Texas Senate Race Heats Up: Crockett Targets Talarico Over Epstein-Linked Super PAC Donor
As early voting shows Democrats slightly ahead, U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett urges voters to scrutinize campaign finances, calls for rival to renounce “dark money”
As early voting shows Democrats slightly ahead, U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett urges voters to scrutinize campaign finances and calls for Talarico to renounce “dark money” support.
Amid reports that the Democrats are slightly ahead of Republicans at the ballot box during early voting, U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett has taken aim at her leading Democratic primary opponent over a major Super PAC donor’s connection to Jeffrey Epstein.
The late billionaire financier at the center of a massive child trafficking and sex abuse scandal conducted business with Reid Hoffman, a billionaire AI investor, who has contributed funds directly to state Rep. James Talarico’s Super PAC, according to the Federal Elections Commission (FEC).
Hoffman is listed in the Epstein files and visited Epstein properties, including the island where the worst atrocities are alleged to have taken place, wrote the El Paso Times.
Recent filings with the Federal Elections Commission (FEC) show that Reid Hoffman, a billionaire AI investor, has contributed funds directly to state Rep. James Talarico’s Super PAC. Hoffman is listed in the Epstein files and visited Epstein properties, including the island where the worst atrocities are alleged to have taken place.
Additionally, Hoffman contributed $3.7 million through a layered network of Super PACs, concealing the identity of associated donors, a news release from Crockett’s campaign stated.
“My opponent claims that he will tax the rich and abolish Super PACs, yet he has welcomed and embraced these billionaires and their dark money support in the primary,” Crockett said in a release. “This is why people are so turned off with politicians. My opponent says one thing but does another. Texans deserve leaders who actually live their values in action.”
“More importantly, Texans deserve transparency,” she continued. “If one of the individuals who donated publicly is someone in the Epstein files, imagine who else has given anonymously. Think about which other billionaires are dropping millions into this negative campaign against me and our movement.”
From her post in Congress, Crockett has been a leading voice in the effort to earn justice for Epstein survivors, even engaging in a heated exchange with Attorney General Pam Bondi during a hearing earlier this month.
Talarico’s campaign has been built around getting big money out of politics — Crockett called on him to start by renouncing funding from “the Epstein Class.”
“If James Talarico really means what he says, then he would denounce this Super PAC,” she said. “He’d at least denounce the smear campaign, but at this point it is clear that he won’t. A man that seemingly doesn’t practice what he preaches. As we enter the last week of early voting, voters should follow the money and review the records.”
“It seems like Mr. Talarico prefers to justify donations to himself either directly or indirectly so long as it benefits him,” Crockett continued, “just like never returning the almost ($60,000) he took from (President Donald) Trump’s largest donor, Miriam Adelson, who wants Trump to have a third term.”
Talarico’s campaign did not respond to a request for comment.
Republicans are showing up at the polls, but the GOP turnout is a little less than the early vote at this time in the 2024 presidential primary.
The chairman of the Texas Democrat Party, Kendall Scudder, was featured in Monday’s Battleground Texas segment. In his conversation with Steven Dial, Scudder indicated he believes their stance against immigration enforcement is resonating with voters and driving turnout.
The party chairman also noted that, for the first time in a long time, Democrats have many competitive candidates on their primary ballot.
“I am a firm believer when we compete in every corner of this state we will have better results. That’s why we recruited a candidate at the state and federal level for the first time since 1974. Having more candidates drives turnout, but I have said since Congresswoman Crockett got into this race against Rep. Talarico,” said Scudder.