Harvard University has opened a new investigation into its former president, Larry Summers, over his ties to Jeffrey Epstein, after House Republicans released emails showing that Summers sought a romantic relationship with a woman he called a mentee, among other exchanges, The Harvard Crimson reported.
Harvard lists Summers on its website as a professor and president emeritus: "Lawrence H. Summers is the Charles W. Eliot University Professor and President Emeritus at Harvard University."
The investigation is an exceptional measure that reexamines Harvard's connection to Epstein, despite a prior review conducted in 2020.
"The University is conducting a review of information concerning individuals at Harvard included in the newly released Jeffrey Epstein documents to evaluate what actions may be warranted," Harvard spokesperson Jonathan L. Swain wrote in a statement to The Crimson.
Summers on Monday said he was "deeply ashamed" of his actions and that he would be "stepping back from public commitments" as one part of his "broader effort to rebuild trust and repair relationships" with the people closest to him.
The emails showed years of personal correspondence between Summers and Epstein, from 2013 to 2019.
In November 2018, Summers, who has been married since 2005, forwarded an email from a woman to solicit Epstein's advice on when to write back.
"Think no response for a while probably appropriate," Summers wrote.
Epstein wrote back in part, "she's already beginning to sound needy :) nice."
"She must be very confused or maybe wants to cut me off but wants professional connection a lot and so holds to it," Summers wrote in a March 2019 exchange to Epstein, explaining why he believed she continued to engage with him despite tensions.
In one message, Epstein called himself Summers' "wing man."
The series of messages continued until July 5, 2019, one day before Epstein was arrested over new federal sex-trafficking charges.
Summers on Wednesday resigned from OpenAI's board of directors.
"In line with my announcement to step away from my public commitments, I have also decided to resign from the board of OpenAI," he said in a statement.
"I am grateful for the opportunity to have served, excited about the potential of the company, and look forward to following their progress."
There have been calls for Harvard to sever ties with Summers as well.
"If he had so little ability to distance himself from Jeffrey Epstein even after all that was publicly known about Epstein's sex offenses involving underage girls, then Summers cannot be trusted to advise our nation's politicians, policymakers, and institutions — or teach a generation of students at Harvard or anywhere else," said Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass.
Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
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