Stacey Plaskett

Stacey Plaskett
Born	Stacey Elizabeth Plaskett 13 5, 1966
Birthplace	New York City, New York, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Politician, attorney
Known for	Delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives from the U.S. Virgin Islands; House impeachment manager in the second impeachment trial of Donald Trump
Education	Georgetown University (BS) American University (JD)
Spouse(s)	Jonathan Buckney-Small
Children	5
Website	[plaskett.house.gov Official site]

Stacey Elizabeth Plaskett (born May 13, 1966) is an American politician and attorney who has served since January 3, 2015, as the delegate to the United States House of Representatives from the United States Virgin Islands' at-large congressional district. Born in New York City and educated at Georgetown University and American University, Plaskett has practiced law in New York City, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands over the course of a career spanning more than three decades. Before 2008, she was a member of the Republican Party and served in the Civil Division of the United States Department of Justice under President George W. Bush. She switched to the Democratic Party in late 2008. Plaskett made national history in 2021 when she served as a House manager (prosecutor) during the second impeachment trial of Donald Trump, becoming the first non-voting member of the House of Representatives to serve in that capacity. She is a member of the Congressional Black Caucus and has represented the Virgin Islands through multiple terms in Congress, succeeding Donna Christensen in the at-large seat.

Early Life

Stacey Elizabeth Plaskett was born on May 13, 1966, in New York City, New York. She has roots in the United States Virgin Islands, which would later become the constituency she represented in Congress. Plaskett grew up navigating life between the mainland United States and the Caribbean territory, an experience that shaped her understanding of the unique political and economic challenges faced by residents of U.S. territories, who hold American citizenship but lack full voting representation in Congress.

Details of her parents' occupations and her childhood upbringing in publicly available sourced material are limited, but Plaskett's trajectory from New York City to the Virgin Islands and through elite educational institutions on the mainland indicates a background that bridged multiple communities and cultures within the broader American experience. Her connection to the Virgin Islands remained a defining element of her identity throughout her legal and political career.

Education

Plaskett attended Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree. She later earned a Juris Doctor degree from American University Washington College of Law.

Georgetown University later recognized Plaskett with the Samuel Halsey Jr. Citizenship Award, an honor bestowed by the university's alumni association. Her education at two prominent Washington, D.C.-area institutions provided her with a foundation in both policy and law that would inform her subsequent career in government service and private legal practice. Plaskett was among several Georgetown alumni who went on to seek seats in the United States Congress.

Career

Legal Career and Government Service

After completing her legal education, Plaskett practiced law in New York City and Washington, D.C., building experience in both the private and public sectors. Her career in government service included an appointment by President George W. Bush to serve in the Civil Division of the United States Department of Justice. During this period, Plaskett was a member of the Republican Party. The Civil Division is one of the largest litigating divisions within the Department of Justice, handling a broad range of cases involving federal programs and policies.

Plaskett switched her party affiliation to the Democratic Party in late 2008, stating that she believed the Democratic Party was a better place to have new ideas heard. The timing of her party switch coincided with the election of Barack Obama as president, a period of significant political realignment for many African American professionals who had previously identified with the Republican Party.

In addition to her federal government service, Plaskett also practiced law in the United States Virgin Islands, where she established herself as a legal professional with ties to the territory's civic and political life.

2014 Congressional Campaign

In November 2013, Plaskett announced her candidacy for delegate to the United States House of Representatives from the United States Virgin Islands' at-large congressional district. The seat was being vacated by Donna Christensen, who had served as the territory's delegate since 2009.

Plaskett competed in the Democratic primary election in the U.S. Virgin Islands. She went on to win the 2014 general election, securing the delegate seat. Plaskett's campaign was registered with the Federal Election Commission.

Service in Congress

Plaskett took office on January 3, 2015, succeeding Donna Christensen as the delegate from the U.S. Virgin Islands. As a non-voting delegate, Plaskett can serve on committees, introduce legislation, and participate in debate on the House floor, but cannot cast votes in the full House of Representatives. This status reflects the broader political situation of the U.S. Virgin Islands and other American territories, whose residents are U.S. citizens without full congressional representation.

During her tenure in Congress, Plaskett has served on multiple committees and joined several caucuses. She is a member of the Congressional Black Caucus. She also joined the Citizens' Climate Lobby's bipartisan Climate Solutions Caucus, indicating her involvement in climate-related legislative discussions — a matter of particular relevance to the Caribbean territory she represents.

Plaskett has been reelected to the seat in subsequent election cycles, including in 2016. She has maintained her congressional office and continues to represent the territory's interests on Capitol Hill.

