Epstein texted Democrat hints for questions during…

Epstein texted Democrat hints for questions during hearing into Trump’s former fixer, Michael Cohen

Jeffrey Epstein was texting with a Democratic lawmaker before she questioned President Donald Trump’s former fixer, Michael Cohen, during a 2019 hearing and advised what questions she should ask, according to a report.

Stacey Plaskett, the U.S. Virgin Islands non-voting delegate, appeared to be messaging with the late disgraced financier in February 2019 while the hearing into Trump was ongoing and asked Epstein for guidance in one message, the Washington Post reports. Her office confirmed to the paper that she had received texts from Epstein.

The messages were included in the tranche of 20,000 documents released by the House Oversight Committee this week, though her name is redacted in the documents.

However, the timings and contents of the text messages align with questions she asked during the hearing, where Cohen was testifying before the oversight committee against Trump, according to analysis by the Post.

In the hearing, Cohen accused his former boss of financial fraud and directing hush-money payments to cover up his extramarital affairs, which Trump denied.

Epstein appeared to be watching the hearing and texting Plaskett in real time, according the Post.

“Cohen brought up RONA - keeper of the secrets,” Epstein texted, according to the documents, referring to Trump’s former executive assistant Rhona Graff.

“RONA??” the person believed to be Plaskett replied. “Quick I’m up next is that an acronym,” the message said, suggesting that she was due to question Cohen next.

“That’s his assistant,” Epstein appeared to confirm.

When her turn came, Plaskett asked Cohen about Graff.

The timings and contents of the text messages align with questions she asked during the hearing, where Cohen was testifying before the oversight committee against Trump (AFP via Getty Images)

“You’ve got to quickly give us as many names as you can so we can get to them,” Plaskett said. “Is Ms. Rhona, what is Ms. Rhona’s…?”

“Rhona Graff is the — Mr. Trump’s executive assistant,” Cohen replied. “She was… her office is directly next to his, and she’s involved in a lot that went on.”

While Epstein wasn’t arrested until July 2019 on federal sex trafficking charges, at the time of the hearing he was a known convicted sex offender after pleading guilty to state charges in Florida in 2008 of soliciting prostitution from a minor.

Epstein had links to the U.S. Virgin Islands and some of its public figures. He donated money to politicians including Plaskett, according to a Business Insider expose from 2023, and his primary residence was on the island of Little Saint James.

The Independent has contacted Plaskett’s office for comment.

In a statement to the Post, Plaskett’s office said that she received texts during the hearing from “staff, constituents and the public at large offering advice, support and in some cases partisan vitriol, including from Epstein.”

“As a former prosecutor she welcomes information that helps her get at the truth and took on the GOP that was trying to bury the truth,” the statement said. “The congresswoman has previously made clear her long record combating sexual assault and human trafficking, her disgust over Epstein’s deviant behavior and her support for his victims.”

Epstein also messaged Plaskett during the hearing to compliment her outfit and to ask whether or not she was chewing, according to the documents.