Jasmine Crockett
Democratic Rep. Jasmine Crockett inaccurately linked Republican Lee Zeldin's campaign funds to Jeffrey Epstein, admitting her research was rushed. Instagram / Jasmine Crockett

Democratic Representative Jasmine Crockett has brought forward a serious allegation concerning Republican Lee Zeldin's campaign finances, explicitly citing the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein's estate as a source of money.

This controversial assertion instantly sparks calls for clarity and necessitates a thorough examination of the funds received by Zeldin's political operations.

Crockett Addresses the Criticism

When facing criticism for incorrectly stating a Republican had accepted funds from Jeffrey Epstein, Jasmine Crockett explained that the relevant research was done in a rush. The Texas congresswoman, a Democrat, stepped up to defend her colleague, Stacey Plaskett, after Plaskett was linked to the late financier through text messages.

Crockett's defence involved mentioning that members of the GOP had also taken money from 'somebody named Jeffrey Epstein'.

She then listed names, claiming that Mitt Romney, George Bush, the 2008 McCain/Palin election effort, and the current Environmental Protection Agency chief, Lee Zeldin, had all received contributions from an individual with that name.

Zeldin, who is a former Congressman and was a candidate for governor in New York, promptly responded, 'Yes, Crockett, a physician named Dr Jeffrey Epstein (who is a totally different person than the other Jeffrey Epstein) donated to a prior campaign of mine. No freakin' relation you genius!'

The Jeffrey Epstein who made a financial gift to Zeldin was identified in the Federal Election Commission (FEC) documentation as a medical professional on Long Island.

Challenged on the Air

CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins questioned Crockett about her decision to draw the incorrect link between Zeldin and the convicted sex offender. 'I never said that it was that Jeffrey Epstein. Because they decided to spring this on us in real time, I wanted Republicans to think about what could potentially happen because I knew they didn't even try to go through the FEC', she said.

Crockett defended herself, arguing she had only 20 minutes to prepare for the debate supporting Plaskett, who was facing a censure vote by the House, meaning she needed to formulate her points quickly.

'My team, what they did is they Googled and that is specifically why I said a Jeffrey Epstein, unlike Republicans, I at least don't go out and just tell lies. Because it was not the same one, that's fine, but when Lee Zeldin has something to say all he had to say was it was a different Jeffrey Epstein.'

She defended her actions by pointing out that Zeldin confirmed he had indeed received a contribution from the other Epstein. However, she then suggested there was still reason to question the situation.

'Now, have I dug in to find out who this doctor is? I have not, so I will trust and take what he says that it wasn't that Jeffrey Epstein. But I was not attempting to mislead anybody.'

Collins pressed Crockett, suggesting it was an inadequate effort to tie significant public figures to a registered sex offender.

'Within 20 minutes you could not find that out just from doing a quick search on FEC. I made sure that it was clear that it was a Jeffrey Epstein, but I never said that it was specifically that Jeffrey Epstein because I knew that we would need more time to dig in.'

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Zeldin Delivers a Decisive Counter

Zeldin decisively countered Crockett, revealing that the donation information was publicly available and, crucially, the contribution took place after the infamous Epstein had died in custody in 2019.

'When you find yourself in a hole, it's best to stop digging. The public FEC report Crockett referenced on the House floor very clearly states that the Jeffrey Epstein who donated to my past campaign was a physician, and the donation date was well AFTER the other Jeffrey Epstein WAS ALREADY DEAD!!!'

On Wednesday, the day after Plaskett's narrow escape from a censure vote over the exchanges, CNN hosts Wolf Blitzer and Pamela Brown immediately pressed her for answers about the messages.

According to a DailyMail report, Plaskett avoided censure because Democrats, including Crockett, chose not to abandon the delegate representing the Virgin Islands.

Defence Against Scrutiny

Brown highlighted that Epstein was already a 'known sex offender' at the time the delegate communicated with him. Plaskett, who is 59 and sits on the House Intelligence Committee, responded that she had 'lots of people' sending her messages that day.

She added that she had been corresponding with Epstein, whom she considered one of her constituents, to gather information. She disputed the idea that Epstein had been 'directing' her regarding what to say during the hearing, even though text messages indicated he had informed her about one of Trump's former executive assistants.

Questioned on the Source

Brown inquired whether Plaskett would still have questioned Cohen about the executive assistant if she had not received Epstein's messages. 'Probably not', Plaskett admitted, prior to Brown asking if she felt 'any regrets' regarding the correspondence, considering Epstein's documented sexual abuse.

'Well, listen, I think Jeffrey Epstein is a reprehensible person. Absolutely disgusting. I lived in a house during childhood with a mother who had been sexually abused by her dad. And I know the effect that had on her, as well as us as her family', Plaskett replied.

'And so I understand what the victims are going through, and I want them to get their relevant - their justice, their peace out of this. I believe that Jeffrey Epstein had information, and I was gonna get information to get at the truth. Having a friendship with him is not something that I would deem to have.'

'And so I'm just looking forward - I'm moving forward', she maintained, before urging the 'American people' to do the same. If individuals are not involved in illegal activity, extending his criminal enterprise or his financial enterprise or all of those things, I think that we need to look at what people are doing moving forward.'

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The Prosecutor's Justification

Brown paused to reiterate that many of Epstein's offences were already public knowledge, noting his 2008 guilty plea to state prostitution charges and the claims he faced from numerous other women.

'There are a lot of people who have done a lot of crimes, and as a prosecutor, you get information from people where you can', Plaskett responded.

'I've interviewed confidential informants, I've interviewed narcotics, drug traffickers and others, and that doesn't mean that I'm their friend.

'That doesn't mean that they are friendly with me. It means that they have information that I need and that I'm trying to get at the truth, and that's what I do.' Brown once more asked if Plaskett had second thoughts about the choice.

'So no regrets, basically, is what you're saying?' the co-host asked. 'I'm moving forward', Plaskett replied.

Confirmation of Contact

At the time the messages were exchanged, Epstein was living in the Virgin Islands. The Washington Post revealed that the two had communicated via text after her name was initially concealed in the emails. Her office verified this report.

The delegate successfully sidestepped censure on Tuesday when the House voted 214-209 to formally reject reprimanding her for the text messages. Months after the Cohen hearing, in August 2019, Epstein was discovered deceased in his cell at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Manhattan.

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