(Washington, D.C.) Former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers announced on Monday that he will step down from public service after Congress released close communications between him and the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The House Oversight Committee released approximately 20,000 documents related to Epstein last week, including records of private communications between Summers and Epstein. President Trump recently ordered the Justice Department to investigate Summers and other prominent Democrats' connections to the late Epstein.
Summers said on Monday (November 17), "I am deeply ashamed of my actions, recognize the harm they have caused, and take full responsibility for my mistaken decision to continue contact with Epstein."
Summers served as U.S. Treasury Secretary from 1999 to 2001 and also served as director of the National Economic Council under President Obama. He is a former president of Harvard University and currently a professor there.
He indicated that he will continue his teaching duties but will step down from public service so that he can "rebuild trust and repair relationships with those closest to him."
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Former Harvard Law School professor and Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren told CNN on Monday that she believes Harvard University should sever ties with Larry Summers because of his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein and the inability to trust him to mentor students.
The House of Representatives will vote on Tuesday on mandating the release of Epstein investigation documents. With Trump having changed his stance and now urging Republicans to support the release of the documents, the vote is almost certain to pass.
Before the weekend, Trump and his aides had tried to block further release of the Justice Department's criminal investigation documents on Epstein. Trump had stated that his relationship with Epstein ended in the 2000s and that he had no connection to Epstein's crimes.
After securing enough support within the House to allow a vote, Trump posted on social media on Sunday (the 16th): "House Republicans should vote to release the Epstein files because we have nothing to hide."
If the House passes the resolution, it will be sent to the Senate for consideration, and after passing both houses, it will be sent to Trump for his signature.
