Delegate Stacey Plaskett (D) has represented the at-large congressional district of the United States Virgin Islands in the United States House of Representatives since 2015. Before entering politics, Plaskett worked in law as an assistant district attorney and legal consultant. This profile is an overview of Stacey Plaskett’s background, accomplishments, and influence. It also examines the relationship between Plaskett’s beliefs and her actions as a delegate.
Early life
Plaskett was born on May 13, 1966, in Brooklyn, New York. Throughout her childhood, she maintained a strong connection with the US Virgin Islands and regularly traveled to St. Croix, US Virgin Islands. After her primary school education, Plaskett attended Georgetown University and earned her Bachelor’s degree in history and diplomacy, including a concentration in Middle East and African studies from the Walsh School of Foreign Service. She later earned a Juris Doctor from the American University Washington College of Law. After graduating, she served as an assistant district attorney in the Bronx. She later was a legal counselor for the Mitchel Madison Group.
Stacey Plaskett campaigning with supporters at Central High School on St. Croix in 2024. Image credit: Stacey Plaskett for Congress Campaign
Political career
Plaskett’s involvement in politics began well before she graduated from university. During her time at Georgetown University, she ran for student government and voiced her support for the anti-apartheid movement. As a student, Plaskett spoke on behalf of DC area universities at the General Assembly of the United Nations. After leaving the Mitchel Madison Group, Plaskett moved to Washington DC and started a position as counsel on the US House of Representatives Committee on Ethics. She was later appointed by President George W. Bush to the US Department of Justice (DOJ), where she was once again counseled for the assistant attorney general of the DOJ Civil Division.
In 2007, Plaskett moved to the US Virgin Islands and served as general counsel for the US Virgin Islands Economic Development Authority. She ran for her seat in Congress in 2014, defeating US Virgin Islands incumbent Senator Shawn-Michael Malone and former US Virgin Islands Senator Emmett Hansen in the primary and Republican nominee Vince Danet in the general election.
During her time representing the US Virgin Islands in Congress, Plaskett has become a member of the US House Committee on Ways and Means in 2020 (Subcommittee on Tax and Social Security), Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence in 2023 (National Intelligence Enterprise Subcommittee and Defense Intelligence and Overhead Architecture Subcommittee), andCommittee on Budget in 2025. In 2021, then Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi appointed Plaskett as one of nine impeachment managers in charge of prosecuting President Trump for the incitement of the January 6, 2021, insurrection.
Plaskett has also been an active voice for the US Virgin Islands and other US territories. She delivered a powerful message during the vote tally for the potential re-election of Mike Johnson in January 2025 that called out the lack of representation in Congress. “This body and this nation has a territories and a colonies problem,” Plaskett stated. “What was supposed to be temporary has now, effectively, become permanent.” Recently, Plaskett came under fire for her messages with convicted felony sex offender Jeffrey Epstein before her questioning of Michael Cohen during a 2019 congressional hearing. HR 888 was introduced in the House on November 18 to censure Plaskett and remove her from the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and approve a full investigation into ties between Plaskett and Epstein by the Committee on Ethics. The bill failed in the House by Yeas and Nays: 209-214.
Ideology
At the beginning of her political career, Plaskett identified with the Republican Party. In 2008, she switched to the Democratic Party, feeling that it was a place that welcomed new ideas. Since joining the US House of Representatives, Plaskett has become an advocate for poverty reduction and equal voting rights. In 2023, Plaskett spoke to Microsoft National Broadcasting Company (MSNBC) about President Trump’s mishandling of classified documents and accidentally said that Trump “needs to be shot.” She then corrected herself and clarified that she meant that he needed to be stopped.
Major accomplishments
In the 117th Congress, Plaskett became the first member representing a US territory and the fourth African American woman to serve on the exclusive US House Committee on Ways and Means.
As an impeachment member prosecuting President Trump, Plaskett delivered a detailed and in-depth presentation of the events leading up to and during the insurrection. She was thereby chosen as one of the managers responding to the questions of US Senators during the proceedings. Recently, on January 6, 2026, Plaskett introduced a bill that would provide vital funding for the US Virgin Islands. The Commerce, Justice, Science; Energy and Water Development; and Interior and Environment Appropriations Act (HR 6938) includes $1,172,000 in Community Project Funding, $1,031,00 for the Family Resource Center Emergency Shelter and Victim Services Expansion Project, and $141,000 for Project Cultivate, which provides gun violence intervention strategies for the youth. The bill passed the House of Representatives by Yeas and Nays: 397-28 on January 8, 2026, and later passed the Senate by Yeas and Nays: 82-15 on January 15, 2026.
Future prospects
Plaskett has declared her candidacy to be re-elected as the non-voting delegate for the US Virgin Islands’ At-Large District. In 2020, she expressed that she does not have intentions to run for governor and plans to continue serving in Congress; however, outlets like the Virgin Islands Free Press have reported that Plaskett is exploring a run for governor in 2026.
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Amber Jiao is a student at Poolesville High School in Poolesville, Maryland. She is passionate about public policy and social justice. In her free time, Amber enjoys rock climbing, visiting art museums, and exploring the city with her friends. At Pasquines, she is a Political Affairs Intern Correspondent.
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