Scaramucci defends Acosta on Epstein plea deal report: ‘There is fake news and “planted” news’

Former White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci defended President Trump’s Labor secretary on Thursday after a media report of the secretary’s alleged involvement in securing a plea agreement for Jeffrey Epstein, a billionaire accused of bringing underage girls to the U.S. for prostitution.

Scaramucci said that Alexander Acosta was the victim of “planted news” after the Miami Herald reported that Trump’s Labor secretary had reportedly helped secure a lax plea agreement for Epstein while working as a U.S. attorney.

{mosads}Epstein ended up serving 13 months in a county jail after the deal, according to the Herald. 

Acosta is “doing a great job,” Scaramucci tweeted, adding: “This is DC: how it works. There is fake news and ‘planted’ news. The people are tired of this. Hang in there Alex!!”

“The news is 14 years old and surfacing now because @SecretaryAcosta is doing a good job. The senate looked at it and confirmed him,” he added in a second tweet responding to a Bloomberg columnist.

.@SecretaryAcosta is doing a great job and obviously @realDonaldTrump likes him so time to do a number on him. This is DC: how it works. There is fake news and “planted” news. The people are tired of this. Hang in there Alex!!

— Anthony Scaramucci (@Scaramucci) November 29, 2018

It’s not me. It’s you Joe. Your whole career can be defined in 2 words “Bitter Cynicism”. The news is 14 years old and surfacing now because @SecretaryAcosta is doing a good job. The senate looked at it and confirmed him. https://t.co/nLjeWTRrJ4

— Anthony Scaramucci (@Scaramucci) November 29, 2018

The tweets follow the Herald’s report that Epstein’s lawyers and Acosta had a collaborative relationship during the trial despite Acosta’s purported duty to prosecute Epstein for alleged child sex crimes.

Emails discovered by the Herald showed private communications, including phone calls, between representatives of Acosta’s and Epstein’s teams exchanged during the case.

Democrats, including Sen. Dianne Feinstein (Calif.), brought up Acosta’s work on the Epstein case as a reason for opposition to his selection as Labor secretary last year. 

Scaramucci, who served in the White House briefly last year, has remained a vocal supporter of the president on social media.