Tulsi Gabbard Shatters Washington Silence: Jamie Raskin Speechless as Epstein Hypocrisy Exposed

Washington, D.C. — What began as a routine congressional hearing on transparency in the Jeffrey Epstein investigation erupted into a political earthquake this week, as Tulsi Gabbard confronted Congressman Jamie Raskin with evidence of party double standards, financial secrecy, and personal hypocrisy. By the end, Raskin—renowned constitutional law professor, impeachment manager, and Democratic stalwart—was left speechless, walking out of the chamber as cameras rolled and the nation watched in disbelief.

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The Calm Before the Storm

It was 9:45 a.m. on a Tuesday, just days after the House narrowly voted down censure for Delegate Stacy Plaskett, whose text messages with Epstein had threatened to engulf the Democratic caucus in scandal. The official topic was “Transparency in the Epstein Files Investigation,” but everyone in the hearing room sensed the real agenda: damage control, survival, and the hope that the latest controversy could be swept under the Capitol’s ornate rugs.

Tulsi Gabbard, decorated veteran and former congresswoman, sat alone at the witness table. Her demeanor was calm, her attire understated, but the red folder in front of her radiated quiet menace. Across the chamber, Jamie Raskin presided, his confidence bolstered by years of teaching at Harvard and a best-selling book on constitutional accountability. He had prepared to deflect, attack, and, if necessary, redirect the conversation to Donald Trump.

Raskin’s Opening Gambit

Raskin wasted no time. He questioned Gabbard’s credibility, referencing her controversial trip to Syria, her support for Edward Snowden, and Hillary Clinton’s accusation that she was a “Russian asset.” He reminded the room that Gabbard had once been flagged in the “Quiet Skies” program, and concluded: “How can the American people trust you to fairly investigate connections to Jeffrey Epstein when your own loyalties are so questionable?”

It was a classic Washington attack—designed to put Gabbard on the defensive and discredit her before she could speak.

Gabbard’s Counterattack: Facts Over Rhetoric

But Gabbard did not flinch. She thanked Raskin for his passion, then calmly opened her folder. “Let’s start with what happened in this very chamber one week ago,” she said, submitting two video clips for the record.

The first showed Raskin, six months earlier, denouncing Jeffrey Epstein as a “mastermind of child sex trafficking.” The second, from just a week ago, captured Raskin defending Plaskett’s texts with Epstein, dismissing the scandal as “a phone call from a constituent.”

“Which is it, Congressman?” Gabbard asked, her voice razor-sharp. “Mastermind of child sex trafficking—or just a constituent taking a phone call?”

Raskin stammered, insisting the clips were taken out of context. But Gabbard pressed on, revealing the real-time coaching Epstein provided to Plaskett during a House hearing, the campaign donations he made, and the lawsuits filed by his victims against Virgin Islands officials—including Plaskett herself.

The Survivors’ Voices: Lisa Martinez’s Letter

Gabbard then read a letter from Lisa Martinez, an Epstein survivor. Martinez described the pain of watching politicians minimize Epstein’s crimes, protect his allies, and treat her suffering as collateral damage.

“To Congressman Raskin, Jeffrey Epstein was not a constituent. He was a predator. He was a monster. And every politician who protected him, who took his money, who minimized his crimes—they helped him hurt girls like me. We were children. We deserved better. We still do.”

Gabbard looked Raskin in the eye. “Lisa Martinez is watching this hearing right now. What would you like to say to her?”

Raskin was silent. The hearing room held its breath.

Democratic Connections: The Money Trail

Gabbard then shifted focus to the Democratic Party’s relationship with Epstein. She produced emails showing Epstein was solicited for donations and access to former President Obama, even after his conviction. She cited $147,000 in lifetime donations to Democrats, including $32,000 to the DNC—money the party refused to return after Epstein’s arrest.

She listed prominent Democrats—Lawrence Summers, Reed Hoffman, Katherine Rumler—who maintained relationships with Epstein after his crimes were public. “These are the architects of Democratic policy, the funders of Democratic campaigns, the power brokers who shaped your party for decades,” Gabbard said. “They all knew what Epstein was. They all continued their relationships anyway.”

Financial Hypocrisy: Raskin’s Own Record

The most devastating blows came as Gabbard revealed Raskin’s own financial disclosures. His wife, Sarah Bloom Raskin, received $1.5 million in stock from Reserve Trust, a company that gained rare access to Federal Reserve accounts while she served on its advisory board. Raskin failed to disclose the asset for four years, violating the STOCK Act. He paid a $200 fine—less than most Americans pay for a speeding ticket.

“You had time for TV appearances, impeachment hearings, and fundraising,” Gabbard noted, “but not for a simple financial disclosure form.”

She exposed another late disclosure, another fine, and then pointed out Raskin’s own history of objecting to electoral votes in 2017—while condemning Republicans as “insurrectionists” for similar actions in 2021. “You built your entire political brand on accountability,” Gabbard said. “But you couldn’t follow a simple disclosure requirement. Twice you hid millions of dollars from your constituents while demanding transparency from everyone else.”

The Final Question: Accountability

Gabbard closed her folder, stood, and asked the question that would haunt the chamber: “When will you be held accountable? For defending a colleague who coordinated with a child sex trafficker? For hiding $1.5 million from your constituents? For objecting to elections while prosecuting others for the same thing?”

Raskin’s mouth opened, but nothing came out. “That’s what I thought,” Gabbard said, sitting down as the room fell into stunned silence.

The Fallout: Washington Reels

Reporters scrambled to record every word. Staffers rushed to their bosses. Social media exploded as clips of Raskin’s “mastermind versus constituent” contradiction went viral. CNN anchors struggled to process what they had just witnessed. The House Ethics Committee announced investigations into Epstein-related financial connections within days.

Lisa Martinez, watching from Miami, received messages of support from survivor networks. For the first time in years, she felt heard.

Raskin, alone in his office, stared at Martinez’s letter, surrounded by diplomas and awards. He had spent a lifetime building a reputation for accountability. Now, he was the face of Washington’s double standard.

A New Era of Scrutiny

Gabbard’s closing statement was direct: “For too long, Washington has operated on a simple principle: Rules for thee, not for me. Politicians lecture us about transparency while hiding million-dollar stock deals. They demand accountability while protecting their own. They call Jeffrey Epstein a mastermind when it hurts their opponents and a constituent when it hurts their friends. The American people see through it now.”

She promised survivors, “Your pain matters. Your truth matters. No one is above accountability.”

As Gabbard walked out, the chamber was in chaos. But the message was clear: The era of silence and double standards was over. Washington would never be the same.