Former U.S. Attorney and eventual Trump Labor Secretary (in Trump’s first term) finally had to go on the record and testify before a Congressional Committee. Upon learning he was (I thought) cornered and would get a public torching I was appalled to learn his deposition would be given behind closed doors. What the hell? Let’s examine what was so WRONG with what happened today.
Back in the mid-2000s Alex Acosta was a U.S. Attorney in Florida. The FBI had gathered considerable and damning evidence against sex trafficker and pedophile Jeffrey Epstein. Along with Acosta they worked to build a case and as I said plenty of victims, underage girls when trafficked and sometimes raped had been gathered along with other evidence. Rather than build a case and bring charges Acosta dropped the matter, handing it over to a local District Attorney. Everyone KNOWS it was a wink wink nod nod deal with Epstein’s lawyers to get Epstein a sweetheart deal.
It took over a decade but dogged investigating journalism brought the whole, appalling scandal into the light. Victims who I again point out were minors when they underwent Epstein’s (and his partner Maxwell) sexual abuse finally learned about the deal that had been cut behind their back. An investigation would clear Acosta of breaking victim’s rights laws by not informing victims of the deal that had been arranged. I call bullshit. That was just lawyers protecting other lawyers as they instinctively do. It helped Acosta that he had grown in influence. He would for a time be Trump’s Labor Secretary until the whole scandal got to be too much for Trumpty who as we know had his own Epstein problems.
U.S. Attorneys have a not-so-good reputation for not wanting to go to court without a slam-dunk case. Unlike Trump Epstein always PAID his lawyers and he had an army of very good ones. I supposed that would give many a U.S. Attorney pause. Still, the FBI had developed a LOT of evidence including statement from upwards of forty Epstein victims. Written statements. How much more the FBI had we aren’t sure but from the moment he became involved Acosta had plenty to work with to build a solid case.
With so many victims having given statements/evidence there had to be a ton of leads the FBI could have follow up on. More importantly, unlike some local DA as I’ve just said Acosta had the resources of the federal government and not just the FBI which had field offices in both Florida and New York. He could also tap into assistance from SDNY. Basically, he could match whatever Epstein’s lawyers could throw at him. He chose NOT to. Instead as I’ve noted he handed the matter over to a local DA and quietly shut down the federal investigation.
Why has been the subject of lot’s of speculation. And a healthy dose of CT it should be noted. Epstein as we know knew a lot of powerful and influential people and provided underage girls to many of them. Including we’ve just been reminded the United Kingdom’s Prince Andrew. Trump? Well, there’s a lot of smoke but no hard evidence has come to light. Still, I’d like to know whether the FBI and Acosta knew back in the day that Epstein had his properties wired for video and sound. We KNOW Trump attended many a wild party at Epstein’s NYC brownstone. We also know as Trump’s AG Barr learned of that safe in NYC with a collection of files and video discs labeled with ‘who, what and when.’
But I digress. What matters is that Acosta punted. Did he bow to pressure from rich and powerful people with influence in the GOP? Was he paid off in some way by Epstein? We don’t know. What we DO know is he quietly washed his hands of the case and allowed, and some accounts suggest at least at the start Epstein’s lawyers to dictate the terms of how little Epstein would be convicted of and the terms of his ‘confinement.’ According to this article in the Washington Post Acosta claims he simply wanted to ensure Epstein would ‘spend time behind bars.’ Bullshit. Epstein as we know lived in more of a dormitory and had special privileges when he was actually there. Most days he was allowed to leave on ‘work release’ and do whatever he wanted.
As for the victims, Acosta made sure they were kept in the dark. The are laws and procedures including in Florida at the time that required victims of sexual crimes be kept in the loop. Remember, these victims were underage teenage GIRLS back then. They didn’t know much about others who’d come forward and talked to the FBI. They just had to assume the case was ongoing and more evidence was needed. And let’s face it, most sexual assaults and rapes go unreported because victims get shamed. Acosta damned well knew this and from where I sit ran a scam. Bury the whole thing and assume over time it would all be forgotten and for a long time it was.
