CABINET/TRUMP PEOPLE/SEX ABUSE: “Until recently, Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta was probably one of President Donald Trump’s least controversial Cabinet members. But now he is facing rising pressure over his handling of a sex offender case involving a well-connected billionaire. On February 21, a federal judge ruled that Miami prosecutors, led by then-US Attorney Acosta, broke the law when they arranged a plea deal for billionaire Jeffrey Epstein in 2008 without conferring with his victims. Although Epstein was accused of trafficking children for sex, Acosta allowed him to negotiate an extremely lenient agreement that was kept secret from his victims — denying them the opportunity to affect the prosecutorial process. Now the victims might have a say: The judge gave the government 15 days to talk with the victims who sued and figure out what remedy should apply. Thanks in part to investigative reporting by The Miami Herald, Acosta is now under scrutiny for his handling of Epstein’s case, and he could be summoned to testify before Congress. But with or without a congressional hearing, one thing is clear: Acosta must face the consequences of arranging such an improper agreement. He should step down as labor secretary.”
–Raul A. Reyes, “Trump’s labor secretary, Alex Acosta, should resign over handling of sex-offender case,” CNN Politics, CNN.com, March 1, 2019 1:45 pm