Breaking: Acosta resigns in Trump presser

[Valin]

Hot Air

Ed Morrissey

9:53 am July 12, 2019

Secretary of Labor Alex Acosta has resigned his position in a move announced by Donald Trump and Acosta on the White House lawn. A few moments ago, Trump told the press that it was Acosta’s decision. It seems his attempts to defend his handling of the 2007 plea deal involving wealthy sexual predator Jeffrey Epstein didn’t improve Acosta’s political standing:

Quote

Labor Secretary Alex Acosta said Friday he will resign amid controversy over the way he handled a sex crimes case against wealthy businessman Jeffrey Epstein a decade ago when he was U.S. attorney for southern Florida.

Acosta made the announcement to reporters while standing next to President Donald Trump outside the White House. Trump said that Acosta had called him Friday morning, and that it was Acosta’s decision to quit.

The move came as a surprise, as the word around the White House campfire was that Acosta’s job was safe. Jonathan Swan stepped up to take his lumps on it:

(Snip)

At this point, it will be easier for Trump to reset the debate and put Acosta in the rear-view mirror. A change at Labor might please conservatives as well, who had chafed at Acosta’s initial lack of enthusiasm and results in implementing policy changes to move Labor away from the Obama era. Trump can now look for a more activist Labor Secretary with 53 votes to confirm in the Senate.

[Geee]

Meet Alex Acosta’s Replacement, Acting Labor Secretary Patrick Pizzella

Patrick Pizzella, formally the United States Deputy Secretary of Labor, will now be the Acting Secretary of Labor as Alex Acosta steps down over his role in the light sentencing of billionaire Jeffrey Epstein in 2008.

Pizzella was nominated by President Donald Trump to be the Deputy Secretary of Labor, and was sworn in for the position in April 2018, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. The nomination passed narrowly with a vote of 50-48, the Washington Examiner reported.