American Economic Association imposes lifetime ban on Summers for connections to Epstein

Dec. 2 (UPI) The American Economic Association (AEA) revealed on Tuesday that it has issued a lifetime prohibition on former U.S. Treasury Secretary Larry Summers. This decision comes after documents exposed his interactions with notorious sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The AEA, known for publishing respected economic journals and organizing a major annual conference for economists, confirmed that Summers, who resigned his membership voluntarily, is now barred from attending any of its events and cannot hold editorial positions in its publications.

The move follows revelations from a House committee investigation into Epstein, a financier with connections to influential figures who is now deceased. While Summers has not been accused of involvement in Epstein's criminal activities, documents show he exchanged messages with Epstein and sought guidance regarding a woman.

Summers, 70, has publicly expressed remorse, stating he feels "deeply ashamed" of his actions. The AEA emphasized that his behavior, as documented, violates the professional standards expected within the economics community and undermines the trust placed in mentors.

Summers previously served in the Clinton administration as Treasury Secretary and was president of Harvard University. In response to scrutiny over his Epstein ties, Harvard announced that Summers would not continue teaching and that the university would conduct its own inquiry. Additionally, he stepped down from the OpenAI board of directors.

Author: Sophia Brooks