But while Epstein’s wounded victims struggle with the guilt and shame of what happened to them, he’s is a free man, thanks to the deal carved out in secret by Acosta that allowed Epstein to serve a mere 13 months in prison, sealed documents so that what happened wouldn’t be public record, and shut down the FBI investigation.
Acosta — the dean of Florida International University’s law school until Trump picked him to be part of his Cabinet — has a lot of questions to answer, but has refused to comment.
He avoided scrutiny during his confirmation hearing by Republicans who pushed him through despite knowing about the controversial Epstein deal. He was second choice to Trump’s first appointee, food executive Andy Pudzer, booted for domestic-abuse allegations and for hiring an undocumented immigrant as a housekeeper.
Acosta, a Cuban-American with an accomplished career appointed by George W. Bush to the post of U.S. attorney in Miami, made for an expedient addition to Trump’s cabinet, as the president was under pressure to add a Hispanic from his support base in South Florida.
It’s perfectly in character for Trump, who also stands accused by a dozen women of sexual harassment and assault, to overlook that Acosta let a serial sexual predator of teen girls get away with a slap on the wrist and concealment of the case.
But Congress should have known better than to confirm Acosta to a job that entails pursuing human trafficking cases. The sweetheart deal — an utter disregard for the severity of the abuse these girls suffered — should have disqualified Acosta from serving in the administration.
