The House of Representatives narrowly defeated a resolution to censure Delegate Stacey Plaskett for her communications with Jeffrey Epstein, a late convicted sex offender, during a 2019 Oversight Committee hearing. The vote, which passed 209-214, saw three Republicans voting with all Democrats against the measure, with three Republicans voting present. Plaskett, a Democrat from the U.S. Virgin Islands, defended her actions, stating that Epstein was a constituent and that her contact was limited to information-gathering, asserting it was not public knowledge at the time that Epstein was under federal investigation. She emphasized her role as an investigator, stating, “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.”
Republicans, however, argued that Plaskett’s contact with Epstein was more substantive and influenced her questioning during the hearing, which she denied. Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.), who brought the measure to the House floor through a fast-track process bypassing committees and Hill leadership, stated, “Standing against a convicted predator’s influence in our proceedings is not partisan. It’s basic decency.” The failed vote also would have removed Plaskett from the House Intelligence Committee, a step too far for some lawmakers. This follows a pattern of Republican efforts to remove Democrats from committee positions after last Congress’s removal of Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) from the House Foreign Affairs Committee for her past comments on Israel.
The controversy has intensified, with the House voting almost unanimously to force the Department of Justice to release more files about its case against Epstein. The issue has split the MAGA base for months, generating significant political division. In retaliation for the move against Plaskett, Democrats introduced a measure to censure Rep. Cory Mills (R-Fla.) and remove him from the House Armed Services Committee. Mills has faced a series of ethical allegations, including an withdrawn accusation of assault and ongoing legal disputes over a previous relationship. However, the measure is likely to be withdrawn now that the Plaskett effort has failed. The failure of the Plaskett measure has prompted an outcry from conservative Republicans, who accuse leadership of cutting deals to avoid voting on the Mills resolution, claiming it is an attempt to cover up public corruption.