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Saturday 13 July 2019

Acosta exits; Trump’s big Cabinet turnover keeps growing

Continued from Front said his resignation would
be effective next week.
Pizzella served in the ad- “My point here today is we
ministrations of Republi- have an amazing econo-
can George W. Bush and my, and the focus needs
Democrat Barack Obama. to be on the economy,” he
A coalition of civil rights, hu- said.
man rights, labor and other Top Democratic lawmak-
groups opposed his nomi- ers and presidential candi-
nation by Trump to the de- dates had demanded that
partment’s No. 2 slot, citing Acosta resign. But Acosta
Pizzella’s record on labor had defended his actions,
rights. insisting at a news confer-
Acosta was the U.S. at- ence Wednesday that he
torney in Miami when he got the toughest deal on
oversaw a 2008 non-prose- Epstein that he could at
cution agreement that al- the time.
lowed Epstein to avoid fed- House Speaker Nancy
eral trial but plead guilty to Pelosi, D-Calif., said he
state charges and serve 13 should never have been
months in jail. Similar charg- appointed by Trump and
es filed against Epstein by confirmed by the Senate.
federal prosecutors in New “Thank God he’s gone,” President Donald Trump speaks to members of the media with Secretary of Labor Alex Acosta on
York this week had put she said the South Lawn of the White House, Friday, July 12, 2019, before Trump boards Marine One for a
Acosta’s handling of the Acosta had also frustrated short trip to Andrews Air Force Base, Md. and then on to Wisconsin.
2008 agreement with the some conservatives who Associated Press
now-jailed financier back wanted him gone long est levels of Trump’s admin- the White House Transition deal came under scrutiny
in the spotlight. before the Epstein uproar. istration, with acting secre- Project. The percentages earlier this year after report-
Years ago, Epstein had Among their objections taries at key departments, were substantially lower un- ing by The Miami Herald.
counted Trump and former were his decisions to pro- including the Pentagon der Obama (61, Bush (50%) Trump had defended Acos-
President Bill Clinton among ceed with several employ- and Homeland Security. and Clinton (42%), accord- ta earlier this week while
his friends, but Trump said ment discrimination law- Roughly two-thirds of the ing to Kumar’s research. saying he’d look “very
this week he was “not a suits and to allow certain Cabinet has turned over Epstein, 66, reached the closely” at his handling of
fan.” Obama administration by the two-and-a-half year plea deal in Florida in 2008 the 2008 agreement.
Acosta said he didn’t want holdovers to keep their mark of Trump’s term. to secretly end a federal Acosta had attempted to
his involvement in Epstein’s jobs. Only the departments of sex abuse investigation in- clear his name and held
case to overshadow the His resignation extends re- Treasury, Transportation, volving at least 40 teenage a news conference — en-
president’s agenda and cord turnover at the high- Housing and Urban Devel- girls that could have land- couraged by Trump — to
opment, Education, En- ed him behind bars for life. defend his actions. In a
ergy, Commerce and Ag- He instead pleaded guilty 50-plus-minute lawyerly re-
riculture continue with the to Florida state charges, buttal, he argued his office
leaders that were first con- spent 13 months in jail, paid had secured the best deal
firmed. settlements to victims and it could and had worked
The high rate of turnover registered as a sex offend- in the best interests of Ep-
also extends to the White er. stein’s victims.
House, where 76% of those A federal judge has said “We did what we did be-
given the title of “assis- Acosta violated federal cause we wanted to see
tant to the president” in law by keeping Epstein’s Epstein go to jail,” he said.
Trump’s first year had left victims in the dark about Pressed on whether he had
by the beginning of July the plea arrangement, and any regrets, Acosta repeat-
2019, according to Martha the Justice Department edly said circumstances
Joynt Kumar, director of has been investigating. The had changed since then.q
New Hampshire legalizes sports betting

By HOLLY RAMER retail gambling at 10 lo- what they’re doing,” Su-
Associated Press cations will be allowed, nunu said. “They know
CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — though it will take some how to get this stuff off the
New Hampshire became time to set up. The wager- ground.”
the latest state to legalize ing is expected to produce Since a U.S. Supreme Court
sports gambling on Friday, an estimated $7.5 million last year ended Nevada’s
and Gov. Chris Sununu said for education in fiscal year monopoly on legal sports-
he’s eager to place the first 2021 and $13.5 million two books, they’ve opened in
bet. years later. The state Lot- eight more states. In ad-
The Republican signed into tery Commission will regu- dition to New Hampshire,
law a measure that legal- late the new industry. another six states plus the
izes betting on professional “We can do it with a lot of District of Columbia have
sports and most Division confidence because it’s legalized the practice
I college sports, exclud- being done responsibly, but have not yet opened
Located at Divi Aruba Phoenix Beach Resort ing games involving New and it’s being done with sportsbooks yet. The issue is
J.E. Irausquin Blvd. 75, Palm Beach
For more information call 586-6066 ext.7002 Hampshire schools. an organization here at going to voters in Colorado
Mobile betting as well as the lottery that just knows this November.q