A Republican attempt to censure Stacey Plaskett, a Democratic delegate, over her real-time texts with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein collapsed on the House floor on Tuesday night, prompting a confrontation in the chamber and accusations that party leaders had struck a deal to protect members on both sides facing ethics controversies.
The measure, which would have formally reprimanded Plaskett and removed her from the House intelligence committee over her text message exchanges with Epstein during a hearing, failed by a vote of 209 to 214.
