November 18, 2020 Issue, Page 11 of 12

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11 News November 18, 2020 Pennsylvania appellate court sides with Trump in fight over ID deadlines for voters, tossing small number of ballots By Jeremy Roebuck, The voters more time, post-elec- by Nov. 3 and received within how many ballots statewide driver's license number — or mid-September Pennsylvania Philadelphia Inquirer tion, to fulfill the ID require- three days of that date. would now be thrown out. the proof they did provide did Supreme Court decision had ment. In her order Thursday, ‘The number is likely to be not match information on created a three-day grace PHILADELPHIA — A Although state law only Commonwealth Court Presi- vanishingly small compared voter rolls. Pennsylvania appellate court requires first-time voters dent Judge Mary Hannah to the larger pools of votes City officials issued the period for late-arriving mail handed President Donald to show ID at the polls, all Leavitt ruled that Boockvar Republicans are seeking to list in hopes that those voters ballots postmarked by Nov. ‘Trump's campaign a minor voters who applied to vote by had no authority to do that. have tossed in other ongoing could provide the necessary 3 to arrive in county elec- victory Thursday, barring mail had to be validated their State officials did not court fights across the state. information by the Thursday tion offices, the ID deadlines counties from including in identification against state immediately return requests For instance, in Phila- deadline. But under the Com- should naturally be extended their final vote tallies a small records by Nov. 9. for comment on whether they delphia, the state's largest monwealth Court order, all pool of mail ballots from Two days before the elec- intended to appeal. county, elections officials on of them will now be excluded as well. people who had failed to pro- tion, Secretary of State Kathy None of the votes affected Wednesday issued a list of whether the voter responded Leavitt, a Republican, vide required ID by a Monday Boockvar pushed that date by the ruling had yet been just more than 2,100 mail to the Wednesday alert by disagreed, noting in her order deadline. back by three days, citing a included in the state's official ballots in danger of being providing ID or not. that had the Supreme Court's Ina two-page order, a court decision earlier this tally — which as of Thursday disqualified because the voter In shifting the ID dead- justices wanted an extension, Commonwealth Court judge year that allowed late-arriving had Joe Biden at a 54,000- had not provided proof of line, Boockvar, an appointee struck down a decision by the mail ballots to be counted as vote advantage over Trump. ID with their application — of Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf, they could have said so in Wolf administration to give long as they had been mailed But it was unclear just typically done by providing a had argued that because a their earlier ruling, Senator rips finding that Acosta used ‘poor judgment’ but broke no rules in Epstein case By Kevin G. Hall, Jay Weaver might have finished its report, however, are detailed in the Acosta and his subordinates tigate complaints about the at the time — had credibility and Ben Wieder, Miami Herald but we have an obligation to full, unreleased report. with emails demanding modi- handling of the Epstein case issues and that it was our make sure this never happens "Tam pleased that OPR fi- fications to the arrangement, in 2010, citing ongoing litiga- duty, as defense lawyers, to MIAMI — Former U.S. again.” nally has completed its inves- citing assurances given at tion involving the victims. challenge their credibility." Attorney Alexander Acosta Sasse, who had pressed the tigation but am disappointed the meeting. Emails exam- ‘The OPR's summary said Dershowitz, who has used "poor judgment" when Justice Department for more that it has not released the ined by the Herald show the that Epstein's victims and dueling slander lawsuits with he chose not to prosecute than three years to investi- full report so the victims and lawyers wanted victims not to their attorneys were among one of Epstein's victims who Palm Beach multimillionaire gate the handling of Epstein's the public can have a fuller be informed of the status of those interviewed for the accused him of sexual miscon- Jeffrey Epstein on federal charges, demanded that the accounting of the depth of in- negotiations — contrary to internal investigation, a detail duct, said that he wasn't con- sex trafficking charges and agency release the report. Al- terference (by the U.S. attor- the Crime Victims Rights Act confirmed by one of the law- tacted by the authors of the instead let him plead guilty though the department didn't ney's office management and — apparently to ensure there yers, Spencer Kuvin. The Jus- Justice Department report. to a state offense of soliciting do so, the Herald and its Epstein's lawyers) that led to was no interference in the tice Department's questions, young girls for sex, the Justice parent company, McClatchy, the patently unjust outcome shaping of the deal. Emails he cautioned, were narrowly ‘The famed lawyer has denied Department said Thursday. obtained a copy on their own. in the Epstein case," Villafana, and other communications focused on the sexual assault the woman's claim that he had ‘The department's Office In the full report, OPR who resigned as a federal showed they also pushed to laws in Florida at the time the sex with her. of Professional Responsibility concluded that "Acosta exer- prosecutor