February 23, 2011, photo of Jeffrey Epstein in New York.

A flight log released by the House Oversight Committee shows that former President Bill Clinton flew with Epstein.

The House Oversight Committee released interview transcripts of a former U.S. prosecutor linked to Epstein, who initially reached a controversial plea deal with the disgraced financier, as well as flight logs of Epstein's private jet.

Committee members interviewed Alex Acosta, who previously served as the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, in late September. The documents released by the House Oversight Committee include a list of flights on Epstein's private jet, which included Prince Andrew, Bill Gates, Walter Cronkite, and Richard Branson. None of these individuals have been accused of any misconduct.

Former President Bill Clinton also appeared multiple times on Epstein's flight lists. The documents show that in at least one flight in 2002, he traveled with Secret Service agents. Clinton has not been accused of any misconduct.

In 2002, Clinton received a massage from Chauntae Davies while refueling Epstein's Boeing 727 plane at a small airport in Portugal.

In 2008, Acosta helped Epstein reach a plea agreement that allowed him to avoid federal charges, serve 13 months in prison, and plead guilty to state-level charges. According to the agreement, Epstein registered as a sex offender and paid settlements to victims.

When explaining the plea deal, Acosta claimed there were some issues that could hinder a conviction in the case against Epstein.

"So this part was influenced by it, largely by the feasibility of the case. From the prosecutors to every lawyer in the entire case chain, they reviewed the evidence and found problems with the victims' testimony," Acosta said. "Many victims refused to testify. Many of their accounts were contradictory. We understand why they were contradictory, but they still did so. Defense lawyers would also do that—cross-examination would be very difficult."

Acosta detailed why he proposed the plea deal to Epstein, saying he was concerned that Epstein might escape prison time.

"Based on the evidence known at the time, our judgment on this case was that it was better to let a billionaire go to prison, register as a sex offender, and pay compensation to the victims, rather than risk a trial with a lower chance of success," Acosta said. "I supported this decision at the time, and I again support it based on the legal situation and known evidence at the time."

Jeffrey Epstein is charged with federal sex trafficking offenses for years of abusing minors.

Acosta claimed that the Florida prosecutors "let Epstein off completely."

"So our thinking at the time was, you know, the state prosecutors let Epstein off. They requested pre-trial diversion. That's unacceptable. Totally unacceptable. But a billionaire going to prison sent a strong message to society: this is unacceptable, this is wrong, this shouldn't happen," Acosta said.

In the interview, Acosta also admitted that Epstein's lawyers "were very close to the ethical boundary" and added that he "resisted" some of their strategies.

This archival photo of Jeffrey Epstein, taken on March 28, 2017, is provided by the New York State Sex Offender Public Website.

In 2019, while serving as the U.S. Secretary of Labor, Acosta defended his involvement in negotiating the plea deal.

"In short, the Palm Beach County prosecutors' office was ready to let Epstein off without sending him to jail," Acosta claimed. "The prosecutors in my previous office found this completely unacceptable."

"Now, we've had 12 years of awareness and experience, and we live in a completely different world," he said. "The way we treat victims is completely different now."

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Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7562561234312725032/

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