From: jeffrey E. <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, March 27, 2017 11:36 PM To: LHS Subject: Re: Sunday As U.S. attorney in Miami, Acosta -- now dean of Florid= International University's law school -- signed off on a plea agreement=20 that attorneys for Epstein's victims called a "sweetheart" deal <http://www.miamiherald.c=m/news/politics-government/article136073328.html> . Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine, a Democratic member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor & Pensions committee, asked Acosta if he approved the deal despite opposition from prosecutors in his office. Acosta called his office's involvement unusual, given that Epstein=20 was charged by state prosecutors following a grand jury's recommendation. "We deemed it necessary to become involved, and we early on had discussions within the office," Epstein said. "We decided...that =r. Epstein should plead guilty to two years, register as a sexual offender and concede liability so the victims could get restitution. If that were done, the federal interest would be satisfied and we would defer to the state." Acosta's office drafted a 53-page indictment that was never used. Declining to discuss specifics of the case, Acosta called it "pretty=20 typical" to write up an indictment that "often does not consider =he strength of the underlying case." "'These are all the places we can go,— Acosta said, d=scribing a draft indictment. "Yet at the end of the day, based on the evidence,=20 professionals within the prosecutor's office decide that a plea that guarantees that someone goes to jail, that guarantees that someone register generally, and that guarantees other outcomes, is a good thing." Kaine asked again: Did his staff agree with cutting the deal? "It was a broadly held decision, yes," Acosta said. <=iv class="gmail_extra"> On Sun, Mar 26, 20=7 at 4:44 PM, LHS <Ihs wrote: Did u get this? Sent from my iPad Please direct all scheduling inquiries to my office at: Ih Follow me on twitter