House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries completely froze Monday when asked why Americans should trust Democrats on the Jeffrey Epstein client list.
Numerous Democratic leaders and members of the party exchanged texts with the convicted sex offender during a 2019 congressional hearing.
A reporter confronted Jeffries about the Democratic Party misdeeds at a recent press conference.
“Why should Americans trust you and House Democrats on the Jeffrey Epstein files when one of your own—Congresswoman Plaskett—was found to be texting with Jeffrey Epstein during a hearing, getting information from him, using that in her questioning during a congressional hearing, at one point he tells her ‘good job’?”
Jeffries froze, then refused to address the question about Del. Stacey Plaskett directly.
“This is a bipartisan effort to make sure that, consistent with what the survivors have requested, that there’s full and complete transparency and every single predator that may be in those Justice Department files doesn’t escape accountability.”
Why is Hakeem looking PETRIFIED after this reporter asked him about Plaskett texting with Epstein during a 2019 Congressional deposition?
Almost like he's slowly coming to realize what's coming for him and his comrades.
Karma is a BlTCH! pic.twitter.com/WFilxCGKRJ
— Gunther Eagleman™ (@GuntherEagleman) November 17, 2025
The Washington Post first reported that newly released documents from Epstein’s estate show text exchanges between Plaskett and Epstein during Michael Cohen’s testimony before the House Oversight Committee in February 2019. The documents show Epstein appeared to guide Plaskett’s questioning of Cohen, who was testifying about President Donald Trump.
According to The Post’s analysis of the texts and hearing footage, Epstein told Plaskett that Cohen had mentioned Rhona Graff, a longtime Trump assistant. Epstein texted: “Cohen brought up RONA – keeper of the secrets.”
Plaskett responded: “RONA??” She added at 2:25 p.m., “Quick I’m up next is that an acronym.”
At 2:28 p.m., Plaskett began questioning Cohen and asked about Graff. After Plaskett finished her questions at 2:33 p.m., Epstein sent another text at 2:34 p.m. telling her “Good work,” according to the report.
“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,” Plaskett’s spokesperson told CNN. “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 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 had already been convicted in 2008 by a Florida state court of procuring a child for prostitution and of soliciting a prostitute. He died under mysterious circumstance in federal custody in August 2019, right before his trial began that could have linked his sex trafficking ring to some of the most powerful men in the world.
The Epstein document release has also revealed other Democratic connections to the disgraced pedophile financer.
A newly released email shows that a Democrat funding group called Dynamic SRG contacted Epstein in 2013 about supporting then-freshman Congressman Hakeem Jeffries. The email referred to Jeffries as “Brooklyn’s Barack” and described him as “an impressive guy” who “will be a progressive voice in New York politics for years to come.”
The House Oversight Committee released documents this week showing what Republicans describe as Democratic attempts to tie President Trump to Epstein that have been disputed or disproven.
Trump has said he supports releasing all Epstein files if Congress passes legislation requiring it.