Republicans on the House Oversight Committee say testimony from former U.S. Attorney Alex Acosta exonerates President Donald Trump in the Jeffrey Epstein investigation.
Acosta testified before the House panel last month to defend his role in the plea deal given to Epstein in 2008 in Florida.
Epstein, a financier and convicted sex offender, was accused of sexually abusing underage girls in a case that drew renewed scrutiny after his 2019 arrest and death in federal custody.
His death was ruled a suicide.
House Republicans released the transcripts on Friday.
Democrats have said that Acosta might have had incentives to avoid aggressively pursuing Epstein for reasons that could have spared dragging powerful associates — including Trump — into a deeper inquiry.
Not so, Republicans said Friday.
"Acosta NEVER talked to Trump about Epstein. Not in person. Not on the phone. Not over email. 'He moved in circles that I did not move in,'" committee Republicans said in a post on X.
Acosta, who served as Labor secretary in Trump's first term, testified he had never spoken with Trump until being considered for that Cabinet position.
"The entire time — let me be more clear. I did not speak with President Trump, with Donald Trump before I was considered for Secretary of Labor," he testified, according to the transcript.
Acosta resigned as labor secretary in July 2019, saying he did not want the controversy over his Epstein plea deal to distract from the administration's work.
Acosta told congressional investigators last month that stepping down was his own decision, not the result of pressure from the White House, Politico reported.
Also Friday, the Oversight Committee released a new set of documents obtained from Epstein's estate, including his personal schedules.
The records reference many high-profile figures connected to Epstein, including a proposed 2011 meeting with Tom Pritzker, executive chairman of Hyatt Hotels; and a planned 2012 dinner with filmmaker Woody Allen and his wife, Soon-Yi Previn. None of them is accused of wrongdoing.
Epstein also appeared to have scheduled a February 2013 dinner with former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and Larry Summers, former Treasury Department secretary and Harvard University president, according to the materials.
Newsmax wires contributed to this report.
Mark Swanson ✉
Mark Swanson, a Newsmax writer and editor, has nearly three decades of experience covering news, culture and politics.
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