Edward Markey

Moulton said Markey's name appears in the Epstein files.

Markey says he doesn't know Epstein.

Files relating to Epstein released by the Justice Department show that Markey met with colleagues of a lobbyist who appeared to have a connection with Jeffrey Epstein.

However, it’s unclear whether Markey knew Epstein was aware of the meeting or its context.

Rep. Seth Moulton, D-Mass., accused Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., of having ties to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in the second U.S. Senate debate Aug. 3.

“In the newly released Epstein files, your name appears repeatedly. I’m not going to get into all the details, but I do want to ask one question,” Moulton said. “Why would you even take a meeting with a lobbyist on behalf of Jeffrey Epstein?”

Markey responded that Moulton’s line of questioning was “absolutely reprehensible.”

“I have never met Jeffrey Epstein, I don’t know Jeffrey Epstein. I have been calling for the investigation of Jeffrey Epstein since day one at 8 a.m.,” Markey said. “What you’re saying right now is absolutely the worst of the playbook of destruction and character assassination which is so characteristic of MAGA Republicans.”

Just one's name appearing in the files, which are millions of pages, is not evidence of wrongdoing. When pressed for the context in which Markey’s name was mentioned, Moulton said it was “in the context of doing a favor for one of Epstein’s pals who was sex trafficking women.”

He gave no other details during the debate.

Files relating to Epstein released by the Justice Department show that Markey met with colleagues of a lobbyist who appeared to have a connection with Jeffrey Epstein. However, it’s unclear whether Markey knew Epstein was aware of the meeting or its context.

Where is Markey in the Epstein files?

In 2015, when Markey was the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee’s subcommittee on Africa, he met with colleagues of lobbyist Bob Crowe about Karim Wade, the son of Senegal’s then-president and who was in prison for corruption.

Crowe forwarded an email that mentioned that meeting to Epstein.

“We are engaging Congress and had an initial briefing with Senator Ed Markey,” the email says.

According to the Miami Herald, Epstein paid Crowe’s firm, Nelson Mullins, to lobby Congress and the State Department to put pressure on Senegal to release Wade.

Also in 2015, Crowe’s colleague sent Epstein an invitation to a Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee luncheon where Markey was a special guest.

In 2016, Wade was released from prison in Senegal after receiving a presidential pardon from then-Senegal President Macky Sall.

Later that year, Markey led a congressional delegation to meet with Sall in Senegal.

The emails do not show whether Markey knew Epstein was involved in Wade’s case. The emails also do not show communication between Markey and Epstein.

Epstein was charged with sex trafficking of minors in 2019. In 2008, he plead guilty in Florida state court to one count each of soliciting minors for prostitution and soliciting a prostitute.

Markey’s campaign did not immediately return a request for comment about whether Markey knew Epstein was aware of his meeting with Crowe’s colleagues in 2015 or that Epstein was involved in Wade’s case.

In a press release after the debate, Markey’s campaign said that it was a “lie” that Markey took a meeting with a lobbyist on behalf of Epstein and that Markey’s name appears repeatedly in the Epstein files.

“Seth Moulton tonight sunk to a reprehensible new low in this race with a disgusting, desperate Trumpian lie," Markey said in a statement. “Seth Moulton used sexual assault and human trafficking victims to score cheap political points tonight. I stand with victims of sexual assault and human trafficking. When pushed for specifics on his outrageous allegation, Seth Moulton had nothing to offer.”

Moulton’s campaign also said in a press release that Crowe donated $15,700 to Markey from 1997 to 2025.

Markey’s campaign said that Crowe also donated $2,000 to Moulton from 2015 to 2020.