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Acosta to Resign as Trump’s Labor Secretary Over Epstein Plea Deal Acosta to Resign as Labor Secretary Over Jeffrey Epstein Plea Deal
(32 minutes later)
WASHINGTON — President Trump’s embattled labor secretary, R. Alexander Acosta, on Friday announced his plans to resign as controversy lingered over his handling of a sex crimes case involving a financier, Jeffrey E. Epstein, when Mr. Acosta was a federal prosecutor in Florida.WASHINGTON — President Trump’s embattled labor secretary, R. Alexander Acosta, on Friday announced his plans to resign as controversy lingered over his handling of a sex crimes case involving a financier, Jeffrey E. Epstein, when Mr. Acosta was a federal prosecutor in Florida.
Mr. Trump said Mr. Acosta had called him on Friday morning and informed him of his decision to step down.Mr. Trump said Mr. Acosta had called him on Friday morning and informed him of his decision to step down.
“He felt the constant drumbeat of press about a prosecution which took place under his watch more than 12 years ago was bad for the Administration, which he so strongly believes in, and he graciously tendered his resignation,” the president wrote in a Twitter post after he stood with Mr. Acosta on the South Lawn of the White House and spoke to reporters before leaving for Milwaukee and Cleveland.“He felt the constant drumbeat of press about a prosecution which took place under his watch more than 12 years ago was bad for the Administration, which he so strongly believes in, and he graciously tendered his resignation,” the president wrote in a Twitter post after he stood with Mr. Acosta on the South Lawn of the White House and spoke to reporters before leaving for Milwaukee and Cleveland.
Mr. Acosta’s resignation, effective July 19, brings to four the number of cabinet agencies led by acting secretaries. The department’s deputy secretary, Patrick Pizzella, would assuming the role of acting secretary, Mr. Trump said.Mr. Acosta’s resignation, effective July 19, brings to four the number of cabinet agencies led by acting secretaries. The department’s deputy secretary, Patrick Pizzella, would assuming the role of acting secretary, Mr. Trump said.
Trouble for Mr. Acosta started this week when federal prosecutors in Manhattan brought new charges against Mr. Epstein, accusing him of child sex trafficking and reviving concerns about the federal government’s handling of accusations against him more than a decade ago. The new charges also returned attention to Mr. Trump’s previous relationship with Mr. Epstein, whom he described as “a terrific guy” in 2002, and provided a new line of attack for some Democratic presidential candidates.Trouble for Mr. Acosta started this week when federal prosecutors in Manhattan brought new charges against Mr. Epstein, accusing him of child sex trafficking and reviving concerns about the federal government’s handling of accusations against him more than a decade ago. The new charges also returned attention to Mr. Trump’s previous relationship with Mr. Epstein, whom he described as “a terrific guy” in 2002, and provided a new line of attack for some Democratic presidential candidates.
“This was him, not me,” the president said of Mr. Acosta’s decision to resign, adding that Mr. Acosta has been a “great, great secretary” and a “tremendous talent” who is “a Hispanic man. He went to Harvard, a great student.” The resignation came two days after Mr. Acosta convened a news conference to defend his actions in the Epstein case in 2008 when Mr. Acosta was the United States attorney for the Southern District of Florida.“This was him, not me,” the president said of Mr. Acosta’s decision to resign, adding that Mr. Acosta has been a “great, great secretary” and a “tremendous talent” who is “a Hispanic man. He went to Harvard, a great student.” The resignation came two days after Mr. Acosta convened a news conference to defend his actions in the Epstein case in 2008 when Mr. Acosta was the United States attorney for the Southern District of Florida.
Mr. Acosta has said the decision was the best under the circumstances at the time to ensure that Mr. Epstein would face jail time. Going to trial with the goal of a harsher sentence, he said, would have been “a roll of the dice.” He said he wanted to help Mr. Epstein’s victims. “And that’s what the prosecutors of my office did — they insisted that he go to jail and put the world on notice that he was and is a sexual predator,” he said.Mr. Acosta has said the decision was the best under the circumstances at the time to ensure that Mr. Epstein would face jail time. Going to trial with the goal of a harsher sentence, he said, would have been “a roll of the dice.” He said he wanted to help Mr. Epstein’s victims. “And that’s what the prosecutors of my office did — they insisted that he go to jail and put the world on notice that he was and is a sexual predator,” he said.
