For Immediate Release
Contact: hauser@therevolvingdoorproject.org
In the wake of Larry Summers’ recently released emails with Jeffrey Epstein, calls for organizations to break from Summers have been crescendoing (including from RDP). While some organizations, like the Center for American Progress, have done the right thing and severed their ties, others have been less forthcoming. In particular, RDP has learned of multiple companies that have scrubbed Summers from their “about us” pages, without any corresponding indication that the relationship has been terminated. We have identified two such cases so far: fintech firm Atlas Merchant Capital and energy startup Palmetto.
In light of these developments, Revolving Door Project Executive Director Jeff Hauser released the following statement:
“For years, we at RDP have criticized Larry Summers for a lack of transparency around his corporate entanglements. These firms quietly scrubbing him from their websites exacerbates our concerns. While we applaud institutions severing ties with Summers, we encourage them to be forthright about the past mistake in judgment they are seeking to avoid acknowledging.”
“Summers has made it clear he is merely stepping back from public roles, but he clearly does not believe he should suffer any permanent diminution of influence. His continued presence at these institutions will serve as a foothold to eventually reemerge into the public sphere, and any silent dismissals will make that plan all the easier.”
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