Washington Examiner’s senior writer Joe Concha said Rep. Jasmine Crockett’s (D-TX) false statements regarding convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein aren’t a net-negative for her, saying she’ll only get more media appearances going forward.
Crockett said Tuesday that various Republican figures, including Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin, had accepted money from “somebody named Jeffrey Epstein,” though this is a different person also named Epstein. The congresswoman told CNN’s Kaitlan Collins she never specified it was “that Jeffrey Epstein,” and denied she intended to mislead the public.
Concha said Collins should’ve pressed Crockett harder on her “dead lie,” adding that Crockett appears on CNN and other networks “at any time,” since “she gets rewarded” for her “provocative” comments.
“And I guarantee you, instead of CNN, or MSNBC, or all these other places that have her on saying, ‘You know what? She’s not credible, guys. Maybe let’s not put her on as much,’ she’s going to get more airtime. And when she loses when she runs for Senate, she’ll be the next co-host of The View or on CNN with Kaitlan Collins because that’s the brand at this point: Say ridiculous things, get the cheap clicks, and then worry about the truth later. That’s where we’re at at this point in terms of legacy media, guys,” Concha said on Fox News’s Fox & Friends First.
Crockett is reportedly considering a Senate run in the 2026 elections, saying she is “about to spend a lot of money” to gather polling data on her chances. Concha recalled how radio host Charlamagne tha God said the Democratic Party should be leaning into her, but disagreed, saying provocative statements shouldn’t be rewarded.
Concha proceeded to note that while Crockett is the front-runner among Democrats in this race, she is unlikely to win, predicting she could lose by as much as 15% in the general election.
TRUMP SIGNED THE BILL TO RELEASE THE EPSTEIN FILES. WHEN WILL WE SEE THEM?
Zeldin said on X that the report Crockett referenced “clearly” stated that the Epstein who donated to his past campaign was a physician. The donation was made “after” the convicted sex offender’s death.
When you find yourself in a hole, it’s best to stop digging.
The public FEC report Crockett referenced on the House floor very clearly states that the Jeffrey Epstein who donated to my past campaign was a physician, and the donation date was well AFTER the
other
— Lee Zeldin (@LeeMZeldin) November 20, 2025
“When you find yourself in a hole, it’s best to stop digging,” Zeldin said.
President Donald Trump signed the Epstein Files Transparency Act on Wednesday, shortly after it passed both the House and the Senate. Trump initially opposed the legislation, but suddenly changed his stance on Sunday when he encouraged Republicans to vote for it.