Iowa Rep. Ashley Hinson Faces Scrutiny Over Epstein-Related Votes and Donations
Representative Ashley Hinson from Iowa is facing criticism after reports emerged that she received $90,000 in contributions from billionaires connected to the late Jeffrey Epstein. Additionally, she has been noted for missing several key House votes that pertained to the Epstein investigation and his associates.
Hinson’s absences were recorded during sessions of the House Appropriations Committee, where she holds a seat. While her missing votes did not change any outcomes, they have sparked debate regarding her dedication to supporting sexual assault survivors.
Epstein, who died by suicide in 2019 in a New York jail, was charged with federal sex trafficking offenses. The majority of Hinson’s missed votes occurred in September 2025, during discussions aimed at urging the release of Justice Department documents related to Epstein’s case. Many victims involved in the case were minors.
On September 3, 2025, Hinson was absent for two votes: one that sought to expedite the document release and another intended to stop the use of public funds to restrict the publication of Epstein’s residence and jet visitor logs.
Further absences were noted on September 10, 2025, when amendments linked to Epstein were on the table as part of a federal funding bill. Among these, an amendment called for the Justice Department to disclose records about Ghislaine Maxwell’s prison transfer.
Maxwell, Epstein’s associate, is serving a 20-year sentence for her role in his offenses. Her transfer to a minimum-security facility in August 2025 was controversial, having occurred after meetings with officials from the Trump administration, including Todd Blanche, who was later appointed as Attorney General.
Hinson expressed she was “glad” about Blanche’s appointment as attorney general.
Despite missing votes related to Epstein, Hinson participated in other amendment votes on September 10, indicating she was present in Washington D.C. during the session.
Other discussed amendments included one to prevent the Justice Department from utilizing funds to redact the Epstein files and another requiring the Attorney General to compile a comprehensive report on the investigation materials.
On the day of these votes, Hinson received donations from billionaire Stephen A. Schwarzman, who appears over 20 times in the Epstein files. Schwarzman contributed $7,000 to Hinson’s Senate campaign and $5,000 to her leadership PAC.
Initially, Hinson refrained from signing a petition to force a House vote on disclosing the Epstein files, but she eventually voted in favor of their release during a floor vote.
In August, Hinson missed another committee vote on a proposal to block public funds from being used to lift sanctions on suspected child traffickers.
Rep. Norma Torres (D-CA), who proposed the amendment, stated, “For too long, the powerful have used their connections to dodge consequences. This amendment stops taxpayer dollars from being used to lift sanctions on credible child traffickers.”
Hinson is currently campaigning for a U.S. Senate seat in Iowa, facing Democratic state Rep. Josh Turek in what is anticipated to be a tightly contested election in 2026.
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