A senior official in the Trump administration pushed back after Democratic Rep. Jasmine Crockett accused former New York congressman and EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin of accepting campaign contributions from the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The aide clarified that the donor in question is a different individual who shares the same name and has no ties to the infamous financier.
According to Federal Election Commission records, Zeldin’s campaign did receive donations from two men named Jeffrey Epstein—one a New York doctor, the other a New Jersey beverage distributor—both of which occurred in 2020, a year after the convicted sex offender died. Zeldin posted on social media: “NO FREAKIN RELATION,” stressing the distinction.
The exchange amplifies the broader political battle over the release and interpretation of the Jeffrey Epstein records, as both parties vie to use the files for their own narratives.