Second Impeachment Trial of Donald Trump

In January 2021, Plaskett was named by Speaker Nancy Pelosi as one of the House managers — effectively prosecutors — for the second impeachment trial of Donald Trump. The trial, held in the United States Senate, concerned the charge that Trump had incited the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021.

Plaskett's selection was historically significant: she became the first non-voting member of the House of Representatives to serve as an impeachment manager. As a delegate from a U.S. territory, her role underscored both the gravity of the proceedings and the contributions of territorial representatives to major constitutional processes. During the trial, Plaskett presented evidence to the Senate, including video footage and a detailed timeline of events surrounding the Capitol attack. Her presentation was noted in news coverage of the proceedings for its methodical and evidence-based approach.

Jeffrey Epstein Controversy

Beginning in late 2025, Plaskett faced scrutiny over her past contacts with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, who had extensive ties to the U.S. Virgin Islands before his death in 2019. In November 2025, reporting by CNN revealed that Plaskett had exchanged text messages with Epstein during a 2019 congressional hearing. The revelations generated significant political controversy.

In response, Representative Ralph Norman (R-SC) introduced a resolution in the House to censure Plaskett and remove her from the House Intelligence Committee. However, the vote to remove Plaskett from the Intelligence Committee failed, with House Republicans unable to secure sufficient support for the measure.

A timeline of Plaskett's contacts with Epstein, compiled by the WTJX public broadcasting station in the Virgin Islands, indicated that the relationship extended over several years, beginning with early campaign support and continuing through the 2019 text exchanges. Plaskett defended her ties to Epstein, noting the political and social context in the U.S. Virgin Islands where Epstein was a prominent figure before his crimes became widely known.

In February 2026, further documents were released by the Department of Justice as part of its ongoing Epstein-related disclosures. These documents revealed additional correspondence between Plaskett and Epstein and his associates. Separately, reporting by Al Jazeera indicated that Epstein had sought to use his connection with Plaskett to arrange a meeting with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.

The controversy remained an active subject of political debate and media coverage as of early 2026. Plaskett continued to serve in Congress and on the House Intelligence Committee following the failed censure vote.

Personal Life

Stacey Plaskett is married to Jonathan Buckney-Small. The couple has five children. Plaskett maintains residences in both the U.S. Virgin Islands and the Washington, D.C., area, consistent with the requirements of her position as a congressional delegate.

Plaskett's political evolution — from membership in the Republican Party through her years of government service under a Republican president to her switch to the Democratic Party in 2008 — reflects a trajectory that she has attributed to her belief that the Democratic Party offered a more receptive environment for new ideas.

Recognition

Plaskett has received recognition from her alma mater, Georgetown University, which honored her with the Samuel Halsey Jr. Citizenship Award through its alumni association. The award recognized her public service contributions as a Georgetown alumna.

Her selection as a House impeachment manager during the second impeachment trial of Donald Trump in 2021 brought her national prominence and marked a historic first for non-voting members of Congress. Her role in the proceedings was covered extensively by national media outlets, bringing attention both to Plaskett herself and to the broader question of territorial representation in American governance.

As a member of the Congressional Black Caucus, Plaskett has been recognized within the caucus's framework for her work representing one of the few majority-Black constituencies among U.S. territories.

Legacy

Plaskett's career in Congress has been defined in part by her status as a non-voting delegate, a position that inherently limits legislative power while providing a platform to advocate for territorial issues. Her role as the delegate from the U.S. Virgin Islands has placed her at the intersection of debates over territorial governance, climate policy in the Caribbean, and the political representation of American citizens living outside the fifty states.

Her appointment as a House impeachment manager in 2021 expanded the recognized role of territorial delegates in constitutional proceedings, establishing a precedent for the participation of non-voting members in future impeachment trials. The selection signaled that delegates, despite their inability to vote on the House floor, could play substantive roles in the most consequential legislative and judicial processes undertaken by the House of Representatives.

The Epstein-related controversies that emerged in 2025 and 2026 introduced a more complicated dimension to Plaskett's public profile. The scrutiny of her contacts with Epstein, and the political responses that followed — including the failed censure resolution — became part of the broader national reckoning over the extent of Epstein's influence in political and social circles, particularly in the U.S. Virgin Islands where he maintained significant property holdings and philanthropic activities before his arrest and death.

Plaskett's career trajectory, spanning Republican and Democratic party affiliations, federal government service, private legal practice, and congressional representation of a U.S. territory, reflects the complex political landscape of the Virgin Islands and the challenges faced by territorial delegates seeking to advance their constituents' interests within a system that grants them limited formal power.