Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham Lindsey Olin GrahamSteele Dossier sub-source was subject of FBI counterintelligence probe Hillicon Valley: Subpoenas for Facebook, Google and Twitter on the cards | Wray rebuffs mail-in voting conspiracies | Reps. raise mass surveillance concerns Key Democrat opposes GOP Section 230 subpoena for Facebook, Twitter, Google MORE (R-S.C.) says he is open to hearings on the controversial plea deal Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta Alex Alexander AcostaFederal litigator files complaint alleging Labor secretary abused his authority Appeals court to review legality of Epstein plea deal Appeals court finds prosecutors' secret plea agreement with Epstein didn't break law MORE struck with wealthy financier Jeffrey Epstein in 2008 to resolve multiple allegations of sexual molestation.

“If this plea deal doesn’t withstand scrutiny then it would be the job of the Judiciary Committee to find out how it got off the rails. What kind of checks and balances do we have to make sure that complaints involving minor children are adequately investigated? This is an area of the law where the tie goes to the kids,” Graham told reporters Tuesday morning.

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“If we think somebody’s out there abusing children, no matter how hard the case may be, you want to bring it forward simply to get these people deterred if nothing else,” he added.

Acosta was the U.S. attorney in charge of Epstein’s case when he struck what has now been criticized as an overly lenient plea deal that allowed him to spend just more than a year in jail and have work release.

The plea deal with Epstein has faced new scrutiny following federal prosecutors unsealing new sex trafficking charges against Epstein on Monday, alleging abuse of dozens of female minors. He has denied all charges.

Epstein, a successful hedge fund manager who counted President Trump Donald John TrumpSteele Dossier sub-source was subject of FBI counterintelligence probe Pelosi slams Trump executive order on pre-existing conditions: It 'isn't worth the paper it's signed on' Trump 'no longer angry' at Romney because of Supreme Court stance MORE and former President Clinton among his social acquaintances, pleaded guilty to state charges of solicitation of prostitution but didn’t face federal charges.

Democrats have called on Acosta to resign over the deal that was crafted in secret and effectively potentially blocked dozens of alleged victims of sexual trafficking from pursuing complaints against Epstein.

“As U.S. Attorney, he engaged in an unconscionable agreement w/ Jeffrey Epstein kept secret from courageous, young victims preventing them from seeking justice,” Speaker Nancy Pelosi Nancy PelosiPelosi slams Trump executive order on pre-existing conditions: It 'isn't worth the paper it's signed on' On The Money: Anxious Democrats push for vote on COVID-19 aid | Pelosi, Mnuchin ready to restart talks | Weekly jobless claims increase | Senate treads close to shutdown deadline Trump signs largely symbolic pre-existing conditions order amid lawsuit MORE (D-Calif.) tweeted on Monday night.

Sen. Richard Blumenthal (Conn.), a Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, called for Acosta to resign and for Congress to investigate the plea deal.

“There should be hearings in the United States Senate involving the Epstein-Acosta-Trump connection. Clearly, there is enough basis for unequal justice or excessive leniency and for questions about why that happened,” he said. “There should be hearings here in the United States Senate. The travesty of justice in allowing Epstein essentially a pass in Florida when clearly there were potential violations of law merits hearings.”

Graham on Tuesday said, “I’d like to know more,” noting that Acosta wasn’t the only prosecutor involved in the plea deal.

“This thing was fairly vetted. He didn’t just do it by himself. A lot of people had eyes on the original plea deal. Now it’s being set aside and sounds like there’s more misconduct,” Graham said.

Other Republicans said they would follow Graham’s lead.

Sen. Chuck Grassley Charles (Chuck) Ernest GrassleyGOP lawmakers distance themselves from Trump comments on transfer of power The Hill's 12:30 Report: Ginsburg lies in repose Top GOP senators say Hunter Biden's work 'cast a shadow' over Obama Ukraine policy MORE (R-Iowa), the former chairman of the Judiciary panel, when asked whether Congress should review Epstein’s plea deal, said, “if it’s in this committee, you better ask Graham.”

Grassley said he wants to wait for a report from the Department of Justice’s Office of Professional Responsibility before making a decision on whether Acosta should step down.

Sen. John Cornyn John CornynQuinnipiac polls show Trump leading Biden in Texas, deadlocked race in Ohio The Hill's Campaign Report: GOP set to ask SCOTUS to limit mail-in voting Liberal super PAC launches ads targeting vulnerable GOP senators over SCOTUS fight MORE (R-Texas), an adviser to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellTrump 'no longer angry' at Romney because of Supreme Court stance On The Money: Anxious Democrats push for vote on COVID-19 aid | Pelosi, Mnuchin ready to restart talks | Weekly jobless claims increase | Senate treads close to shutdown deadline The Hill's Campaign Report: Trump faces backlash after not committing to peaceful transition of power MORE (R-Ky.), said if Graham decides to hold hearings “I’ll certainly attend” but added, “I think we ought to let the Justice Department and [the] judiciary do their job and then we need to respond to any new information.”