Delegate to Congress Stacey Plaskett
Attorneys for Delegate to Congress Stacey Plaskett filed a motion on Thursday to dismiss her from the civil complaint brought by victims of Jeffrey Epstein in the New York case against the Government of the Virgin Islands.
The motion asserts that the complaint fails to present facts or legal grounds necessary to implicate the congresswoman. According to a statement from Ms. Plaskett's office, the plaintiffs allegedly included the congresswoman in the case due to her high profile, presumably to increase the case's visibility and assist in securing a settlement.
Eric Breslin, a partner at Duane Morris LLC and counsel for Ms. Plaskett, stated, “Congresswoman Plaskett has devoted most of her professional life to public service, first as a prosecutor, then to further the economic development of the Virgin Islands, and now as a delegate in the House of Representatives. Yet, Plaintiffs now seek to malign her good name with wild allegations so unsupportable they cannot even credibly claim to be speculative – instead, they are the product of pure fantasy. Plaintiffs’ claims are typified by a lack of specificity, logic, or common sense. The Second Amended Complaint fails nearly every pleading standard and suffers from a litany of faults, all militating in favor of dismissal.”
While acknowledging the suffering of Epstein's victims, Ms. Plaskett maintains that she had no involvement in Epstein's criminal activities. She has spent the majority of her career upholding and enforcing the law, including roles as a prosecutor in the New York Assistant District Attorney’s office, a Justice Department attorney, and as Counsel to the House Ethics Committee, according to a Thursday statement.
The statement says the plaintiffs have no factual basis to suggest any connection between Congresswoman Plaskett and Epstein’s crimes. A campaign contribution and her work in the Virgin Islands government do not imply knowledge of or engagement in criminal activities.
Ms. Plaskett received campaign donations from Jeffrey Epstein even after his first conviction in Florida for procuring a child for prostitution and soliciting a prostitute. The conviction, resulting from a controversial plea deal, led to him serving nearly 13 months in custody, during which he was allowed extensive work release. “I would be grateful for his support and the support of those that he may direct to assist me," Ms. Plaskett wrote seeking donations from the then-convicted felon, as revealed by documents submitted in court last year.
The congresswoman said she empathizes with the victims' pursuit of justice but argues that her inclusion in the case is illogical and possibly malicious.
