House Judiciary Democrats Say a 2014 Email From "President@Bard.edu" Asked Jeffrey Epstein Whether a Young Woman Was "for Me, or Are You Keeping Her for Yourself" — Jamie Raskin and Madeleine Dean Tell Todd Blanche and Kash Patel "You Have Done Nothing, and Launched No Investigation," and Leon Botstein Quits Every Bard Role the Same Day
On Oct. 7, 2026, Rep. Jamie Raskin, the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, and Rep. Madeleine Dean asked Attorney General Todd Blanche and FBI Director Kash Patel to open a criminal investigation into Leon Botstein, the longtime president of Bard College. The request centers on a May 2014 email to Jeffrey Epstein, released by the Justice Department in January with the sender identified only as "President," asking whether a young woman Epstein was abusing was "for me, or are you keeping her for yourself." The lawmakers said the unredacted record shows it came from "President@Bard.edu," that the department had held the evidence for about 18 months without acting, and that it had exposed the woman's name and face while redacting Botstein's address. They also urged investigation of other possible co-conspirators, including Leon Black and Leslie Wexner. In a separate letter to Bard's board, Raskin described a history of sexual-abuse cover-ups at the college. Botstein, who had already stepped down as president in June after an outside review of his Epstein ties, resigned from all remaining Bard positions on Oct. 7. Through a spokesman he said he did not "author or send" the email and that "any assertion that I knew of or was involved in Epstein's criminal behavior is wrong." He has not been charged. The Justice Department and FBI had not publicly responded.
“[Letter to Attorney General Todd Blanche and FBI Director Kash Patel from House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Jamie Raskin and Rep. Madeleine Dean:] The evidence meets the federal standard for opening a criminal investigation. … These facts strongly indicate that a crime may have occurred. Yet, you have done nothing, and launched no investigation. … It is hard to construct any kind of innocent explanation for Botstein's question and the surrounding events. … The Jeffrey Epstein saga was never just about Jeffrey Epstein alone.”