House Democrats Reject Former Prosecutor Acosta's Epstein Plea Deal Defense

Former U.S. Attorney Alex Acosta defended his 2008 plea deal with Jeffrey Epstein during a closed-door House Oversight Committee hearing, where he faced strong criticism from Democrats. Acosta maintained that the plea deal, which allowed Epstein to plead guilty to lesser state charges and avoid federal sex trafficking prosecution, was appropriate given concerns about losing at trial and doubts about the victims' credibility. Democratic representatives described Acosta's testimony as evasive, defiant, and lacking remorse, with many dismissing him as not credible and faulting him for victim-shaming attitudes. Despite multiple women coming forward with sexual assault allegations, Acosta said he did not believe their stories would lead to a successful federal prosecution and admitted he had not reviewed their statements. The plea deal enabled Epstein to serve just 13 months in a work-release program, during which he was accused of further abuse, and has been widely condemned as overly lenient. The hearing is part of an ongoing congressional effort to scrutinize the federal government's handling of Epstein's case, which has drawn attention due to Epstein's connections, including to President Donald Trump.