Senator Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) and Jeff Epstein. Photos: Tom Williams; Rick Friedman via Getty Images.
The Justice Department's Office of Professional Responsibility has opened a probe into allegations that federal prosecutors "may have committed professional misconduct" in a case involving multimillionaire serial pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, according to Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.).
Why it matters: Epstein walked away from the 2008 trial with a light sentence from Miami's then-top prosecutor Alexander Acosta — now Trump's labor secretary. As Axios' Jonathan Swan reported at the time, Sasse asked the Justice Department in December to investigate its treatment of Epstein, after a Miami Herald exposé late last year uncovered details of his sweetheart deal.
The backdrop: A federal statute gives OPR the authority to explore cases of misconduct involving DOJ personnel. However, the division had not made such a move until Sasse — a member of the Judiciary Committee who was infuriated by the Herald revelations — stepped in, a spokesperson for the Nebraska senator said.
- OPR said it will share results of the probe with Sasse "at the conclusion of its investigation as appropriate."
Go deeper: Ben Sasse asks Justice Department to investigate itself on Jeffrey Epstein