Former Harvard University president Larry Summers steps from public commitments amid Jeffrey Epstein revelations

In the wake of the publication of emails he exchanged with infamous sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers announced on Monday that he was withdrawing from all public engagements.

“I am deeply ashamed of my actions and recognise the pain they have caused. I take full responsibility for my misguided decision to continue communicating with Mr. Epstein,” Summers said in a statement obtained by CNBC.

“While continuing to fulfil my teaching obligations, I will be stepping back from public commitments as one part of my broader effort,” said Summers, a former president of Harvard University who teaches at the school.

Summers serves on the OpenAI board. He writes columns for Bloomberg News as well.

OpenAI has been asked to comment by CNBC.

Summer's remarks followed the publication of an article by Harvard's newspaper, the Crimson, that detailed his correspondence with Epstein. This information was made public last week when the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee made available over 20,000 documents that it had acquired through a subpoena from Epstein's estate.

Summers sought advice from a long-time colleague, convicted sex offender Jeffrey E. Epstein, when he was "pursuing a romantic relationship with a woman he described as a mentee," according to the Crimson.

According to the publication, Summers, who was and is married, turned to Epstein for advice on his pursuit of the woman in emails and texts exchanged between the two men between November 2018 and July 2019.

According to the Crimson, "Epstein was quick to chime in with assurance and suggestions, describing himself in one November 2018 message as Summers 'wing man."

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a Democrat from Massachusetts and a former Harvard Law professor, told CNN that Harvard need to cut its connections with Summers.

According to the Crimson, Summer is teaching five classes at Harvard this semester and is the director of the Mossavar-Rahmani Centre for Business and Government at the Harvard Kennedy School.

Because of his previous connection to Epstein, Warren claimed that Summers "cannot be trusted" with students.

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