House Moves Toward Censuring Plaskett After Epstein Texts Surface, Setting Up Imminent Floor Vote

The U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday advanced a Republican-led resolution to censure V.I. Delegate to Congress Stacey Plaskett and remove her from the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, following revelations that she exchanged text messages with Jeffrey Epstein during a 2019 congressional hearing. The measure’s privileged status means the chamber must take final action within two legislative days, setting up a possible floor vote as early as tonight. On June 30, 2008, Epstein pleaded guilty to two state felony offenses in Florida—solicitation of prostitution and solicitation of prostitution with a minor. His legal troubles resurfaced in 2019, when federal prosecutors in New York charged him with sex trafficking.  The resolution, introduced by Rep. Ralph Norman of South Carolina, cleared its first procedural test after lawmakers voted 214–213 to reject a Democratic motion that would have referred the matter to the House Ethics Committee. Republicans are arguing that t...