- House leaders struck a bipartisan deal sparing Rep. Stacey Plaskett and Rep. Cory Mills from accountability, prompting MAGA fury and accusations of backroom collusion.
- The failed censure vote and Epstein texts deepened distrust in Congress, fueling claims the political “swamp” protects insiders over public accountability.
WASHINGTON—In a fiery takedown that spared neither side of the aisle, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) accused both Republicans and Democrats of colluding in a backroom bargain to shield their own from accountability, calling it a blatant example of how “the swamp protects itself.”
The outburst came amid a botched House vote on censuring a prominent Democrat for her ties to Jeffrey Epstein, and it quickly escalated into a full-blown revolt among the chamber’s MAGA wing.
The drama unfolded Wednesday when a resolution to censure Del. Stacey Plaskett (D-V.I.), the ranking member on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, went down to defeat in a razor-thin 209-214 tally.
The FrankNez Media Daily Briefing newsletter provides all the news you need to start your day. Sign up here.
Details of the Events
Three Republicans crossed the line to vote with every Democrat against the measure, while three others opted for a “present” vote, effectively killing it.
Plaskett had come under fire after newly released Epstein documents revealed she exchanged texts with the late convicted sex offender—known for his ties to powerful figures and underage trafficking—right in the middle of a 2019 House Oversight Committee hearing featuring testimony from Michael Cohen.
But the real bombshell, according to Greene, wasn’t just Plaskett’s Epstein connection.
It was the alleged quid pro quo that torpedoed the censure: GOP leaders reportedly agreed to drop the hammer on her in exchange for sparing one of their own, Rep. Cory Mills (R-Fla.), from a similar fate.
Mills, a freshman lawmaker and combat veteran, faces explosive allegations of threatening to blackmail and harassing his ex-girlfriend, plus accusations of “stolen valor” related to his military record.
He has vehemently denied all claims, insisting the stories are politically motivated smears.
Greene didn’t mince words in a blistering X post (formerly Twitter), laying into the bipartisan horse-trading with the kind of unfiltered rage that’s become her trademark.
“You, the American people, should be outraged by this against both parties,” she wrote.
“And you should be asking many questions.”
She painted a picture of a Congress more interested in self-preservation than public service, questioning why “both sides had worked together to protect Plaskett and Mills” while outsiders like her “never ever receive such protection and never will.”
Rifts Grow as Epstein Files Go Deeper
It’s a raw admission from the Georgia firebrand, who has long positioned herself as an anti-establishment warrior, even as she’s weathered her own share of scandals and a high-profile rift with President Donald Trump.
That falling out with Trump—sparked by her push to release the Epstein files—has left Greene more isolated than ever within her party.
She stuck her neck out to champion the bill exposing Epstein’s web of connections, refusing to back down despite the personal toll.
“Instead of working to pass legislation that supports policies you voted for, passing our appropriation bills, and solving real crisis issues like healthcare, Congress is trapped in the quicksand of the Swamp with no intention of getting out,” she fumed.
Greene wasn’t alone in her indignation. The censure flop ignited a chain reaction among her fellow Freedom Caucus hardliners, turning what could have been a quiet procedural defeat into a public spectacle of intra-party finger-pointing.
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.), another vocal Trump ally, took to X to eviscerate House leadership for the deal-making.
“The swamp protects itself,” she declared bluntly, before demanding answers on the House floor:
“Why leadership on both sides, both Democrat and Republican, are cutting back-end deals to cover up public corruption in the House of Representatives from both Republican and Democrat members of Congress.”
Luna’s floor speech, delivered with the intensity of someone who’s seen too many closed-door betrayals, underscored the growing frustration in MAGA circles.
Compromised Lawmakers Are Getting Away
These aren’t just abstract gripes about “the establishment”—they’re about tangible votes that let potentially compromised lawmakers skate while everyday Americans foot the bill for congressional gridlock.
Then there was Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.), whose reaction was pure, unscripted theater.
As Luna vented, Boebert could be overheard shouting “Get it, girl!” from the sidelines—a nod of solidarity that quickly went viral.
But Boebert saved her sharpest barbs for her own side. Late Tuesday, in the chaotic aftermath of the failed vote, she let loose on the House floor, blasting her Republican colleagues with a line that’s sure to echo in campaign ads:
“This is why America hates us.”
It’s the kind of raw, populist frustration that resonates far beyond the Beltway, tapping into the deep-seated distrust that fueled Trump’s rise in the first place.
For context, this isn’t some isolated spat. The Epstein documents, unsealed earlier this year, have been a slow-burning grenade in Washington, exposing uncomfortable links between lawmakers and the disgraced financier.
Public Trust is Only Eroding
Plaskett’s texts—casual exchanges about the Cohen hearing, nothing overtly sinister—still raised eyebrows given Epstein’s notorious history.
Yet the swift bipartisan shield suggests a mutual understanding: Scratch my back, I’ll ignore yours.
Mills’ accusers, meanwhile, have painted a darker picture of alleged threats and fabrications, claims that could derail his fledgling career if they gain traction.
Greene’s bipartisan broadside is especially telling coming from someone who’s spent years railing against Democrats while occasionally clashing with her own party’s moderates.
Her post wrapped with a call to arms: Demand better, she urged, because “members like me never ever receive such protection.”
It’s a reminder that even in a polarized era, the real divide might be between the insiders and everyone else.
As the dust settles, questions linger. Will this mini-rebellion force any real reforms, like stricter ethics probes or transparency rules?
Or is it just another episode in the endless cycle of outrage and inaction? One thing’s clear: Greene and her allies aren’t letting this one fade quietly.
In a town built on deals, their refusal to play along could signal the start of something bigger—or just more noise in the echo chamber.
For now, though, it’s a stark illustration of Congress at its most dysfunctional: Two parties, one swamp, and a whole lot of mutual protection rackets.
If Greene’s right, America should indeed be asking questions. And demanding answers.
Also Read: A DOJ Whistleblower Now Makes Revelation That Undermines the Judicial System’s Integrity
