In a contentious session with the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, Democrats expressed dissatisfaction with Alex Acosta, the former U.S. Attorney in South Florida, over his role in brokering a lenient plea deal for Jeffrey Epstein. Despite taking responsibility, Acosta displayed no regret for the agreement that enabled Epstein to continue his predatory behavior for years afterward.

"It is clear that Alex Acosta holds no remorse and does not feel, even in hindsight, that Jeffrey Epstein received a sweetheart deal," stated Rep. Yassamin Ansari (D-Ariz.) to the press on Capitol Hill. The committee, consisting of both Democrats and Republicans, questioned Acosta behind closed doors as part of their ongoing investigation into Epstein's dealings.

Acosta, who later ascended to the position of Labor Secretary under President Donald Trump, voluntarily appeared before the committee—a stark contrast to other witnesses who have been subpoenaed over the past six weeks. During a break, Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.) shared that Acosta claimed to have “taken responsibility” for the decision not to prosecute Epstein more aggressively during the George W. Bush administration. However, he admitted to not having reviewed the victims' statements directly.

"Mr. Acosta, at least to us in this deposition, essentially said he didn't have faith in the victims, their stories and their ability to tell their own story and their own testimony," said Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.), highlighting a troubling disconnect.

Questions also arose about whether Acosta’s involvement with the Epstein plea deal was discussed during his vetting process for the Trump administration, though Acosta evaded these inquiries, according to Democrats.

Contrasting with the Democrats' approach, Oversight Chair Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.) criticized their focus on former President Trump during the interview as distracting from more pertinent issues. "The members were talking over each other," Comer explained, defending the committee's mission to determine where the system failed Epstein's victims.

"We’re trying to find out more. Who dropped the ball? Was it Acosta? Was it the FBI? Was it the local prosecutors? Was it the Department of Justice? Those are the questions I think we need to know, because that was part of what the victims asked us to do," Comer stated, promising that the investigation's findings would eventually be made public.

As the marathon session continued, Acosta was set to face several more hours of questioning, potentially shedding further light on the systemic failures that allowed Epstein's crimes to go unchecked for so long.