However eventually the story came out. And it grew. So much so it prompted a new investigation and one that led to Epstein being charged and put in federal custody in NYC where he died under shall we say questionable circumstances. Barr did what he did for the elder President Bush over thirty years ago with Iran Contra – kill the investigation and bury the evidence. He’s too smart, and has a family with careers of their own to actually have destroyed Epstein (and Trump?) evidence but he knew better than most how to hide in in the darkest of corners where no one would find it without some really hard looking.
Once that was done he told Trumpty it was over, and Trumpty was too stupid to realize what Barr actually was telling him. He made a big freaking deal out of Epstein in the 2024 campaign and MAGAs hate pedophiles as much as anyone. (Except of course for MAGAs who themselves are pedos) and MAGAs had visions of FINALLY “getting” Bill Clinton. Hillary too. They seemed blind to the possibility their turd-god orange emperor Trump might be implicated. They feel betrayed and unlike Trump are willing to take it out on Congress Critters. Hence the hearings.
Here’s my problem. The GOPers on the House Committee didn’t want actual victims testifying. No freaking way. What we had was a group of them, now grown women willing to stand on the steps of the Capitol and demand to be heard. Even MTG has been willing to stand with them and Democratic colleagues. My point is that while most of the victims have (so far) chosen to stay in the background (and these days they have good reason to fear retaliation) a critical mass of victims had the courage to “Out” themselves.
Yet Acosta, rather than face what was sure to be harsh questioning from Democrats and even a GOPer or two was afforded the privilege of getting to take his whupping in private. I saw a reporter in a live segment saying a Democrat who’d been in the room described Acosta as dismissive of the victims and even defiant at times about his actions. Or lack thereof. A man with NO remorse. The linked WaPo article is a long read but I urge you to look at at before it goes behind their paywall. It was more deferential to Acosta than he deserves (sort of Bezos Bugle treatment) but it included a section which floored me:
Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D-New Mexico) told reporters that members learned from victims’ attorneys that at least 40 minors gave sworn statements to the FBI as part of the investigation that they had been raped, abused and trafficked.
“What Mr. Acosta just told us is that based on his assessment of the case with his team, that he did not see sufficient evidence to move forward with prosecuting the case — that there were weaknesses in the case,” Stansbury said. “But when asked if he had directly reviewed the evidence itself in this case, he said that he had not actually read the statements of the victims.”
A-hole Acosta decided he didn’t have a case because he had no ‘credible witnesses’ but didn’t even bother to read any of their statements! I have no doubt, NONE that he knew damn well he could build a convincing case and simply had no desire to do so. May he rot in hell if there is such a place. I know better than to suggest we let victims have a collective go at Acosta in a locked room, but at the very least he should be subjected to having to stand pantsless in the Capitol Rotunda while one by one each of them got a chance to make fun of his dick!
Still, what will rob me of sleep tonight and for many nights to come is that victims have been forced to publicly out themselves as being the victims of Epstein’s (and his cronies) sexual abuse which sometimes included actual RAPE. They have courage this old jarhead grunt admires more than I can express even if I had the literary gifts of Shakespeare which anyone who reads me knows I don’t. THEY have been forced to seek justice by outing themselves and bringing down actual harm to themselves for doing so. Meanwhile the asshole who forced them into such drastic action demanded and got the PRIVILEGE of defending himself in private.
Oh, he might one day be forced to testify in public but don’t count on it. Even if he does, he and his attorneys will have had one helluva practice session for dealing with the questions he’d be asked again. HE gets a practice run while actual victims he blew off have to make it up as they go and do so in full public view. There is something very, VERY wrong about all this.
I just hope the thought I’ve express here, that victims had to out themselves while Acosta got to hide telling his side occurs to Democratic leaders. And pundits. They should be pointing out the UNFAIRNESS of making women who suffered unspeakable abuse while underage are being victimized again. To protect the asshole who aided and abetted the abuse Epstein and his cohorts put them through when they were GIRLS.
Well, please read the linked article before it goes behind a paywall. Then raise hell with your Congress Critters, and if unlike me you’re adept with social media journalists who have their own feeds. And encourage others to do so.
You were expecting something different?
This pisses me off and makes my heart hurt for a reason I don’t wish to discuss. And for Virginia Giuffre’s suicide. What a bunch of BULLSHIT. May Acosta rot in Dante’s Hell when he goes!