The House Oversight Committee made public new documents on Friday regarding the criminal activities of the late Jeffrey Epstein. This includes a transcript from a previous interview with Alex Acosta, who served as Labor Secretary during President Trump’s first term.
Acosta, a former federal prosecutor in South Florida, resigned in 2019 after facing heavy criticism for his role in Epstein’s 2008 plea deal. This agreement allowed Epstein to serve just 13 months in prison for two state prostitution charges. At that time, over a dozen victims alleged that Epstein had orchestrated an international human trafficking operation, involving girls as young as 14.
During his testimony before the House Oversight Committee in September, Acosta maintained his decision not to prosecute Epstein. He remarked, “A billionaire going to prison sends a strong signal that this is wrong, this is not right, this cannot happen,” according to a 172-page transcript released on Friday.
He also mentioned, “His registration as a sex offender will put the world on notice – whether the world listens or not, it will acknowledge that he was a criminal and a sex offender.”
However, House Democrats criticized Acosta’s statements following the documents’ release. Sarah Guerrero, a spokeswoman for Watchdog Democrats, pointed out, “Despite identifying 30 victims at the time and closing the investigation with a non-prosecution agreement, they still refuse to acknowledge the sweetheart deal given to Epstein.”
She continued, “Thanks to the deal authored by Alex Acosta, Epstein could keep assaulting and raping young women and girls for another decade. Regardless of how Republicans interpret this situation, Oversight Democrats will persist in seeking the truth.”
The committee also made available letters from former Attorneys General Eric Holder and Merrick Garland, along with former FBI Director James Comey, all stating they had no knowledge of the ongoing investigation.
The document release included a wealth of files connected to Epstein’s dealings, mentioning several notable figures, including Elon Musk and Prince Andrew. Trump’s name appeared in the files as well, but it was noted that he severed ties with Epstein due to his “creepy” behavior at the Mar-a-Lago resort.
On Capitol Hill, Representatives Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) are hoping for a full release of the Justice Department’s documents concerning Epstein. They are waiting for final signatures on a discharge petition to compel the federal government to disclose more documents. Incoming Congresswoman Adelita Grijalva (D-Ariz.) has expressed her intent to add her name to the petition once sworn in.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) has postponed the swearing-in due to the government shutdown but assured that Grijalva’s ceremony would occur once the House is in session.
When asked about the timing of the Epstein discharge petition, Johnson stated, “It has nothing to do with that,” and confirmed plans to swear her in when everyone returns.
