Emails released by the House Oversight Committee have revealed a series of personal and professional communications between Lawrence H. Summers — former U.S. Treasury Secretary and ex-Harvard President — and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Key revelations
- Between 2013 and 2019, Summers sought Epstein’s guidance on personal matters, including how to respond to a woman he was seeing — complaining that “Tone was not of good feeling” and that he didn’t want to be “in a gift-giving competition while being the friend without benefits.”
- Epstein replied minutes later advising Summers: “Ignore the daddy … I’m going to go out with the motorcycle guy, you reacted well… annoyed shows caring, no whining showed strength.”
- The emails also show that Summers asked Epstein for help raising funds in 2014 for his wife’s educational project and discussed Cambridge/Harvard-linked initiatives.
- One 2017 message from Summers to Epstein included: “I observed that half the IQ in world was possessed by women without mentioning they are more than 51 percent of population…” — resurfacing past criticism of Summers regarding comments on gender, science and engineering.
- The documents were part of a larger package of 20,000+ pages made public by the Oversight Committee, showing Epstein’s connections with high-level figures in academia, politics and finance.
Why this matters
- It raises serious questions about the depth of Epstein’s influence within elite institutions and among top officials.
- Summers has publicly expressed regret for his association with Epstein, calling his relationship a “major error of judgement.”
- The exchanges blur the lines between personal counsel, philanthropy and professional dealings — all between a prominent economist and a convicted sex offender.
- For Harvard and other institutions, these revelations prompt renewed scrutiny of donor relationships, oversight and ethical boundaries.
What’s next
- Investigators and institutional watchdogs may examine whether these communications breached ethical norms, especially regarding fundraising and institutional influence.
- Summers’ next steps are likely to focus on clarifying the full extent of the relationship, his knowledge of Epstein’s conduct, and any consequences for his current roles.
- The public disclosure of such high-profile email exchanges adds pressure for broader transparency around elite networks and accountability for associations with Epstein.
