What we’re covering
• Epstein files: The Senate has unanimously agreed to pass the House-backed bill forcing the Justice Department to release the Jeffrey Epstein case files as soon as it’s received from the chamber. Majority leader John Thune said that would happen tomorrow.
• Next steps: The Senate will not have to take any further action, and the bill will be sent to President Donald Trump, who has said he’d sign the legislation, a stark reversal in his position.
• Saudi meeting: At the White House today, Trump defended Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as he dismissed questions about the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Read more about their summit here.Allcatch upEpstein FilesSaudi Bilateral
70 Posts17 min ago
Jeffries says he has “no recollection” of fundraising email sent on his behalf to Epstein
From CNN’s Kaanita Iyer
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said today that he does not remember an email Democratic fundraisers sent on his behalf to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
When asked by CNN’s Kaitlan Collins on “The Source” if he recalls the email, Jeffries said, “I have no recollection of the email.”
In a March 2013 email, Dynamic SRG, a Democratic consulting group, asked Epstein if he wanted to participate in a fundraising dinner with Jeffries and former President Barack Obama or get to know Jeffries better.
There is no evidence Epstein responded. CNN has reached out to Dynamic SRG for comment.
“I’ve never had a conversation with him, never met him, know nothing about him other than the extreme things that he’s been convicted of doing,” Jeffries added.
When asked if he ever got a donation from Epstein, Jeffries said, “Certainly not.”
House rejects GOP effort to censure Plaskett over Epstein texts
From CNN’s Ellis Kim
The House on Tuesday night rejected a Republican effort to censure US Virgin Islands Democratic Del. Stacey Plaskett over texts she exchanged with Jeffrey Epstein during a 2019 congressional hearing.
The vote on GOP Rep. Ralph Norman’s resolution rebuking Plaskett and seeking to remove her from the House Intelligence committee was 209 yeas to 214 nays, with 3 Republicans joining all Democrats to defeat the effort. 3 Republicans also registered as present.
Norman’s resolution accused Plaskett of “inappropriately” coordinating with Epstein over text during a February 2019 Oversight committee hearing and taking instruction from the convicted sex offender on how to question former Trump attorney Michael Cohen, who was testifying.
About the Author