Mr. Acosta offered a similar defense to senators during his confirmation process to be labor secretary in 2017, when he weathered criticism about the Epstein plea deal and won confirmation in a 60-to-38 vote. But this week’s hourlong explanation appeared insufficient to stem outrage after new federal charges revealed lewd details about Mr. Epstein’s relations with vulnerable and underage girls.Mr. Acosta offered a similar defense to senators during his confirmation process to be labor secretary in 2017, when he weathered criticism about the Epstein plea deal and won confirmation in a 60-to-38 vote. But this week’s hourlong explanation appeared insufficient to stem outrage after new federal charges revealed lewd details about Mr. Epstein’s relations with vulnerable and underage girls.
Prosecutors accused Mr. Epstein and his employees of running a sex-trafficking scheme to bring dozens of girls — some as young as 14 — to his homes in New York and Palm Beach, Fla., from 2002 to 2005. If convicted, he could face up to 45 years in prison.Prosecutors accused Mr. Epstein and his employees of running a sex-trafficking scheme to bring dozens of girls — some as young as 14 — to his homes in New York and Palm Beach, Fla., from 2002 to 2005. If convicted, he could face up to 45 years in prison.
On Thursday, congressional Democrats demanded a briefing from the Justice Department about the 2008 agreement by Mr. Acosta’s office not to prosecute Mr. Epstein, which included a promise to Mr. Epstein’s defense team that federal prosecutors would not notify his victims of the arrangement, a practice that was not only unusual but against the law. The secrecy around the negotiations raised questions why Mr. Epstein — whom Mr. Trump recently described as a “fixture” in Palm Beach, where the president’s Mar-a-Lago club is — received such a lenient punishment.On Thursday, congressional Democrats demanded a briefing from the Justice Department about the 2008 agreement by Mr. Acosta’s office not to prosecute Mr. Epstein, which included a promise to Mr. Epstein’s defense team that federal prosecutors would not notify his victims of the arrangement, a practice that was not only unusual but against the law. The secrecy around the negotiations raised questions why Mr. Epstein — whom Mr. Trump recently described as a “fixture” in Palm Beach, where the president’s Mar-a-Lago club is — received such a lenient punishment.
The president repeated on Friday that he cut ties with Mr. Epstein years ago after a falling-out.The president repeated on Friday that he cut ties with Mr. Epstein years ago after a falling-out.
“I haven’t spoken to him in 15 years or more. I wasn’t a big fan of Jeffrey Epstein, that I can tell you,” said.“I haven’t spoken to him in 15 years or more. I wasn’t a big fan of Jeffrey Epstein, that I can tell you,” said.
Lisa Bloom, a lawyer who represents several of Mr. Epstein’s accusers, said Mr. Acosta never belonged in the position in Mr. Trump’s administration.Lisa Bloom, a lawyer who represents several of Mr. Epstein’s accusers, said Mr. Acosta never belonged in the position in Mr. Trump’s administration.
“President Trump was willing to overlook Acosta’s sweetheart deal with Epstein when he appointed Acosta, even though many raised this issue at the time,” Ms. Bloom said in an email. “Acosta has abused his public trust and should never have been appointed in the first place.”“President Trump was willing to overlook Acosta’s sweetheart deal with Epstein when he appointed Acosta, even though many raised this issue at the time,” Ms. Bloom said in an email. “Acosta has abused his public trust and should never have been appointed in the first place.”
She said her clients were struggling with memories of the sexual abuse, prompted by news of the new charges, “but also hopeful that accountability may really, finally, at last be possible.”She said her clients were struggling with memories of the sexual abuse, prompted by news of the new charges, “but also hopeful that accountability may really, finally, at last be possible.”
Though Mr. Trump praised Mr. Acosta’s accomplishments as labor secretary, the resignation could be seen as a gift by many in the American business community, typically an ally of Republican-appointed labor secretaries, who have grown weary of him. Employer groups and management-side lawyers complained that he had moved too slowly to tilt overtime pay and employer liability policies in a more laissez-faire direction. Some feared Mr. Acosta was secretly a Democrat, an accusation he denied on Friday.Though Mr. Trump praised Mr. Acosta’s accomplishments as labor secretary, the resignation could be seen as a gift by many in the American business community, typically an ally of Republican-appointed labor secretaries, who have grown weary of him. Employer groups and management-side lawyers complained that he had moved too slowly to tilt overtime pay and employer liability policies in a more laissez-faire direction. Some feared Mr. Acosta was secretly a Democrat, an accusation he denied on Friday.
Praising the strong economy and low unemployment numbers, Mr. Acosta said, “The focus needs to be on this economy and on job creation, on the decreased fatalities in the workplace and in mining. And going forward, that’s where this administration needs to focus, not on this matter.”Praising the strong economy and low unemployment numbers, Mr. Acosta said, “The focus needs to be on this economy and on job creation, on the decreased fatalities in the workplace and in mining. And going forward, that’s where this administration needs to focus, not on this matter.”