last year but had have the arrangement sealed crimes were committed. It was In the wake of the Herald's concluded that Acosta, who cised poor judgment when he remained silent on the mat- by a judge so it could not be a time when the law did not series about Acosta's handling served as labor secretary in failed to make certain that the ter, said ina statement. "That examined by the victims or prescribe serious punishment of the Epstein case, the U.S. the Trump administration state intended to and would injustice, I believe, was the the public. for those who inappropriately attorney's office in New York until the scandal over his notify victims identified result of deep, implicit insti- All of that occurred, touched victims under the filed sex trafficking charges mishandling of the Epstein through the federal investiga- tutional biases that prevented although the agreement was age of consent, which is 18 in against Epstein and arrested case forced him to resign in tion about the state plea hear- me and the FBI agents who eventually unsealed. Florida. him in July 2019 — making July 2019, committed no ing. His decision left victims worked diligently on this case ‘The report also provides "Merely touching was the same federal case that professional wrongdoing and uninformed about an impor- from holding Mr. Epstein ac- answers to who knew about punished differently than full Acosta's office could have violated no ethics standards. tant proceeding that resolved countable for his crimes." the deal at DOJ headquarters. intercourse," Kuvin said. "In made a decade earlier against ‘The non-prosecution agree- the federal investigation, an Sloman, who served as It outlines how just after the the case of my clients, there the New Yorker, who owned ment was signed more than investigation about which the Acosta's first assistant dur- original deal was hammered was no penetration. That law a townhouse mansion in 10 years earlier when Acosta (US. attorney's office) had ing the Epstein prosecution, out Epstein attorneys began. has since been changed." Manhattan. The revived case, was U.S. attorney for South communicated with victims declined to comment. In an going over Acosta's head to Kuvin also questioned why however, took a shocking de- Florida. for months. It also ultimately op-ed piece published last lobby headquarters. the FBI did not dig deeper. tour when the 66-year-old was “Acosta's decision to created the misimpression year in the Herald, Sloman Ina May 2008 letter to "They had interviewed found hanging in his cell in decline to initiate a federal that the (Justice) Department acknowledged that "Epstein Deputy Attorney General enough people to know that August 2019 under mysteri- prosecution of Epstein was intentionally sought to silence deserved harsher punishment Mark Filip, two of the promi- Epstein was traveling between ous circumstances. His death within the scope of his au- the victims." than he ended up getting." nent members of Epstein's New York and New Mexico so thority, and OPR did not find ‘The report also contains At the time, Sloman legal team, former Solicitor any decent investigator would was ruled a suicide. evidence that his decision was an intriguing mention of defended Acosta's integrity in General Kenneth Starr and have looked into whether ‘The original investigation based on corruption or other former President Bill Clinton handling the case. "Our priori- former U.S. Attorney Joe he was doing this in other more than 10 years ago found impermissible considerations, and how his friendship with ties were to make sure Epstein Whitley, suggested that the states," he said, citing two that Epstein paid dozens of such as Epstein's wealth, sta- Epstein might have affected could not hurt anyone else federal investigation into Ep- other locales where Epstein girls, many of them underage, tus or associations," a 13-page the prosecution. It also paints and to compensate Epstein's stein was politically motivated maintained homes. "I don't cash to engage in nude mas- executive summary of OPR's celebrity attorney Alan Der- victims without retraumatiz- because of his close ties to for- believe the FBI didn't do sages, masturbation, oral sex report says. showitz in unflattering terms. ing them," Sloman wrote in mer President Clinton. There that. I think the U.S. attorney and intercourse in his palatial After the executive sum- ‘The summary said the February 2019, apparently was "little doubt," they wrote, made a conscious decision to mansion in Palm Beach. The mary was released, Acosta, Office of Professional Respon- referring to a short term Ep- that Acosta's office "never shut the investigation down encounters were scheduled by who had long refused to an- sibility, which investigates stein served in the Palm Beach would have contemplated a quickly and that was Acosta's members of his staff. swer the Miami Herald's ques- allegations of misconduct jail and settlements paid to prosecution in this case if Mr. decisior Asa result of his plea in tions about his actions, issued by federal prosecutors, had some of Epstein's victims. Epstein were just another Epstein's victims are state court, Epstein registered a two-page statement saying reviewed "hundreds of thou- ‘The op-ed was published ‘John.'" mentioned in another passage as a sex offender in Florida it "fully debunks allegations sands of records," including months before Acosta re- Starr, ironically, is best in the full report, concerning and agreed to pay damages to that the (U.S. attorney's office emails, letters, memos and signed as labor secretary. known for his dogged pursuit Epstein attorney Alan Der- 