Damning Open Letter Exposes Jeffries' Epstein Ties

Letter alleges Hakeem Jeffries had troubling connections to convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.

Published on Feb. 12, 2026

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A scathing open letter has surfaced, accusing Congressman Hakeem Jeffries of having troubling connections to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The letter claims that in 2013, Epstein's personal secretary forwarded an email to Epstein about Jeffries, describing him as a "rising star" and encouraging Epstein to participate in a fundraising event with then-President Obama. The letter also alleges that members of the Obama administration, including the White House Counsel, had documented email exchanges and meetings with Epstein.

Why it matters

These allegations, if true, would raise serious ethical and legal questions about Jeffries' associations and the extent of Epstein's influence within Democratic political circles. The letter argues that Jeffries' party has been quick to criticize Republicans over Epstein ties, while appearing to have its own skeletons in the closet.

The details

The open letter, written by a conservative commentator, cites documents from the House Oversight Committee that allegedly show Epstein's personal secretary, Lesley Groff, forwarding an email to Epstein about Jeffries in 2013. The email reportedly described Jeffries as a "rising star" and encouraged Epstein to participate in a DCCC/DSCC fundraising dinner with then-President Obama. The letter also claims that Obama's own White House Counsel, Kathryn Ruemmler, had multiple documented email exchanges and meetings with Epstein.

  • On May 7, 2013, Lesley Groff forwarded an email to Epstein about Jeffries.
  • In 2026, the House Oversight Committee released documents related to Epstein's connections.

The players

Hakeem Jeffries

A Democratic Congressman representing New York's 8th congressional district.

Jeffrey Epstein

A convicted sex offender who operated a sex trafficking ring involving underage girls.

Lesley Groff

Jeffrey Epstein's personal secretary and a named co-conspirator in his sex trafficking case.

Kathryn Ruemmler

Barack Obama's White House Counsel, who had multiple documented email exchanges and meetings with Epstein.

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What they’re saying

“A lobbying firm was actively connecting YOU to a man who was running a child sex trafficking operation, and his indicted co-conspirator was the one making the introduction. And you want us to believe you had NO IDEA who Jeffrey Epstein was or what he was about? That dog will not hunt, Hakeem.”

— Mike Bski, Conservative Commentator (Twitchy)

What’s next

The House Oversight Committee is expected to continue investigating Jeffries' connections to Epstein and the extent of the Democratic Party's ties to the convicted sex offender.

The takeaway

These allegations, if true, would undermine Jeffries' credibility and raise serious questions about the Democratic Party's willingness to hold its own members accountable for associations with individuals like Jeffrey Epstein, especially when the party has been quick to criticize Republicans over similar connections.