Leon Botstein, the former president of Bard College, resigns from roles at the institution after congressional investigators surfaced emails involving him and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The reporting centers on an email in which Botstein appears to ask whether a young woman is “for me, or are you keeping her for yourself.” Botstein denies any involvement in criminal acts.
By the time the story breaks, Botstein is no longer serving as Bard president, having stepped down earlier in the year. The Guardian reports that a prominent Democrat, Jamie Raskin, urges a criminal investigation and frames the email as “startling,” while other outlets describe the resignations as responses to the renewed scrutiny. The New York Times notes Botstein’s earlier retirement from the presidency and, in related coverage, that he continues teaching and participating in Bard’s music programs amid the controversy—though the latest accounts say he has now left Bard-affiliated positions. Outlets also emphasize Bard’s ongoing internal response as the allegations are contested by Botstein.
