Stacey Plaskett Defends Texting with Jeffrey Epstein on House Floor

Defense Against Condemnation

• 🎯 Representative Stacey Plaskett addressed the House floor to defend herself against a resolution condemning her for texting with Jeffrey Epstein.
• 💡 Plaskett explained that during a 2019 hearing with Michael Cohen, she received numerous texts, including one from Epstein, who was then her constituent and not publicly known to be under federal investigation.

Legal and Professional Background

• ⚖️ Plaskett asserted her extensive legal experience, highlighting her 30 years as a lawyer, including roles as a narcotics prosecutor and a political appointee in the Justice Department.
• 🧠 She stated she does not need advice on questioning individuals and has a proven ability to seek truth from various sources, including confidential informants and convicted individuals.

Context of the Text Exchange

• 🔍 Plaskett clarified that the text exchange with Epstein showed no participation or assistance in any illegal activity and was weaponized for political theater.
• 📰 She criticized media outlets, like The Washington Post, for selectively showing short clips and misrepresenting the context of her questioning.

Handling of Donations and Allegations

• 💰 Plaskett stated that upon learning the extent of Epstein's actions, she donated any contributions received from him to women's organizations in her community.
• 🚫 She emphasized her consistent stance against sexual violence and the exploitation of women and children throughout her career.

Political Motivation and Resilience

• 🎭 Plaskett accused her colleagues of using the text exchange for political theater and suggested their focus should be on issues like attacks on working families and protection of powerful predators.
• ✊ She declared that attempts at intimidation will not deter her or the people of the Virgin Islands, stating they do not back down from a fight and she will continue her work regardless of any censure.