Epstein Ads: Top Dem Donor Faces Backlash

House Majority PAC is spending millions on advertisements that attack Republicans for handling Jeffrey Epstein's files, but the group's largest recent donor, billionaire Reid Hoffman, has faced years of scrutiny for his own relationship with the disgraced financier. Federal Election Commission filings released last week confirm Hoffman is among the top contributors to HMP, which has ramped up its spending on Epstein-themed spots just two weeks before election night.

The campaign targets candidates who initially resisted transparency measures. In Alaska, HMP targeted Rep. Nick Begich, a Republican, for his earlier vote against a procedural motion to advance the Epstein Files Transparency Act. The ad argues that Begich tried to hide the truth about Epstein. "How did Jeffrey Epstein hide it? He was protected by the elites, elites like Nick Begich," the ad claims. Begich later voted in favor of the legislation, which passed with near-unanimous support.

HMP has allocated $543,300 to the Alaska ad campaign. The group is also active in other battleground states, according to advertising tracking service ADMO. In the past week, HMP spent $480,000 in Iowa's Second Congressional District, $2.06 million in Pennsylvania's 1st District, $550,150 in Arizona's 2nd District, and $628,000 in Pennsylvania's 8th Congressional District. All of these advertisements launched within the last seven days.

The Epstein Files Transparency Act, which became law in November 2025, requires the Justice Department to release records related to Epstein. The law includes protections to conceal the identities of his victims. The RNC has argued that Hoffman's donation is hypocritical given his history. Natalie Baldassarre, a spokesperson for the RNC, stated that Democrats accept money from anyone who writes a check, even if it comes from a "certified pervert" who maintained a relationship with Epstein after his conviction.

Records from the DOJ's Epstein Files library show Hoffman and Epstein exchanged correspondence and gifts for years. They also helped raise money for MIT's Media Lab. Hoffman visited Epstein at his private island and his New York residence. In an email sent on Christmas Eve in 2014, Hoffman wrote that he sent two gifts to Epstein's address: ice cream and a surfer statue for the island. Hoffman has denied wrongdoing in the sex-trafficking crimes.

In a 2019 interview with The Wall Street Journal, Hoffman said he regretted continuing their relationship after Epstein was convicted in 2008 on charges of soliciting prostitution from a minor. "My last interaction with Epstein was in 2015," Hoffman said. He added that by participating in fundraising activities where Epstein was present, he helped repair the financier's reputation. "For this, I am deeply regretful," he stated. Fox News Digital asked HMP if it was aware of the relationship when accepting the funds, and reached out to Hoffman's representatives, but neither party responded.