Bard College President to Retire Amid Scrutiny Over Jeffrey Epstein Ties
Leon Botstein, the long-serving president of Bard College, has announced his retirement following revelations of his extensive relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. Botstein, who has led the New York-based liberal arts college for 50 years, will step down at the end of June. His decision comes after an independent review by the law firm WilmerHale, which examined his interactions with Epstein. Although Botstein was not accused of any illegal activities, the review highlighted that he minimized his relationship with Epstein in public statements. Documents released by the U.S. Justice Department revealed that Botstein had met Epstein multiple times and had invited him to college events. Despite Epstein's criminal history, Botstein maintained contact, citing fundraising efforts for the college as the basis for their interactions. The review concluded that Botstein's decisions reflected on his leadership, and Bard's trustees have decided to redirect funds associated with Epstein to organizations supporting surviv... 