40 female victims ranging in in South Florida) improperly investigative materials, and ‘The OPR investigation was of Clinton during his im- showitz. In it, former Palm age from 13 to 17. As part of cut Epstein a ‘sweetheart deal’ conducted "more than 60 prompted by the 2018 Herald peachment for lying about Beach County State Attorney the plea agreement negotiated or purposefully avoided inves- interviews of witnesses," from series “Perversion of Justice,” his affair with intern Monica Barry Krischer recalled that by Acosta's office, Epstein tigating potential wrongdoing EBI case agents to a former which renewed interest in the Lewinsky. Epstein's defense team had by various prominent indi- deputy attorney general of the non-prosecution agreement. Despite those efforts to brought "voluminous mate- wouldn't be charged in federal viduals." Justice Department. ‘The executive sum- sway senior Justice Depart- rial" seeking to discredit Ep- court — even though the feds ‘The Republican senator Ina statement, the Justice mary mentions the Herald's ment officials, the report stein's accusers in pushing for had drawn up a proposed 53- who requested the review Department said it shared reporting numerous times suggests that then-Attorney the state to allow Epstein to page indictment that carried after a Herald investigative the executive summary of the as the reason for the intense General Michael Mukasey had plead no contest, rather than potential punishment ranging series saw it differently. report with victims on Thurs- public interest. It mentioned no role in the Epstein case. guilty to possible sex charges. from a mandatory 10 years in “Letting a well-connected day and the full report with a a breakfast meeting between ‘The report notes that Mukas- Krischer told OPR that he prison to a life sentence. billionaire get away with child congressional committee. Acosta and one of Epstein's ey had lunch in Miami with remembered Dershowitz as Acosta's "non-prosecution rape and international sex “While OPR did not find lawyers, Jay Lefkowitz, in Acosta and other senior man- “overly aggressive," adding agreement" was signed by the trafficking isn't ‘poor judg- that Department attorneys October 2007 that was high- agers in the U.S. attorney's that Dershowitz had threat- financier and his lawyers in ment' — it is a disgusting engaged in professional mis- lighted in the Herald's series. office a little over a month ened, “We're going to destroy September 2007 and amended failure. Americans ought to be conduct, OPR concluded that “OPR did not find evidence before Epstein ultimately your witnesses; don't go to through the end of that year. enraged," Nebraska Sen. Ben the victims were not treated establishing that Acosta's pleaded guilty in state court, court because we're going to ‘The deal also immunized sev- Sasse, chairman of the Senate with the forthrightness and ‘breakfast meeting’ with one but that Epstein's case was destroy those girls." Der- eral of his alleged co-conspira- Judiciary Oversight Subcom- sensitivity expected by the of Epstein's defense counsel not discussed at that time. showitz and Epstein accuser tors from federal prosecution. mittee, said in a statement Department," the statement in October 2007 led to the ‘The Office of Professional Virginia Roberts Giuffre are The DOJ report criticizes the ‘Thursday afternoon. "Jeffrey said. NPA, which had been signed Responsibility is a nonpar- currently suing each other for non-prosecution agreement Epstein should be rotting ‘Among the federal pros- weeks earlier, or to any other tisan division of the Justice defamation. as a “flawed mechanism" that behind bars today, but the ecutors who avoided being significant decision that ben- Department, formed in 1975 Dershowitz didn't deny removed federal control over Justice Department failed Ep- targeted for criticism in the efited Epstein,” the report in response to the Watergate raising issues about the cred- the case to state authorities. stein's victims at every turn. executive summary were said. Acosta, in his statement, scandal and run by career ibility of Epstein's accusers in Epstein ended up serv- "The DOJ's crooked deal Acosta's former top assistant, pointed to this as evidence prosecutors. It investigates conversation with Krischer with Epstein effectively shut Jeffrey Sloman; ex-criminal he acted properly and that allegations of professional but did deny using that lan- ing just over a year in a Palm down investigations into his chief Matthew Menchel; the Herald's reporting, which misconduct by DOJ prosecu- guage. Beach County stockade — child sex trafficking ring and former case prosecutor Marie described the meeting as tors and immigration judges. "In 55 years of practice, while local authorities allowed protected his co-conspirators Villafana, who had prepared unusual, was flawed. ‘As the Herald previously Ican say that I have never him during his incarceration in other states. Justice has a sex trafficking indictment ‘The Herald's series, reported, and as was acknowl- threatened to destroy a wit- to go to work or do whatever not been served," Sasse said. against Epstein that was not however, described how in edged in its report, the Office ness," Dershowitz said. "I he wanted for six days out of “The full report needs to be filed; and her boss, Andrew the months after the meeting of Professional Responsibility told him that his witnesses every week, returning to the released to the public. OPR Lourie. They and their actions, Epstein's legal team peppered previously declined to inves- — there were only a handful stockade only at night. www.elkcityoknews.com