Keep Factually independent
Whether you agree or disagree with our analysis, these conversations matter for democracy. We don't take money from political groups - even a $5 donation helps us keep it that way.
Which Democratic politicians or committees received donations from Jeffrey Epstein prior to 2019?
Executive summary
Federal records and contemporary reporting show Jeffrey Epstein made measurable contributions to a number of Democratic candidates and Democratic committees principally in the 1990s and 2000s; aggregated counts in 2019 put Epstein’s donations to Democrats at roughly $147,426 and to Democratic committees (including the DNC and DSCC) at least $80,000 [1] [2]. Specific named Democrats tied to Epstein donations in reporting and records include Chuck Schumer, Hillary Clinton (via joint committees), and Stacey Plaskett, among others, and committees such as the Democratic National Committee and Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee are reported recipients [3] [4] [2].
1. A documented donor: how much and when
Longstanding tracking by outlets and watchdogs found Epstein gave meaningfully more to Democrats than Republicans in public FEC records: Business Insider summarized that since 1990 Epstein donated about $147,426 to various Democrats versus $18,250 to Republicans [1]. Separate contemporaneous reporting in 2019 said he had given “at least $80,000” to the Democratic National Committee and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee over time [2]. These figures are drawn from public FEC data and aggregation by reporters and watchdog groups [1] [2].
2. Named Democratic recipients reported in records
Reporting and primary-source FEC citations identify individual Democrats who received contributions in the 1990s and 2000s. The New York Post/House document excerpt and other reporting note multiple $1,000 checks from Epstein to Senator Chuck Schumer between 1992 and 1997, plus an additional $5,000 tied to a Schumer-associated joint committee [3]. Good Morning America and other outlets reported Hillary Clinton’s joint fundraising apparatus received $20,000 in 1999 and another earlier $1,000 in 1992 [4]. Stacey Plaskett received the maximum individual contribution of $2,700 in 2018 and initially declined then later donated those funds to Virgin Islands charities when controversy arose [5].
3. Committee-level donations and responses
Journalists reported that Epstein gave into party vehicles as well as individual campaigns: the DNC and DSCC were identified as recipients of tens of thousands of dollars [2]. Some Democratic committees publicly debated whether to return or donate Epstein-linked funds; multiple outlets recorded that groups like the DNC or DCCC faced scrutiny and at least some units returned money or said they would give it away [1] [2]. The White House commentary and conservative outlets also assert the DNC “refused to return $32,000,” but that claim appears in partisan commentary and is contested framing in the materials provided [6].
4. Context of timing and fallout in 2019 and later
The question of who took Epstein money drew renewed attention after his 2019 arrest. News organizations in 2019 catalogued donors and reported returns or donations-to-charity by some recipients; for example, Plaskett’s reversal to donate the amounts was covered by CNBC [5]. Subsequent releases of Epstein estate documents and congressional interest in 2025–2025 reignited scrutiny of both individuals and committees that had historical ties to Epstein [7] [8].
5. Disputed claims and partisan use of the record
Partisan actors have leveraged donation lists for political attacks; the White House and conservative outlets framed Democrats as opaque about Epstein ties and cited committee-return disputes [6] [9]. At the same time, reporting by BBC, CNN, The Guardian and others documents Democrats pushing for release of Epstein files and noting donations to certain Democrats—while some Democratic leaders have said they never personally received Epstein donations (for example, Hakeem Jeffries said he did not) and pushed back on politicized claims [10] [11]. The available documents and reporting show both verifiable past donations and intense partisan disagreement over interpretation and significance [10] [7].
6. Limitations in the available reporting
Records cited in these sources cover federal-level, FEC-reportable contributions and committee disclosures; they do not necessarily account for every soft-money, private solicitation, foundation payment, or in-kind connection that could appear in broader estate files [1] [2]. Available sources do not mention a comprehensive, single definitive list of every Democratic recipient prior to 2019; instead, reporting and public filings identify notable examples and aggregate totals [1] [2]. Where partisan statements appear (for example, claims about refused returns or exact committee balances), those are presented by political actors and sometimes contradicted or framed differently by news outlets [6] [9].
7. Bottom line for researchers and readers
If you need a confirmed roster of donors by name and amount, consult the underlying FEC records and OpenSecrets donor-lookup tools cited by reporters—Business Insider, CNBC and watchdog summaries trace many of the donations and committees referenced here [1] [5] [12]. For assessing claims made in 2025 about Democratic ties, note both the historic FEC-documented donations (Schumer, Clinton joint committee, Plaskett, DNC/DSCC) and the political contention around how those gifts have been characterized and addressed since Epstein’s legal troubles surfaced [3] [4] [2].