'i Am Deeply Ashamed': Larry Summers To Step Back From Public Commitments After New Epstein Emails

Larry Summers, who was treasury caput nether President Bill Clinton, said Monday that he will beryllium stepping backmost from nationalist commitments pursuing nan caller publication of his correspondence pinch convicted activity offender Jeffrey Epstein.

“I americium profoundly ashamed of my actions and admit nan symptom they person caused. I return afloat work for my misguided determination to proceed communicating pinch Mr. Epstein,” Summers said successful a statement.

The House Oversight Committee past week released more than 20,000 emails from Epstein’s estate, which included extended correspondence betwixt nan disgraced financier and Summers. The astir caller 1 was from nan time earlier Epstein was arrested successful 2019.

“While continuing to fulfill my school obligations, I will beryllium stepping backmost from nationalist commitments arsenic 1 portion of my broader effort to rebuild spot and repair relationships pinch nan group closest to me,” Summers added successful his statement.

Larry Summers astatine nan yearly exertion convention successful Sun Valley, Idaho, successful July.David Paul Morris / Bloomberg via Getty Images file

The emails released past week revealed a adjacent narration betwixt Epstein and Summers. In an March 2019 exchange, they corresponded astir a female Summers was willing in.

Epstein was successful jailhouse awaiting proceedings connected nan national charges erstwhile he died by termination successful 2019. Summers has not been accused of taking portion successful nan crimes associated pinch Epstein.

President Donald Trump directed nan Justice Department connected Friday to analyse Epstein’s ties pinch notable Democrats, including Clinton and Summers.

A spokesperson for Clinton said past week that nan released emails “prove Bill Clinton did thing and knew nothing.”

“The remainder is sound meant to distract from predetermination losses, backfiring shutdowns, and who knows what else,” nan spokesperson said successful a statement.

Treasury Secretary Larry Summers and President Bill Clinton talk astatine nan White House successful 1999. Dirck Halstead / Getty Images file

The emails released by Congress mentioned Trump, arsenic well. In 1 of nan emails, Epstein said Trump "knew astir nan girls" — but did not impeach him of immoderate wrongdoing. In different email, sent during Trump's first term, Epstein said he was "the 1 capable to return him down" but did not see further specifications aliases context.

Trump has denied immoderate wrongdoing and has not been charged pinch immoderate criminal activity.

“These emails beryllium perfectly thing different than nan truth that President Trump did thing wrong,” White House property caput Karoline Leavitt told reporters past week.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., called Monday for institutions affiliated pinch Summers to sever ties pinch him.

"For decades, Larry Summers has demonstrated his attraction to serving nan able and well-connected, but his willingness to cozy up to a convicted activity offender demonstrates monumentally bad judgment," Warren said successful a connection shared pinch NBC News earlier Summers said he would beryllium stepping backmost from his nationalist commitments.

"If he had truthful small expertise to region himself from Jeffrey Epstein moreover aft each that was publically known astir Epstein’s activity offenses involving underage girls, past Summers cannot beryllium trusted to counsel our nation’s politicians, policymakers, and institutions — aliases thatch a procreation of students astatine Harvard aliases anyplace else," she added.

Epstein was arrested connected national activity trafficking charges successful July 2019. He had been arrested successful 2006 aft a expansive assemblage indicted him successful relationship pinch soliciting adultery and pleaded blameworthy to authorities charges successful 2008. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for nan Southern District of Florida negotiated a concealed non-prosecution statement pinch Epstein astatine nan time, which protected him from national prosecution.

Summers, a erstwhile Harvard president, is simply a tenured professor astatine nan university, serves connected nan committee of OpenAI and is simply a distinguished elder chap astatine nan left-leaning Center for American Progress and a contributor astatine Bloomberg.

A CAP spokesperson said Monday nighttime that Summers' announcement to measurement backmost from nationalist commitments "includes ending his fellowship" astatine nan Washington-based deliberation tank.

Harvard did not instantly respond to a petition for remark connected whether Summers’ position astatine nan assemblage had changed pursuing his announcement.

Summers was president of Harvard from 2001 to 2006.

Bloomberg did not instantly respond to a petition for comment, while OpenAI did not supply a comment.

The House is poised to walk a measure Tuesday that would unit nan merchandise of nan Justice Department's files connected Epstein. Trump, who antecedently opposed nan measure, now says he would motion nan measure into rule if it makes it done some nan House and nan Senate.