WASHINGTON — Ex-Miami US Attorney Alex Acosta on Friday blamed everything from evidentiary issues” to uncooperative witnesses for an infamous plea deal that gave Jeffrey Epstein about a year in prison , mostly on work release, for a prostitution rap in the mid-2000s.

Acosta admitted to a House panel he felt “remorse’’ over his office’s controversial agreement involving the wealthy pedophile.

But he blamed “evidentiary issues” and uncooperative witnesses for the agreement during a six-hour grilling before a House panel. 5

Acosta testified to the House Oversight Committee that prosecutors in his Miami office struggled with the task of intervening in the state-level case, which resulted in just one felony charge, according to lawmakers and staff from both parties.

“One of the

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