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[rooster59]

Trump's Labour Secretary Acosta resigns amid Epstein case

By Nandita Bose

 

FILE PHOTO: U.S. Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta speaks about his involvement in a non-prosecution agreement with financier Jeffrey Epstein, who has now been charged with sex trafficking in underage girls, during a news conference at the Labor Department in Washington, U.S., July 10, 2019. REUTERS/Leah Millis/File Photo

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Labour Secretary Alexander Acosta resigned on Friday amid fresh scrutiny of his handling of the sex abuse case against financier Jeffrey Epstein, becoming President Donald Trump's latest adviser to leave the administration in controversy.

 

Acosta, joining Trump at the White House before the president left for a trip to Wisconsin, said he did not want to be a distraction to the administration's work because of his leadership of the Epstein case more than a decade ago.

 

"As I look forward, I do not think it is right and fair for this administration's Labour Department to have Epstein as a focus rather than the incredible economy we have today," Acosta said.

 

Trump, who has fired numerous cabinet and other administration officials during his 2 1/2 years in the White House, said it was Acosta's idea to step down.

 

"Alex called me this morning and wanted to see me," Trump told reporters. "I just want to let you know this is him, not me."

 

Acosta's resignation is effective in seven days. Trump named Deputy Labour Secretary Patrick Pizzella as the acting secretary of Labour.

 

Acosta has served in Trump's cabinet since April 2017 and from 2005 through 2009 was the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Florida. It was there that he handled Epstein's first case involving sex with girls, which resulted in a punishment that critics say was far too lenient.

 

"Mr. Acosta now joins the sprawling parade of President Trump’s chosen advisors who have left the administration under clouds of scandal and corruption, leaving rudderless and discouraged agencies in their wake. Taxpayers deserve better,” Democratic U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse said in a statement.

 

Epstein, a billionaire hedge fund manager, pleaded not guilty to new federal charges in New York this week. Epstein had a social circle that over the years has included Trump, former President Bill Clinton and Britain's Prince Andrew.

 

Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic speaker of the House of Representatives, and Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer had called on Tuesday for Acosta to resign.

 

DEFENDING HIS CASE

 

Acosta responded to the criticism on Tuesday with tweets saying Epstein's crimes were "horrific" and that he was glad prosecutors were moving forward based on new evidence and testimony that could "more fully bring him to justice."

 

On Wednesday Acosta held a news conference to defend his handling of the deal, which allowed Epstein to plead guilty to a state charge and not face federal prosecution. Acosta said Epstein would have had an even lighter sentence if not for the deal.

 

Acosta would not say if he would make the same decision regarding Epstein now, considering the power of the #MeToo movement that led to the downfall of several powerful men publicly accused of sex crimes by women.

 

U.S. prosecutors in New York on Monday accused Epstein, 66, of sex trafficking, luring dozens of girls, some as young as 14, to his luxury homes and coercing them into sex acts.

 

Democratic U.S. Representative Elijah Cummings, chair of the House Oversight and Reform Committee who has called on Acosta to testify on the Epstein matter, said in a statement: "Secretary Acosta’s role in approving the extremely favourable deal for Jeffrey Epstein raises significant concerns about his failure to respect the rights of the victims, many of whom were children when they were assaulted."

 

The federal prosecutors in New York said they were not bound by the deal arranged by Acosta, which allowed Epstein to plead to a lesser offence and serve 13 months in jail with leave during the day while registering as a sex offender.

 

In February, a federal judge in West Palm Beach, Florida, ruled that the 2007 agreement violated the victims' rights.

Epstein's case and Acosta's role in the plea deal had come under scrutiny earlier this year after an investigation by the Miami Herald.

 

The Epstein case came up during Acosta's Senate confirmation hearing but the Republican-majority Senate approved him in a 60-38 vote.

 

He is the latest top Trump administration official to depart under a cloud. The heads of the Interior, Justice, State and Health departments have also either been fired or resigned, among other top staff during Trump tenure so far.

 

Acosta, the son of Cuban refugees and the first Hispanic member of Trump's Cabinet, previously served on the National Labour Relations Board and in the U.S. Department of Justice under Republican President George W. Bush.

 

(Reporting by Nandiat Bose; additional reporting by Susan Heavey; Writing by David Alexander and Jeff Mason; Editing by Bill Trott)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-07-13

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[bendejo]

1 hour ago, rooster59 said:

Acosta, the son of Cuban refugees

If things are looking grim for boyo maybe they can give him some right of return citizenship, and no extradition treaty!  If he hasn't moved his $$$ out of the US yet it's probably too late for that.  I hope he knows how to roll cigars.

 

 

[ezzra]

Trump MO is all over this resignation, me think it was Trump who called him and gave him the option to resign or be fired, as this was indeed a shameful outcome in this Epstein guy fiasco...

[Tug]

Don’t let the door hit you on your way out you dirty prosecutor letting that kiddie rapist off

[expatfromwyoming]

Rinse, repeat.

