Opinion piece alleges DOJ officials shielded Jeffrey Epstein and mentions Bill Clinton, Prince Andrew, and Alex Acosta

Saturday, July 6, 2019 OPINIONS TheVirgin Islands Daily News 11 DAILY „:..„ NEWS Fuunck. Aug. 1,1930, by, Antonio Jur. and Ariel Me..., Sr. Published by Daily News Publishing Co., Inc. Archie Nohigian, Publisher ..1LoweDavls. Edkor The week in cartoons Government turns its back on Jeffrey Epstein's sex victims From the Sun Sett fine, FL Lauderdale. Fla Private Imvyers allowed sexual predator Jef- frey Epstein to escape justice. Epstein's new defense team works for the federal gmerninent. The U.S. attorney for the northern district of Georgia claimed last week that even though prosecutors in South Florida broke the law %then they approml an outrageously light se, tence for Epstein, the deal must stand. B,ing Pak may not actually be on Epstein, legal team, but he has placed the Department of Justice on Epstein, side. an'agrerevIZI; EPstefillietlids a it'll:di; l'Pr=nYt inunp, former President Bill ulinton and Prince Andrew. Between 1998 and 2., E, stein recruited roughly three dozen underage girls — generally from poor and troubled fami- lies—to his house in Palm Beach and sexually abused them. Epstein could have faced fethral sex traffick- ing charges. He could have faced life in prison. Instead, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern Dis- trict of Rorida —Alex Acosta, now Trump, la- bor secretary — gave Epstein immunity on fed- eral charges and allowed him to plead guilty to minor state charges. Then-Palm Beach County State Attorney Barry K.rischer went along. E, stein served 13 months in jail — he was allmked out about haff the time — and had to register with die state as a sex offender Prosecutors never told the victims about the agreement Until the signing of that othous agreement in 2007, the girls believed the FBI was still investigating The victims challenged the deal, which a, plied not j. to Epstein, but also to those who recruited the girls and joined in the abuse. Last February, U.S. District Judge Kenneth Matra ruled that prosecutors Ind violated the Crime Victims RigNs Act In criticizing the govern- ment, Marra noted, "Epstein worked in concert with others to obtain minors not only f his own sexual gratification, but al. for the sental gratification of others." Mona then as. attomeys for both sides how he should correct this violation. Pak got the case because Acosta, old office had to 'r- euse itself Pak, idea?The victims could "confer in pri- vote" with prosecutors about the deal. Prosec, tots co. get more trsining in how to consuk with victims. But the deal stands. The victims don't deserve even an apology. Pak argues that the Crime Victims Rights Act contains no provision for undoing the no, prosecution agreement which is what the tims want. Doing so, Pak claims, could violate separstion of powers. That sounds lilce a waming to Marra — one he should ignore. Prosecutorial discretion doesn't maner when the action in question breaks the law. Even Pak acknowledges repeat- ethy that it hopper.. The government, he writ., "should have communicated with the victims in a straight- fonvard and transparent way,' Pak "regrets that the manner in which (the government) corn- municated the resolution of the Epstein case to the victims .11 short.- Prosecutors could have communicated "more clearly and direcdy- with die victims.- None of that happened because Acosta, Krischer and Epstein's laAryers didn't want the deal to become p.c. The victims might have gone public with their complaints. Metha cov- erage could have ki. the deal. Indeed, the record reflects the lengths to which Acosta and I.scher sought secrecy. Acosta thove from Miami to West Palm Beach to meet with Epstein attorney Jay Lefkowitz. Krischer wrote to a federal prosecutor, "Glad we could get this worked out for reasons I won't put in writing." We acknowledge that Pak di.1 create this mess. But his argument insults the public and reflects badly on die Department of Justice. "The resolution in this case,- Pak writes, "has led some to conclude that die government chose for impropernmasatons not to prosecute :IZ'1%iaa=1 ththe Iptrint:liPisaltsitvubestgreenn able to avoid talking about it for more than a decade. Acosta duc. the issue during his confir- mation hearings in Apri12017. Last November, The Miami Herald tan a series on the case that featured interviews with victims who agreed to be identi.. Acosta refus. to comment. So did I.scher. Some might argue that the victims have re- ceived money from civil lawsuits and should move on. But can there be a price for what E, stein and his accomplices did to these women? How ma, other victims are there? Why should a man who once faced a 52-page indictment be able to resume a life of privilege? "While the court cannot (mind the post." Pak argues, "the ten.. proposed by the goverment would give the victims a mean- hmagvea theiPrc=tYes t heard and to un- derstand, if not : icoctei ath ed ed xi; this matter- Unaccept- able is right. The victin, lawyers will file their re.- t3iers o u Icc "I a Marra to void the agreement — This edito- ria is the opin- ion of the Stet Sentinel Editorial Board The Da i y News' opinions are expressed only in its editorials. The opinions expressed in columns, letters, cartoons and guest editorials are those of the particular author or artist - Some might argue that the victims have received money from civil lawsuits and sh OU Id move on. But can there be a price for what Jeffrey Epstein and his accomplices did to the. women? How many other victims are there? Why should a man who once faced a 52-page indictment be able to resume a life of privilege?