WASHINGTON (AP) — A growing collection of congressional Democrats say President Donald Trump's labor secretary should resign because of his role in a 2008 plea deal that let a billionaire financier escape prison time for alleged sex crimes.

Among the Democrats calling Tuesday for Alexander Acosta to resign were Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar, a 2020 presidential candidate. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Monday night that Acosta should step aside.

Acosta was a federal prosecutor in South Florida when he was involved in a secret 2008 plea deal that let Epstein avoid federal charges.

That investigation involved at least 40 teenage girls. The agreement allowed him to avoid a possible life sentence.

Epstein was charged in New York on Monday in a new federal indictment accusing him of sexually abusing dozens of underage girls.