Acosta Resigns as Labor Secretary

He says his role in Jeffrey Epstein's plea deal has become a distraction.

After explaining, "I don't think it is right and fair for this administration's Labor Department to have [Jeffrey] Epstein as the focus rather than the incredible economy we have today," Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta announced this morning he would be resigning from President Donald Trump's administration, effective in one week.

Acosta has been in the crosshairs ever since billionaire Jeffrey Epstein was arrested last weekend on federal sex trafficking charges. When Acosta was a U.S. attorney in Miami, he signed off on what's been seen as an extremely lenient plea agreement with Epstein in 2007 with a remarkably short part-time jail sentence over allegations of sex with underaged girls.

The deal wasn't just unusual. Ken "Popehat" White, a former federal prosecutor and current Reason contributing editor, explains over at The Atlantic that it was pretty much unheard of:

Epstein's team secured the deal of the millennium, one utterly unlike anything else I've seen in 25 years of practicing federal criminal law. Epstein agreed to plead guilty to state charges, register as a sex offender, and spend 13 months in county jail, during which time he was allowed to spend 12 hours a day, 6 days a week, out of the jail on "work release." In exchange, the Southern District of Florida abandoned its criminal investigation of Epstein's conduct, agreed not to prosecute him federally, and—incredibly—agreed not to prosecute anyone else who helped him procure underage girls for sex. This is not normal; it is astounding.

Acosta had been put on the defensive over the deal, and as this scandal played out, his resignation became pretty much inevitable.

Watch Trump and Acosta's public announcement this morning below:

And here's Acosta's resignation letter, which he tweeted out:

Thank you, @POTUS. pic.twitter.com/Q9bxwmzKQM

— Secretary Acosta (@SecretaryAcosta) July 12, 2019

Elizabeth Nolan-Brown took an early look at the new indictment against Epstein. Read her analysis from earlier in the week here.  And she explored Esptein's past friendship with Trump himself here.

Comments

[loveconstitution1789]

Anyone else notice that the DOJ is going after sex offenders that had political protection during Bush’s and Obama’s Administrations?

Bill Clinton has probably been shitting bricks for a week since Epstein was arrested.

[OpenBordersLiberal-tarian]

OMG why are people still obsessed with Bill Clinton?

[loveconstitution1789]

Why are people obsessed with Trump?

[OpenBordersLiberal-tarian]

Because he's a Russian intelligence asset?
Because he's running literal concentration camps in which people are forced to drink from toilets?
Because he's turning the US into The Handmaid's Tale?
Because his tariffs have destroyed the economy?

In short, it's probably because Drumpf is President now, while Bill Clinton has been out of office for about two decades.

[tgrondo]

OBL-hell....

The loony, totalitarian Left is obsessed with Trump because they thought they were going to be in power forever.... Trump's win put a crimp in those plans....they are....PISSED....!

[Last of the Shitlords]

You’re right, Trump is a Russian asset. In fact, Bill Clinton had a private meeting back in 2012 with Putin at Putin’s house about it after the State Department ordered him not to go. This was also while Hillary was in the process of selling our uranium reserves to Putin, but that obviously doesn’t mean anything.

[loveconstitution1789]

Why are people obsessed with Acosta?

[Sometimes a Great Notion]

Why ask why? Try Bud Dry.

[Á àß äẞç ãþÇđ âÞ¢Đæ ǎB€Ðëf ảhf]

#StillWithHim
#InternsToo
$ChildrenToo

[Á àß äẞç ãþÇđ âÞ¢Đæ ǎB€Ðëf ảhf]

One could also ask why OBL is obsessed with Hillary. She's like so last decade or century.

[Tony]

There are at least 17 women who have accused Trump of sexual impropriety.

Then there's the times he implicated himself. "When you're a star they let you do it." "She wasn't hot enough to rape." Etc.

[loveconstitution1789]

And yet he got elected Tony!?!

All this was know and women voted for Trump. It makes you Lefties furious!

[Tony]

I'm not exactly sure what you're boasting about here.

[loveconstitution1789]

Typical morons. Sad really. Tony likely draws social security for that mental defect.

[Rev. Arthur L. Kirkland]

"And yet he got elected Tony!?!"

Anti-social, uneducated, superstitious bigots weren't about to let morality get between them and a chance to aim a middle finger at accomplished, educated, reasoning Americans.

[Á àß äẞç ãþÇđ âÞ¢Đæ ǎB€Ðëf ảhf]

How many times was Bill accused? How many times did Hillary collude in perjury to call his accusers liars? Where do you draw the line?

[Last of the Shitlords]

Yeah Tony, but those were bullshit manufactured accusations to give loser lefties like you something to Jack it to. The Epstein case is actually a real thing. And Bill Clinton was clearly supplied with underage girls by Epstein.

I could go into detail about the difference but you’re too stupid for that.

[OpenBordersLiberal-tarian]

This Epstein bombshell is a tipping point for the Drumpf regime. The walls are closing in. It's the beginning of the end.

#Impeach

[Idle Hands]

#pedopresident
#margolargoembargo
#degenerateandcheif

[loveconstitution1789]

Another US Senate confirmation of the new Labor Secretary and nothing the Lefties can do about it.

