House Fails To Censure Democrat Who Texted With Epstein During Hearing

The Republican majority in the U.S. House fell short Tuesday night in its effort to censure Democratic Del. Stacey Plaskett and remove her from the House Intelligence Committee, after several GOP defections derailed the measure.

Plaskett, the non-voting delegate from the U.S. Virgin Islands, erupted into controversy late last week after House Republicans released new Epstein-related materials revealing she had exchanged text messages with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein while preparing for a congressional hearing.

The censure resolution failed narrowly, 209–214. Three Republicans crossed the aisle to vote with Democrats, while another three voted “present”—effectively sinking the measure. The vote came just hours after the House overwhelmingly approved a bill compelling the Department of Justice to release the remaining files from its Epstein investigation, a transparency push strongly supported by President Donald J. Trump.

The newly released trove of Epstein documents—published in batches by the House Oversight Committee—includes thousands of pages from Epstein’s estate, among them text messages, emails, and other communications. As reported by UPI, those materials contained messages between Epstein and Plaskett ahead of her questioning of Michael Cohen, former personal attorney to then-President Trump, during a 2019 congressional hearing.

Republicans Move to Hold Plaskett Accountable

Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.) introduced the censure resolution, accusing Plaskett of “inappropriately coordinating” with Epstein by accepting suggested questions and receiving encouragement from the disgraced financier. Norman’s resolution also sought to refer the matter to the House Ethics Committee for investigation.

“The American people expect honesty… They expect members of Congress to conduct themselves with one word — decency — not to seek advice from a predator who exploited minor children,” Norman said on the House floor, according to The Washington Post.

Plaskett defended her actions, insisting that Epstein—who owned property in the Virgin Islands but lived in New York—was simply a constituent and that she regularly communicates with a wide range of individuals in pursuit of “the truth.”

“I know how to question individuals. I know how to seek information. I have sought information from confidential informants, from murderers, from other individuals because I want the truth,” she said.

Her defense did little to calm the outrage among conservatives, who view the communication as deeply troubling—especially given the current push for complete transparency around Epstein’s network and activities.

Schumer’s Slip: A “Moment of Truth”

The debate took an unexpected turn on Monday when Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) appeared to unintentionally validate what Republicans have been saying for years.

“Why wouldn’t they have been released the last four years when President Biden was in office?” a reporter asked regarding Epstein files.

“That’s the question every American is asking,” Schumer replied, before abruptly pivoting to blame President Trump: “What the hell is [Donald Trump] hiding? Why doesn’t he want them released?”

The exchange fell flat, as President Trump has repeatedly called for full transparency. In fact, on Sunday, Trump urged Republicans in both chambers to support legislation releasing all Epstein-related files and said he would sign such a bill “immediately.”

Democrats’ Last-Minute Claims Fall Apart

Last week, Democrats on the House Oversight Committee released a set of emails they claimed tied Trump to Epstein’s child-trafficking operations. Yet, upon examination, the emails showed no such connection—a point even neutral observers acknowledged.

Republicans have long argued that if credible evidence implicating Trump existed, the Biden administration would have weaponized it during the 2024 campaign to derail Trump’s return to the White House. Their failure to do so only strengthened GOP suspicion that Democrats are suddenly showing interest in Epstein transparency because they fear what else might be revealed.

Where Things Stand Now

President Trump has made clear he will sign any legislation authorizing the release of all Epstein materials. House Republicans remain committed to uncovering the full truth, protecting victims, and exposing any wrongdoing or political coverups.

Meanwhile, the stunning defeat of the Plaskett censure—caused by a small group of breakaway Republicans—signals that internal GOP divisions continue to complicate the party’s ability to hold Democrats accountable, even on issues as serious as Epstein’s dark network.