Stacey Plaskett's Nightmare Week Continues

Memo to members of Congress: never kick an Internet hornet's nest, unless you're a master bull artist

Late Tuesday night, I recalled the late Harry G. Frankfurt’s increasingly relevant, “On Bullshit.”

When we characterize talk as hot air, we mean that what comes out of the speaker’s mouth is only that. It is mere vapor. His speech is empty, without substance or content. His use of language, accordingly, does not contribute to the purpose it purports to serve. No more information is communicated than if the speaker had merely exhaled.

I thought of that book as I was watching Democratic Delegate Stacey Plaskett’s performance on the House floor as she defended herself on a censure resolution inspired by revelations in the Washington Post that she received coaching from world-renowned scumbag Jeffrey Epstein during a 2019 hearing, as she prepared to question former Trump lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen.

The Post story and accompanying video are damning. Of course, the revelations are a bigger story because they involve Epstein. He was still a few months out from being charged with a slew of sex trafficking offenses, but he was still a registered sex offender, as she effectively said, “Jeffrey, take the wheel.” However, this is bad no matter who was driving her questioning in real time. She was nothing more than a ventriloquist dummy, and if you haven’t seen the video, judge for yourself:

Epstein was only a constituent

The censure resolution failed, but make no mistake that her performance was “Mission Accomplished”-level bull. Plaskett starts by heaping praise on herself for a “moment that went viral” earlier in the hearing during an interaction with Republican Congressman Jim Jordan. That, she claims, prompted “innumerable texts” from friends, foes, and constituents.

And I got a text from Jeffrey Epstein, who at the time was my constituent, who was not public knowledge at that time that he was under federal investigation and, who was sharing information with me.

So of all those supposed “innumerable texts,” Epstein just happened to stand out as if he were any other constituent. It was just a coincidence, then, that a few months earlier she landed $30,000 from him for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and that he had already given maximum amounts to her own campaigns. Yes, he was a constituent, but so what? Bob Menendez also had “constituents.”

“I don’t need to get advice…”

Now I heard recently from someone that I was taking advice from him. Let me tell you something: I don’t need to get advice on how to question anybody from any individual.”

This one is my personal favorite because the video from 2019 clearly shows she did need advice!

Epstein pointed out to Plaskett that “Cohen brought up RONA - keeper of the secrets.”

“RONA” is Rhona Graff, a former executive assistant to Trump. Plaskett was thrown for a loop.

“RONA ??” she texted back.

Forty-one seconds went by. She still couldn’t figure it out.

Plaskett: “Quick I’m up next is that an acronym?”
Epstein: “Thats his assistant.”

Just in time. She proceeded to ask Cohen three questions about Graff, twice referring to her as “Ms. Rona.” Plaskett grew up in Brooklyn, so I doubt she was exhibiting Southern pleasantries.

In any case, Epstein was pleased. “Good work,” he texted.

Plaskett also mentioned her experience as a narcotics prosecutor in New York and her appointment to the Justice Department after 9/11. “I know how to question individuals,” she said.

The Washington Post

Plaskett takes aim at the Post, saying she questioned Cohen for five minutes. In case there’s any doubt, she waves a transcript as if to say, Proof! Plaskett then complains, “The Washington Post only shows you 30 seconds and takes from it one individual’s name that I got from Jeffrey Epstein, and didn’t know who the individual was.”

This 30 seconds claim is more nonsense. While the video shows Plaskett questioning Cohen for roughly 30 seconds, most of it shows her and the text exchanges just before her questioning begins. The text exchange concerning “Ms. Rona” spanned about 10 minutes, although not continuously. The first text exchange, however, occurred several hours earlier, before the hearing began.

In fact, there were many more texts throughout the day that were reported in the Post’s story but weren’t shown in the video, which of course Plaskett conveniently ignored. The exchanges, after all, indicated they were buddies.

At 10:02 a.m., Epstein texted Plaskett: “Great outfit”

“You look great,” he added at 10:22 a.m. “Thanks!” she replied shortly afterward.

At around 10:40 a.m., a broadcast feed cut to Plaskett, showing her moving her mouth as if she were chewing something.

At 10:41 a.m., Epstein sent this message to Plaskett: “Are you chewing”

“Not any more,” she replied. “Chewing interior of my mouth. Bad habit from middle school”

At 12:50 p.m., Epstein asks: “How much longer for you”

“Hours. Go to other mtgs,” she replied.

The intermittent exchanges spanned nearly seven hours, from 7:55 a.m. to at least 2:34 p.m. There is no substance to this twisted version of the record, just a deeper pile of bull.

“Weaponized it for Political Theater”

Plaskett now presented herself as a victim of government weaponization:

“They’ve taken a text exchange, which show no participation, no assistance, no involvement in any illegal activity, and weaponized it for political theater, because that’s what this is.

This is another trait of a good bullshitter: Imply your critics are doing something they’re not. No one accused Plaskett of doing something illegal by texting Epstein. It was just a way to deflect from her actions.

Fortunately, she’s not a voting member of Congress since she represents the Virgin Islands. Obviously, though, she still has a large platform. Who’s coaching her now?