[Idle Hands]

Thus ending most of the news coverage of this thing from traditional media as all they wanted was a scalp to tie this scandal to Trump.

[Tony]

So Trump can wilt like a daisy at the hands of the MSM? What a weak asshole.

[Idle Hands]

I think he miscalculated this thing. Not that I don't like Acosta getting his comeuppance for letting pedoman off. But I don't really feel like the media wants to look to closely at the people Epstien had in his orbit which seems to be a whose who of socialites, media people, and politicians. You know our betters.

[Diane Reynolds (Paul.)]

But I don’t really feel like the media wants to look to closely at the people Epstien had in his orbit which seems to be a whose who of socialites, media people, and politicians. You know our betters.

I agree with this. ENB's article where she said the media's not talking about this is because "both sides" was, in my opinion off the mark. I'm hearing a fair amount about it in the media, just mostly the conservative media: Washington Times, Daily Caller etc. The issue is that the elite media themselves were "palling around" with Epstein.

I also think that's kind of why they're going after Acosta. They don't want to talk about Epstein and what might be further uncovered... they just want to talk about this rando Trump official that messed up the plea deal (which, I agree is certainly notable). But I'd rather talk about Epstein.

[Idle Hands]

we are simpatico.

[Tony]

I'm girding my loins for some unsavory revelations, including Democrats and Republicans.

Of course Trump is above the law, as we found out this year.

[Idle Hands]

the problem is not so much the politicians that the media doesn't want to talk about but they themselves knew about the rumors and still pall'd around with the guy.

[Last of the Shitlords]

Trump is innocent, dozens of elected democrats are violent pedophiles and rapists. This is obvious.

[loveconstitution1789]

+100

[soldiermedic76]

By above the law, you mean he didn't commit the crime he was accused of? Yes that whole pesky concept of innocent until proven guilty?

[Syd Henderson]

Presidents are responsible for the people they appoint.

[Entropic Principle]

So now Mr Acosta is free to tell us who got to him back then. Like a certain ex presidents fanatical lawyers who wish to protect his so called legacy that is rapidly crumbling.

[Vernon Depner]

Nope. Whoever "got to him" then can still get him.

[Dillinger]

if he wants to lunch w/Ron Brown sure

[Vernon Depner]

It's hard not to feel sympathy for Acosta. He was undoubtedly ordered to make Epstein's deal by people he couldn't say no to, and who are above facing any consequences. He's a patsy.

[mtrueman]

Acosta said he thought Epstein was connected to some secret service, running a 'honey trap' to compromise politicians and other powerful people and manipulate them. The idea is to get evidence, film etc, of people like Trump or Clinton having sex with minors, then use this to blackmail them.

[Vernon Depner]

Cite?

[mtrueman]

Obviously this is untrue and best not be pursued any further.

[Zeb]

Probably. But that's the job he signed up for.

[Diane Reynolds (Paul.)]

He's absolutely a patsy. The only reason he isn't telling us exactly how he's a patsy is because he doesn't want to lose his job or suddenly be prosecuted for something himself.

And as Zeb for, this is what you sign up for when you enter the Deep State (ALT-RIGHT NAZI TERM!).

[Vernon Depner]

lose his job or suddenly be prosecuted for something

Or worse.

[mtrueman]

"Or worse."

He's just a bit player needed to rubber stamp a legal arrangement. It would be interesting to see who he thinks was pulling the strings, as he could have been told any number of lies about the affair.

[mtrueman]

"He’s absolutely a patsy. "

If anyone is a patsy here, it's the guy in jail, Epstein. Whatever protection he enjoyed has vanished. Acosta is collateral damage. He'll go back to lawyering in Florida and will sink from the public mind.

[Gregdn]

Why do I think that if Acosta had belonged to the other party that Democrats would screaming about 'undermining the independence of the judiciary?'

[Zeb]

I don't know why you would think that when we're talking about a former prosecutor and federal department head who is resigning for things he did as a prosecutor. What does that have to do with the independence of the judiciary?

[$park¥ is the Worst]

That picture looks like Trump is trying to figure out how Acosta does that thing with his lips.

[Dillinger]

Secretary of Labor resigns. Nation wonders "who? ... what?"

[chemjeff radical individualist]

And why do we have a Secretary of Labor in the first place?

[Diane Reynolds (Paul.)]

Someone has to take notes at the meetings.

[Dillinger]

"Acosta! Back that sweet ass in here and start secretarying."

[mtrueman]

"And why do we have a Secretary of Labor in the first place?"

Because Trump hired him. Trump has given his enemies a whole bump stock full of ammo.

[turco]

With luck position remains vacant for rest of Trump's turn while unemployment remains at record lows, proving that the dept of labor is superfluous much like most of Washington DC.

[mtrueman]

It's hardly draining the swamp if the creatures beating a retreat back to Florida only came to Washington at your invitation.

[Last of the Shitlords]

Pedo Jeffy, you should start worrying. They might come after you soon. And if they do, you should take the easy way out dime you’re so weak.

Better pay me my rent now.

[Event Photography]

about time~