Leon Botstein resigns from Bard roles as key Democrat demands investigation into Epstein links
Jamie Raskin says ‘startling’ email asked whether young woman was ‘for me, or are you keeping her for yourself’
TL;DR
- Democratic lawmaker Jamie Raskin has called for a criminal investigation into former Bard College president Leon Botstein regarding his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein.
- An email, purportedly from Botstein to Epstein, questioned whether a young woman was "for me, or are you keeping her for yourself."
- Botstein has resigned from all Bard-affiliated positions, including his professorship and music program roles.
- Bard College is conducting a review of the allegations and cooperating with the congressional investigation.
- Botstein denies the allegations, including authoring or sending the email in question.
- Whistleblowers have reportedly provided the committee with allegations of "decades of unpunished sexual misconduct at Bard."
- A previous independent review found Botstein's interactions with Epstein "could have alerted" him to the possibility that Epstein was abusing women.