Leon Botstein Resigns All Bard College Positions Amid Congressional Investigation into Epstein Ties
Leon Botstein has stepped down from all roles associated with Bard, including his position as a professor, following a call for a criminal probe from U.S. Representative Jamie Raskin. Bard's board of trustees unanimously accepted his resignation. Having led Bard for five decades, Botstein has denied any awareness of Jeffrey Epstein's illegal activities. The issue stems from a May 2014 email sent by Botstein to Epstein, which Raskin and Representative Madeleine Dean found 'startling.' They claim Epstein trafficked a woman known as Jane Doe and exploited his connection with Botstein to advance her music career. Raskin and Dean have urged Attorney General Todd Blanche and FBI Director Kash Patel to investigate. Bard is cooperating with the congressional inquiry, and Botstein faces no charges.
Key facts
- Leon Botstein resigned from all Bard College positions, including his professorship and music program roles.
- Representative Jamie Raskin called for a criminal investigation into Botstein after uncovering an email from Botstein to Jeffrey Epstein.
- The email, sent in May 2014 from Botstein's Bard account, asked whether a young woman was 'for me, or are you keeping her for yourself.'
- Botstein denied authoring or sending the email and said any assertion he knew of Epstein's criminal behavior is wrong.
- Bard's board of trustees executive committee unanimously accepted Botstein's resignation.
- A WilmerHale investigation found Botstein made about 25 visits to Epstein's townhouse and a two-day visit to Epstein's Little St James Island.
- Raskin and Representative Madeleine Dean sent a letter to Attorney General Todd Blanche and FBI Director Kash Patel demanding an investigation.
- Botstein led Bard College for 50 years and recently stepped down as president before resigning all roles.
Entities
Artists
- Leon Botstein
- Jamie Raskin
- Madeleine Dean
- Jeffrey Epstein
- Brandon Weber
- Todd Blanche
- Kash Patel
Institutions
- Bard College
- House judiciary committee
- Department of Justice
- FBI
- WilmerHale
- The Guardian
- Times Union
- The Associated Press
- U.S. Justice Department
- The Miami Herald
- Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees at Bard
Locations
- Washington DC
- United States
- Little St James Island
- Europe
- Canada
- Annandale-on-Hudson
- New York