Fox News contributor Lawrence Jones III incorrectly blamed former President Barack Obama on Tuesday for the lenient plea deal that registered sex offender Jeffrey Epstein received in 2008.
Epstein, who was charged with sex trafficking and conspiracy Monday, previously got the plea agreement after pleading guilty to two state-level prostitution solicitation charges back in 2008. Current Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta, the former U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Florida, was instrumental in Epstein’s plea deal, which had Epstein serve 13 months in a county jail, pay restitution to certain victims, and register as a sex offender.
“Well, I don’t think people are taking a total look at this. Because there’s a lot of things that go into these decisions. A: when it’s someone like this involved, this does not skip Washington. That means that AG knew about it, that means the investigative agency, the FBI, Bob Mueller, —” Jones said before being cut off.
Harris Faulkner responded, “Well as Christine Pelosi said, some of the faves in the Democrat Party may be on a list here somewhere.”
“Well, this was in 2008, under a Democratic administration,” Jones said, and Faulkner agreed.
“So it’s not just Acosta making a decision like this. Other factors go — and if there was corruption, then every investigative agency that was involved with it, including the attorney general’s office, knew something about it,” Jones added.
Obama was elected president in 2008, but was not inaugurated until January 2009. Epstein’s plea deal took place during the Bush administration.
