Nebraska Republican Sen. Ben Sasse called on the Department of Justice to re-open its non-prosecution agreement with disgraced billionaire Jeffrey Epstein.
A federal judge ruled Thursday that a 2008 agreement between prosecutors and Epstein violated federal law. On Friday, Sasse released a statement calling for the 2008 agreement to be revisited so that the convicted child molester and accused sex trafficker can finally be brought to justice. (RELATED: Jeffrey Epstein Paid $5 Million To Three Sex Trafficking Victims)
“Jeffrey Epstein is a monster and his victims deserve justice,” Sasse began. He continued:
I’m relieved that the court agrees that it was wrong to hide this child rapist’s pathetically soft deal from his victims, in violation of federal law. The fact that it’s taken this long to get this far is heartbreaking and infuriating. The Department of Justice should use this opportunity to reopen its non-prosecution agreement so that Epstein and anyone else who abused these children are held accountable.
Sen. Ben Sasse questions U.S. Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh as he testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 27, 2018. ANDREW HARNIK/AFP/Getty Images
Epstein reached a plea agreement with federal prosecutors in 2008 to serve 13 months in prison on a work-release program, which U.S. District Judge Kenneth Marra ruled Thursday violated the Crime Victims’ Rights Act by keeping the agreement secret from Epstein’s victims.
“Epstein used paid employees to find and bring minor girls to him,” Marra wrote, according to The Miami Herald. “Epstein worked in concert with others to obtain minors not only for his own sexual gratification, but also for the sexual gratification of others.”
The Justice Department launched an investigation earlier this month into its handling of the Epstein case.
Among the prosecutors whom Judge Marra said violated the law with the agreement was then-U.S. attorney and current Secretary of Labor Alexander Acosta. Acosta has come under fire for his role in the plea deal, with some calling for him to be removed from President Trump’s cabinet.
The White House said Friday that they are “looking into” the situation.