A prominent academic organization in the United States has permanently expelled former Harvard President Larry Summers, citing his connections with the late financier Jeffrey Epstein.
The American Economic Association (AEA), which includes some of the nation’s top scholars, government officials, and business leaders among its members, made this announcement on its website on Tuesday.
“The American Economic Association (AEA) has accepted Lawrence H. Summers’ voluntary resignation from membership and, in accordance with the AEA’s Policies, Procedures, and Code of Professional Conduct, has enforced a lifetime ban on his membership,” the statement declared.
“Furthermore, effective immediately, the AEA has enacted a lifetime ban on Mr. Summers from attending, speaking at, or participating in any AEA-sponsored events or activities. This also includes any involvement in editorial or refereeing roles for AEA publications.”
“The AEA disapproves of Mr. Summers’ actions, as revealed in publicly reported communications, deeming them fundamentally at odds with its standards of professional integrity and the trust placed in mentors within the field of economics,” the statement concluded.
“The AEA condemns Mr. Summers’ conduct, as reflected in publicly reported communications, as fundamentally inconsistent with its standards of professional integrity and with the trust placed in mentors within the economics profession,” the statement said.
The association’s decision follows the release of emails showing Summers’ close relationship with Epstein.
Harvard has faced its own scrutiny over its long-running ties to Epstein, including donations he made to the Ivy League college and his visits to campus.
Summers, who served as Harvard’s president from 2001 to 2006, has previously been criticized for maintaining contact with Epstein even after the financier’s 2008 conviction.
Harvard’s former president, Larry Summers, has withdrawn from public commitments amid revelations of continued communication with disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
In one of the emails released in November, Epstein referred to himself as a “wing man” for Summers.
The fallout surrounding the emails saw Summers step down from several public and advisory roles, including positions at OpenAI, the Center for American Progress and the Yale Budget Lab.
The pressure increased further after a student-recorded video of Summers addressing questions about his ties to Epstein went viral.
Larry Summers during the 2017 Henry A. Kissinger Prize at the American Academy in Berlin on June 20, 2017, in Berlin, Germany. (Chad Buchanan via Getty Images)
The clip, which showed students confronting him and expressing frustration over his answers, sparked campus protests and renewed criticism over his handling of the controversy.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the American Economic Association and Larry Summers for further comment.
