Plaskett ‘Did Not Exercise Appropriate Discretion’ As Member Of Congress, Republican Challenger Says

ST. THOMAS — Republican Delegate to Congress candidate Gordon Ackley, set to face off with Democratic Delegate to Congress Stacey Plaskett in November, has said in a followup statement that the congresswoman failed in judgement and discretion as one who holds such a high seat, and that she should have acted more wisely with the private content — a strange video showing Ms. Plaskett recording her naked husband in the presence of their child, between 5-7 years old, as well as nude photos of the congresswoman; all leaked online.

Mr. Ackley, whose first statement was issued without even knowing the contents of the video, added that Ms. Plaskett should disclose whether she used a taxpayer-funded computer and/or phone to store what she has deemed a private matter.

“Private photographs shared between my husband and me, as well as a private playful video of our family, including one of our children, were illegally obtained and disseminated via the internet. To say my family and I are greatly upset would be a tremendous understatement. As a mother I am outraged that one of my children was exploited in such a way. The theft and dissemination of these images via the internet is a shockingly disgusting invasion of my family’s and my privacy – not to mention criminal acts in violation of both territorial and federal law,” Ms. Plaskett said Thursday once the video had surfaced on Facebook, published by someone named Susan Ricenville.

For Mr. Ackley, however, the delegate should have known that there are hackers waiting to expose Congresspeople who may or may not be involved in questionable situations.

“Regardless of the circumstances involved in the release of the inappropriate video and photos, this unfortunate incident shows that Congresswoman Plaskett did not exercise the appropriate discretion and judgment required of a member of Congress,” Mr. Ackley said in the statement, issued today.

He added: “As other recent breaches have shown, ‘hostile actors,’ to quote FBI director Comey, are accessing information stored on the electronic devices and servers of members of Congress and other top federal government officials. As Congresswoman Plaskett is using her official congressional office to defend herself in what she calls a personal matter, it is important for Virgin Islanders to know whether official, taxpayer-funded phones and computers were used to send or store the inappropriate video and photos.

“Let me also be clear: Neither myself nor my campaign accessed Congresswoman Plaskett’s inappropriate video and photos, which have distracted Virgin Islanders from her failure to deliver for our islands.”

In the video, the congresswoman can be heard talking while recording her husband with a cellphone. He appears to be fully naked, and is wearing lipstick and eye shadow. Then, he says something to one of their children — appearing to be between 5-7 years old — who then appears behind her seemingly naked father.

Ms. Plaskett, in a wide-ranging interview with The Daily News, said that her husband was indeed nude and that their child had seen him. But she suggested that it was not for long.

“Did my daughter see him? Yes. It’s not like we walk around all the time, but if someone sees you in a minute, we’re not going to cover ourselves up and act like it’s a dirty thing that your body part was exposed,” she told the paper.

In the video — 35 seconds long — the child appears to be behind her father for the duration of the recording.