Both Acosta and the census issue suggest the merits are rarely an issue with Trump. He’s purely motivated by inherent sympathy for those men accused of sexually or abusing  women seemingly in the never ending effort to inflame his base. He’s tough, a winner, a dealmaker ( or so the Trump story goes!!!!) — and yet he is always a victim. Trump world is that of both the perpetual victor and victim, which for any rational person is ludicrous.  When Trumps lies, sexual abuses and deceit is finally laid bare, the American people en masse will not stomach it. Perhaps then in 2020 truth, decency, respectability and our democratic system will be vindicated with Trumps shame ridden demise.

[Chomper Higgot]

Acosta’s troubles are just beginning.

 

The SDNY ‘Public Corruption’ team are handling Acosta’s prosecution and they want answers to why Public Officials made the choices they did that left Acosta free to continue offending.

[Pedrogaz]

Good riddance. What a scandalous agreement with Epstein it was. I hope someone looks into his finances to make sure he didn't come into large sums of money at the time.

[Emdog]

Trump has (and will have more) so many "acting" heads of cabinets that they should require them to have Screen actors guild membership. "Rent: the Constitution" new hit.

[lannarebirth]

1 hour ago, expatfromwyoming said:

Rinse, repeat.

Both Acosta and the census issue suggest the merits are rarely an issue with Trump. He’s purely motivated by inherent sympathy for those men accused of sexually or abusing  women seemingly in the never ending effort to inflame his base. He’s tough, a winner, a dealmaker ( or so the Trump story goes!!!!) — and yet he is always a victim. Trump world is that of both the perpetual victor and victim, which for any rational person is ludicrous.  When Trumps lies, sexual abuses and deceit is finally laid bare, the American people en masse will not stomach it. Perhaps then in 2020 truth, decency, respectability and our democratic system will be vindicated with Trumps shame ridden demise.

So, who ya votin' for?

[Basil B]

4 hours ago, rooster59 said:

Acosta would not say if he would make the same decision regarding Epstein now, considering the power of the #MeToo movement that led to the downfall of several powerful men publicly accused of sex crimes by women.

Suppose it would more depend on the size of the brown envelope...

 

[Basil B]

2 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Acosta’s troubles are just beginning.

 

The SDNY ‘Public Corruption’ team are handling Acosta’s prosecution and they want answers to why Public Officials made the choices they did that left Acosta free to continue offending.

Read my previous post...

[Misty]

2 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Acosta’s troubles are just beginning.

 

The SDNY ‘Public Corruption’ team are handling Acosta’s prosecution and they want answers to why Public Officials made the choices they did that left Acosta free to continue offending.

From the book "Filthy Rich" regarding Acosta's appointment as the federal prosecutor of the Southern District of Florida:

 

"...One of his (Acosta's stated) goals would be the prosecution, to the fullest extent of the law, of anyone who takes advantage of the weak--especially perpetrators of sex crimes....In Acosta, the chief saw a prosecutor who wouldn't shy away from confronting a man with Jeffrey Epstein's resources and connections....But it turned out that Acosta had worked under Ken Starr at Starr's high-powered multinational law firm, Kirkland & Ellis.....at the time, Reiter (chief making appointment) did not know this...."

[bristolboy]

Anyway, the good news about Acosta's resignation is that it looks like  the acting Labor Secretary, Patrick Pizzella, will make protecting workers his first priority:

"When Pizzella worked on Abramoff’s team at Preston Gates Ellis & Rouvelas Meeds, the lobbying firm was pushing to prevent Congress from imposing minimum wage laws on the Northern Mariana Islands. At the time, there were “maximum” wage restrictions on the islands of $3.05 per hour for foreign workers, according to the Center for Investigative Reporting."

https://www.cnbc.com/2019/07/12/acosta-replacement-pizzella-faces-scrutiny-for-work-with-jack-abramoff.html

 

[Misty]

11 minutes ago, Misty said:

From the book "Filthy Rich" regarding Acosta's appointment as the federal prosecutor of the Southern District of Florida:

 

"...One of his (Acosta's stated) goals would be the prosecution, to the fullest extent of the law, of anyone who takes advantage of the weak--especially perpetrators of sex crimes....In Acosta, the chief saw a prosecutor who wouldn't shy away from confronting a man with Jeffrey Epstein's resources and connections....But it turned out that Acosta had worked under Ken Starr at Starr's high-powered multinational law firm, Kirkland & Ellis.....at the time, Reiter (chief making appointment) did not know this...."

...."Before long, another celebrity lawyer--Ken Starr, the former solicitor general who had had Bill Clinton impeached for perjury--would join Epstein's team..."

 

 

 

 

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

So it obviously takes someone other than Trump to drain the swamp that he filled to overflowing via his Cabinet and other administration appointments.

 

Trump on Acosta's resignation: "I just want to let you know this is him, not me."

 

Meanwhile, there's a new/separate thread and news report here on U.S. prosecutors alleging that Epstein has been trying to pay off/silence witnesses in his case.