Alex Acosta Testifies Before House Oversight Committee on Epstein's Alleged Intelligence Ties: Full Transcript Revealed
Former U.S. attorney Alex Acosta recently testified before the House Oversight Committee regarding his involvement in Jeffrey Epstein's 2008 plea deal. The committee released the full transcript of Acosta's testimony, where he denied any knowledge of Epstein's alleged ties to intelligence agencies. Democratic Rep. Melanie Stansbury questioned Acosta about rumors linking Epstein to U.S. or foreign intelligence services, which Acosta refuted.
During the closed-door interview, Stansbury specifically asked Acosta about his conversations with former White House strategist Steve Bannon regarding Epstein's alleged intelligence connections. Acosta stated that he did not recall discussing Epstein with Bannon and denied ever asserting that Epstein had ties to intelligence agencies. He reiterated that he had no information about Epstein's affiliation with the intelligence community.
Acosta also addressed speculation surrounding his past remarks about Epstein's intelligence ties, emphasizing that he had consistently denied such claims. When questioned about whether he had been contacted by any intelligence agencies during the Epstein investigation, Acosta confirmed that he had not been approached by the CIA, NSA, State Department, or FBI's intelligence division.
Stansbury further inquired about Epstein's potential connections to foreign intelligence services, including Israel's Mossad. Acosta maintained that he had no knowledge of Epstein's involvement with any intelligence community and suggested directing inquiries to the relevant agencies. He emphasized that no secure information or procedures indicating Epstein's status as an intelligence asset had been triggered during the investigation.
In conclusion, Acosta affirmed that no one had informed him that Epstein could not be prosecuted due to his alleged status as an intelligence asset. The transcript of the exchange ends with a redacted name, signaling the conclusion of the discussion during the testimony.