Larry Summers Retreats from Public Life Amid Epstein Scandal—A Stark Reminder of Elite Accountability Failures

In an unsettling revelation that underscores the persistent problem of elite circles shielding each other regardless of scandal, former Treasury Secretary and Harvard President Larry Summers announced he is stepping back from public commitments following the release of emails exposing his ongoing communications with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Epstein’s 2008 guilty plea for soliciting prostitution from an underage girl should have been a clear boundary—one that public servants and influential figures respect in defense of moral integrity and the rule of law. Instead, Summers’ choice to maintain contact with Epstein long after this conviction raises serious questions about accountability...