Background
Alex Acosta served as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida from 2005 to 2009 and oversaw the 2008 Epstein non-prosecution agreement. He later served as U.S. Secretary of Labor under President Trump from 2017 until his resignation in July 2019.
The OPR Investigation
The Department of Justice’s Office of Professional Responsibility conducted an investigation into Acosta’s handling of the Epstein matter, including the NPA negotiations, the decision not to bring federal charges, and the victim notification failures.
Suppressed Findings
The OPR report was completed but for years was not released to the public or to Congress. Following Epstein’s 2019 arrest and renewed public attention, various requests were made for the report.
2020 Release and Findings
After legal pressure and congressional interest, portions of the OPR investigation findings became public. The investigation found that Acosta had acted in violation of DOJ policies regarding victim notification and the terms of the NPA.
Acosta’s Defense
Acosta maintained that the agreement was appropriate given the evidence available at the time and the challenges of prosecution in 2007-2008. He resigned as Labor Secretary citing his desire not to be a distraction from the administration’s agenda.