“I think that one of the things that we’re hoping comes to light and that people are able to connect the dots between the Epstein case and child sex trafficking all across this nation is that it’s often very powerful men with means taking advantage of the vulnerabilities of some of our most marginalized young women and girls, oftentimes, kids who have experienced extreme childhood sexual abuse, kids who are from the child welfare system, runaways and homeless youth, and exploiting there vulnerabilities.” PBS Newshour: The Epstein case is not an outlier.

+ The Daily Beast: Alexander Acosta, Who Cut Deal With Epstein, Tried to Slash Anti-Trafficking Program by 80 Percent. (Yes, you read that right.)

+ AP: Facing calls for resignation, Acosta defends Epstein deal. “Facts are important and facts are being overlooked.” (Acosta deserves to be on the hot seat. But just as the trafficking story is bigger than Epstein, the coverup and enabling story is bigger than Acosta…)

+ “Sometimes a story deserves a new look. There were all of these puzzle pieces that were out there, and when you put all of these puzzle pieces together, with the passage of time, there was this really damning story.” We’re damn lucky to have investigative reporters like Julie K. Brown who don’t give up on these kinds of stories, even after it seems everyone else has. NYT: The Jeffrey Epstein Case Was Cold, Until a Miami Herald Reporter Got Accusers to Talk.