Senator Chuck Schumer of New York has known since 2008 that Jeffrey Epstein was a sex offender, thanks to the plea bargain he reached in Florida that year.  But he was content to hold onto the multiple campaign donations that he received from the very same Jeffrey Epstein, as the New York Post reported:

Federal Election Commission records show that Schumer received seven $1,000 donations from Epstein between 1992 and 1997, first as a US congressman from New York and then when he was vying to be the state's senator in 1998, an election he won.

But now that Epstein's alleged sex-trafficking is back in the news, and Democrats want to deflect attention from Epstein's extensive relationship with horndog-in-chief Bill Clinton, and his status as a major Democrat donor, labor secretary Alex Acosta must be the only people the mainstream media and other Democrats focus on.

So, as BuzzFeed first reported:

Sen. Chuck Schumer said he will donate an amount of money equivalent to contributions made by accused sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein more than 20 years ago.

"While these campaign accounts closed about 20 years ago, and even then the campaign never controlled the two political action committees (PACs), Sen. Schumer is donating an equal sum to anti-sex trafficking and anti-violence against women groups," said Schumer spokesperson Justin Goodman.

The New York Post added up the total received from Epstein on Schumer's behalf:

Epstein — who was arrested Saturday and charged with sex trafficking and a related conspiracy countfor allegedly sexually abusing a vast network of underage girls — also gave $10,000 to Victory in New York, a joint fundraising committee established by Schumer and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.

Epstein gave an additional $5,000 to Win New York, a Schumer-associated joint committee that benefited the Liberal Party of New York state.

Both of Epstein's donations to the committees came in October 1998 — and look to have primarily benefited the DSCC and the Liberal Party of New York, as Epstein would have already met the $2,000 limit on donating individually to Schumer.

Schumer is trying to buy absolution from his past financial (at a minimum) relationship with Epstein, a fellow New Yorker who palled around with all sorts of high-level politicians, whose proclivities were the subject of many wagging tongues in New York and Palm Beach.  Did Schumer have no clue about the man whose money he accepted?  What did he know, and when did he know it?

Who me?
Photo credit: U.S. Senate.

Did Schumer attend any parties with Epstein?  Does his name appear on the flight log of the Lolita Express?  If so, this very late attempt to distance himself won't work.

Hat tip: Mike Nadler.