Acosta has been subpoenaed to testify before congress. Acosta has not talked much about the extraordinarily lenient plea deal he made with Epstein. I hope he's asked some tough questions. Acosta has said that he wanted to at least get Epstein registered as a sex offender. And perhaps he really felt that Epstein was too wealthy and well-connected to beat in court.

But, that doesn't explain the non-prosecution agreement.

This agreement protected Epstein's accomplices.

The non-prosecution agreement tips the leniency from merely a different standard of justice for the wealthy into the territory of a cover up.

As if the real issue was the attention of a trial... not just keeping Epstein from punishment.

There is also a statement attributed to Acosta that says that he didn't go after Epstein more because he was "told" (how, by who??) that Epstein was "intelligence."

But, I have not been able to verify that he really said this. So, it would make sense to ask him about that too.

If Acosta mentions "pressure" in this testimony (if it ever even happens, if he doesn't just plead out the whole time) it is critical to press him on who was creating that pressure. How?

Acosta had his Whitehouse career cut short by this scandal. Many people hate him or are suspicious of him for what he did. He could clear his name by exposing who made him feel he was making good choices when he let the predator off with a tap on the wrist.

I don't really have much hope for this, but now and then people are touched by better angels

@futurebird Sometimes acutely!

If Acosta mentions "pressure" in this testimony (if it ever even happens, if he doesn't just plead out the whole time) it is critical to press him on who was creating that pressure. How?

Acosta had his Whitehouse career cut short by this scandal. Many people hate him or are suspicious of him for what he did. He could clear his name by exposing who made him feel he was making good choices when he let the predator off with a tap on the wrist.

Also among subpoenaed material? The infamous "birthday book" with letters from two presidents and many other famous people.

It is just one of many "birthday books" This was something of a tradition and there are at least two other such books I've seen mention of for other Epstein birthdays. Each a collection of letters from "friends" all compiled by Ms. Maxwell.

I wish they asked for all of the books.

They were leather-bound by a bookbinder in NYC who specialized in fine bindings. As a bookbinding nerd this would cost about $400 up to $4000 depending on what we are talking about. It's a pretty expensive process and something you do when you want to preserve documents forever and ever. As in... beyond the years you may even live.

This makes me think they may all still exist. In a way, this is the social graph.

"the list"

Also among subpoenaed material? The infamous "birthday book" with letters from two presidents and many other famous people.

It is just one of many "birthday books" This was something of a tradition and there are at least two other such books I've seen mention of for other Epstein birthdays. Each a collection of letters from "friends" all compiled by Ms. Maxwell.

@futurebird
Is the "birthday book" thing something common with wealthy people or unique to Epstein and his circle? I find the whole idea cringey and weird. And it wasn't even a round-number birthday, right? Maybe if you were 70, or retiring, it would make more sense.

@negative12dollarbill

I've only ever encountered it once and oddly it was when this creepy director was retiring from a theater company and his assistant, who was also his boyfriend and like 30 years younger than him constantly ran around making everyone make a big fuss about him. He wanted everyone to write "tributes" for him. I got out of it somehow ... but the assistant laid on the guilt think "he's so sad, he feels old, this would mean so much..."

it's ... a dynamic.