In a bid to address the lack of oversight that allowed corruption to thrive in the US Virgin Islands (USVI), local Republican officials are demanding written pledges from former President Donald Trump and former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley to fill key law enforcement positions in the territory. The move comes as the Epstein scandal continues to haunt the USVI, with convicted pedophile and financier Jeffrey Epstein’s activities on Little St. James Island remaining a stain on the territory’s reputation.
Epstein, who owned an estate on the island for over two decades, allegedly trafficked young girls to the compound for his own use or for prominent figures in his circle. The failure of the USVI government to launch a comprehensive investigation into Epstein’s activities has raised concerns among local Republicans about the prevalence of corruption on the island.
Gordon Ackley, Chair of the Republican Party in the USVI, expressed frustration over the lack of accountability, stating, “We’ve been under Democrat rule for 35 years, and we’ve had major stories here from Epstein to Jeffrey Prosser’s half a billion dollars bankruptcy. We’ve got graft in our government, but it seems like no one ever goes to jail, no one ever gets arrested.”
To address these concerns, local GOP officials are urging Trump and Haley to commit to appointing conservative Republicans to key law enforcement positions, including US attorney, US marshal, and US judge for the District of the Virgin Islands. Haley, during a Zoom call with local GOP officials, emphasized the need for strong conservative leaders in these roles, indirectly criticizing Trump for leaving numerous positions unfilled during his first term.
The Republican Party in the USVI, leveraging its early caucus date, aims to draw attention to the concerns of the territory’s residents. Breaking with the Republican National Committee’s calendar rules, the USVI Republicans secured the third-in-the-nation caucus spot, despite facing a delegate penalty.
Epstein’s connections to the USVI extend beyond his own activities, as he notably donated to the campaign of Democrat Stacey Plaskett, the USVI’s non-voting delegate in Congress. Plaskett later pledged to match the amount Epstein donated to her campaign by contributing to local organizations working with women and children.
JPMorgan Chase, accused of benefiting financially from Epstein’s activities, claimed in a filing that the late pedophile had a “quid pro quo” relationship with USVI officials. The bank alleged that the USVI government, as the plaintiff in the case, failed to protect public safety and actively facilitated Epstein’s criminal activity. The USVI Attorney’s Office dismissed the bank’s filing as an attempt to shift blame away from JPMorgan Chase.
Former USVI Attorney General Denise George, who pursued lawsuits against Epstein’s estate, was dismissed by USVI Governor Albert Bryan Jr. in early 2023. George had also filed a lawsuit against JPMorgan Chase, accusing the bank of financing Epstein’s exploitation of women. The reasons for George’s dismissal remain undisclosed, and she has been reluctant to comment on the matter.
The USVI Republican Party’s early caucus date provides a platform to highlight the concerns of the territory’s residents and push for a balance of power to prevent future scandals like the Epstein case. As the USVI seeks to address the lack of oversight and corruption, the demands for written pledges from Trump and Haley underscore the urgency of the situation.
