WASHINGTON, July 9 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday defended Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta after top Democrats called for the minister's resignation over his role in a non-prosecution agreement with billionaire financier Jeffrey Epstein in a sex-crimes case years ago.
Acosta has been a "very good" labor secretary, Trump told reporters at the White House, adding that he would be looking at the case "very carefully."
"I feel very badly, actually, for Secretary Acosta because I've known him as being somebody that works so hard and has done such a good job," Trump said.
"There were a lot of people involved in that decision, not just him," said the president, referring to Acosta's role in Epstein's 2008 plea deal.
Epstein was charged of sex trafficking underaged women and conspiracy on Monday by federal prosecutors in Manhattan. Epstein has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Acosta, then U.S. attorney in Miami, reached a non-prosecution agreement with Epstein including limited jail time with work-release over the billionaire's sex-crimes case in 2008. The decision now is fiercely criticized as too lenient.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer and several 2020 Democratic presidential candidates have called for Acosta to resign from his cabinet post.
Earlier on Tuesday, Acosta defended his 2008 deal with the billionaire in a series of tweets, arguing that "with the evidence available more than a decade ago, federal prosecutors insisted that Epstein go to jail, register as a sex offender and put the world on notice that he was a sexual predator."
However, Acosta acknowledged the new sex-crimes charges against Epstein could "more fully bring him to justice."
"The crimes committed by Epstein are horrific, and I am pleased that NY prosecutors are moving forward with a case based on new evidence," Acosta tweeted.
"Now that new evidence and additional testimony is available, the NY prosecution offers an important opportunity to more fully bring him to justice," he said.
An indictment unsealed on Monday showed that the 66-year-old billionaire was accused of sexually exploiting and abusing dozens of girls as young as 14 from at least 2002 to 2005.
Federal prosecutors said the former hedge fund manager had lured those girls to his homes in New York and Florida, among other places, and paid them for sex acts. He also paid some of his victims to recruit more underaged girls, according to the indictment.
Nude photos of young girls have been seized from the billionaire's home in Manhattan after his arrest on Saturday night in New Jersey, said prosecutors.
According to U.S. media reports, Epstein was previously convicted on similar charges some 11 years ago in Florida. He avoided federal prosecution and was thus spared from a lengthy jail time by pleading guilty to state charges under a plea deal. He stayed 13 months in a county jail and was allowed to go to his office during the day.
