White House looking into Acosta role in sex abuse plea deal

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FILE- In this July 30, 2008 file photo, Jeffrey Epstein is shown in custody in West Palm Beach, Fla. U.S. District Judge Kenneth Marra ruled Thursday, Feb. 21, 2019, that federal prosecutors violated the rights of victims by secretly reaching a non-prosecution agreement with Epstein, a wealthy financier accused of sexually abusing dozens of underage girls. (AP Photo/Palm Beach Post, Uma Sanghvi, File)

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WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House says it’s “looking into” Labor Secretary Alex Acosta’s handling of a secret plea deal with a wealthy financier accused of sexually abusing dozens of underage girls

A federal judge ruled Thursday that prosecutors in Florida violated the rights of victims by reaching the non-prosecution agreement with Jeffrey Epstein. Acosta was the Miami U.S. attorney who oversaw the arrangement.

President Donald Trump’s spokeswoman, Sarah Sanders, on Friday called it a “complicated case.”

“My understanding is that’s a very complicated case,” she said, adding that it was “something we’re certainly looking into, but that they made the best possible decision and deal they could have gotten at that time.”

Asked if Trump still had confidence in Acosta, Sanders said: “Again, we’re looking into the matter. I’m not aware of any changes.”

Acosta has called the deal appropriate.