 email sent by a Democratic consulting firm invited Epstein to a private dinner — and even offered him the chance to “get to know” Jeffries personally.
The Kentucky Republican said the email is now part of the Oversight Committee’s expanding investigation into Epstein’s political ties.
“Democrat fundraisers invited Epstein to attend an event, or meet privately with Hakeem Jeffries as part of their 2013 effort to win a majority. So, Hakeem Jeffries’ campaign solicited money from Jeffrey Epstein. That’s what we found in the last document batch,” Comer told colleagues on the House floor.
The email, dated May 7, 2013, was sent by Lisa Rossi, a partner at the New York-based Democratic consulting firm Dynamic SRG. Epstein’s longtime assistant, Lesley Groff, also forwarded it to him. The subject line: “Rising Star.”
“Dear Jeffrey,” the message began. “We are thrilled to announce that we are working with Congressman Hakeem Jeffries, one of the rising stars in the New York Congressional delegation.
“Sometimes referred to as ‘Brooklyn’s Barack’, he is a staunch supporter of President Obama and a progressive voice for the people of New York City.”
The outreach included promotional material praising Jeffries’ freshman-year accomplishments, alongside a direct invitation for Epstein to participate in an upcoming DCCC/DSCC fundraising dinner with then-President Obama.
“Hakeem is committed to electing a Democratic majority in 2014 and is encouraging his friends to participate in the DCCC/DSCC fundraising dinner with President Obama this coming Monday night,” Rossi wrote. “Shoot us an email or give us a call at [the firm’s phone number] if you would like to get involved with the dinner, or would like to get an opportunity to get to know Hakeem better.”
At the time, Epstein had already pleaded guilty to soliciting prostitution and soliciting a minor — a conviction that had been public for roughly five years when Democrats reached out to him for campaign support.
Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, Epstein funneled tens of thousands of dollars into Democratic campaigns and political committees. He died in federal custody in 2019 while awaiting trial on child sex-trafficking charges.
FEC records show no donation from Epstein to Jeffries, the DCCC, or the DSCC around the time of the email — something Republicans say does nothing to soften the troubling optics. It also does not change the fact that the Jeffries outreach was included among the 20,000-plus pages of Epstein-related documents released last week by the House Oversight Committee.
Congress Moves on Transparency as President Trump Prepares to Sign Epstein Records Bill
The controversy erupted just as Congress moved forward on a bipartisan bill requiring the Justice Department to release further details surrounding its now-closed case against Epstein. The House overwhelmingly passed the legislation Tuesday, and senators agreed to automatically approve it upon arrival.
President Donald J. Trump has indicated he will sign the measure — despite Speaker Mike Johnson pushing for last-minute changes and suggesting he might ask Trump to veto the initial House version.
Once signed, DOJ will have 30 days to release the documents with redactions to protect Epstein’s victims.
Speaker Johnson, speaking Tuesday, sharply criticized Democrats for claiming to support transparency only now that Republicans are in charge.
“The truth is, the biggest proponents of this discharge petition were never actually interested in transparency or ensuring justice or protecting victims of this unspeakable tragedy, the Epstein evils. And how do we know that? Because the Democrats had every one of the Epstein files in their possession for the four long years of the Biden Administration,” Johnson said.
“The Biden Department of Justice had the files the entire time, and not a single one of the people who were so loud and animated right now ever said anything about it for all those four years,” he continued.
Johnson reminded the public that Democrats spent the previous administration denying every crisis the country was facing. “For four long years under the previous administration of the Biden-Harris Administration, Democrats insisted there was no border crisis. Remember, they told you that that wasn’t a problem at all. They dismissed inflation as transitory. That’s what they told us. They told the American people not to believe what we could all see with our own eyes, that there was an obvious mental and physical decline on the part of President Biden individually,” Johnson said.
With the Trump White House now moving swiftly to make the Epstein files public, Republicans argue that the era of secrecy surrounding the disgraced financier’s political connections — including those within the Democratic Party’s power structure — is coming to an end.