Massachusetts
Harvard reopens probe into former President Larry Summers after release of Epstein emails
Harvard University has reopened an investigation into connections between former President Larry Summers and Jeffrey Epstein, a university spokesperson said Wednesday, and Summers’ office said he would resign from the board of OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT.
The university did not mention Summers by name, but the decision to restart the probe follows the release of emails showing that Summers, a former treasury secretary, maintained a friendly relationship with Epstein long after the financier pleaded guilty to soliciting prostitution from an underage girl in 2008.
An earlier review completed in 2020 found that Epstein visited Harvard’s campus more than 40 times after his 2008 sex-crimes conviction and was given his own office and unfettered access to a research center he helped establish. The professor who provided the office was later barred from starting new research or advising students for at least two years.
Summers said Tuesday that he would step back from public commitments. His office said Wednesday that includes resigning from the board of directors of OpenAI.
The OpenAI board said it appreciated Summers’ contributions and perspective.
Summers joined the OpenAI board in November 2023, part of an effort to restore stability at the nonprofit and bring back its CEO, Sam Altman, after previous board members fired Altman days earlier.
On Tuesday, Summers appeared before his economics class and addressed his involvement with Epstein.
“Some of you will have seen my statement of regret expressing my shame with respect to what I did in communication with Mr. Epstein and that I’ve said that I’m going to step back from public activities for a while.
But I think it’s very important to fulfill my teaching obligations,” he said.
Summers’ remarks were captured on video by Harvard student Rosie Couture, who shared the video online.
Epstein, who authorities said died by suicide in 2019, was a convicted sex offender infamous for his connections to wealthy and powerful people, making him a fixture of outrage and conspiracy theories about wrongdoing among American elites.
Summers served as treasury secretary from 1999 to 2001 under President Bill Clinton. He was Harvard’s president for five years from 2001 to 2006. When asked about the emails last week, Summers issued a statement saying he has “great regrets in my life” and that his association with Epstein was a “major error in judgement.”
California
Appeals court pauses law requiring companies to report climate-related financial risk
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — A U.S. appeals court on Tuesday paused a California law set to take effect in January requiring large companies to report every two years on how climate change could hurt them financially.
Another new law requiring major companies to annually disclose their carbon emissions can stay in place for now, the court ruled.
The policies would be the most sweeping of their kind in the nation, and proponents say they would increase transparency and encourage companies to assess how they can cut their emissions.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce asked the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to pause the laws, which were set to take effect next year, arguing they violate the companies’ First Amendment rights. The group also asked the Supreme Court last week to weigh in. The Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday withdrew its emergency appeal to the Supreme Court, citing the lower court’s decision.
“We look forward to continuing our appeal and securing an injunction of both climate disclosure laws, which result in massive compliance costs for companies and their supply chains,” Chamber of Commerce lawyer Daryl Joseffer said of Tuesday’s ruling. “One state should not have the ability to impose this kind of burden on the entire country.”
Lindsay Buckley, a spokesperson for the California Air Resources Board, which is drafting rules to implement the laws, said the agency was reviewing the ruling and could not comment further. The state has argued that the laws don’t violate the First Amendment because commercial speech isn’t protected the same way under the Constitution.
The financial risk disclosure law, which Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom signed in 2023, applies to companies making more than $500 million a year that do business in California. The Air Resources Board estimates more than 4,100 businesses will have to comply with the legislation.
The emissions reporting law, which the state passed the same year, applies to businesses that make more than $1 billion a year and do business in the state — which covers roughly 2,600 companies, according to state air regulators. They will have to report planet-warming pollution from burning fossil fuels directly, as well as releases from activities such as delivering products from warehouses to stores and employee business travel.
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission approved a rule last year requiring some public companies to report their greenhouse gas emissions and climate risks, but the agency paused the regulation amid litigation.
Georgia
Man shot dead by police after he shot and killed his stepchildren
MIDLAND, Ga. (AP) — Police officers in west Georgia shot and killed a man after he shot at them and shot and killed two of his stepchildren, law enforcement said.
The man’s wife, Kelly Grigsby, told deputies she fled to a neighbor’s house with her 5-year-old child after her husband, Eric Grigsby, 50, threatened to kill her children. When officers arrived at their home at around 6:50 p.m. Monday in Midland, about 106 miles (170 km) south of Atlanta, Eric Grigsby walked out with two handguns, law enforcement said.
The officers told Grigsby to drop the guns, law enforcement said in a statement, but he pointed them at the deputies as he walked toward them. Deputies then shot a first round that struck Grigsby, and he fired back at them. Officers fired until Grigsby was shot to the ground and stopped moving. No deputies were hurt.
Grigsby’s 16-year-old stepson was found to have been shot and was pronounced dead. Emergency medical personnel tried to save his 14-year-old stepson, who had also been shot, but he died.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is investigating the shooting.
“The Deputies responded to the scene and did exactly as they were trained,” Harris County Sheriff Mike Jolley said in a statement.
Harvard reopens probe into former President Larry Summers after release of Epstein emails
Harvard University has reopened an investigation into connections between former President Larry Summers and Jeffrey Epstein, a university spokesperson said Wednesday, and Summers’ office said he would resign from the board of OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT.
The university did not mention Summers by name, but the decision to restart the probe follows the release of emails showing that Summers, a former treasury secretary, maintained a friendly relationship with Epstein long after the financier pleaded guilty to soliciting prostitution from an underage girl in 2008.
An earlier review completed in 2020 found that Epstein visited Harvard’s campus more than 40 times after his 2008 sex-crimes conviction and was given his own office and unfettered access to a research center he helped establish. The professor who provided the office was later barred from starting new research or advising students for at least two years.
Summers said Tuesday that he would step back from public commitments. His office said Wednesday that includes resigning from the board of directors of OpenAI.
The OpenAI board said it appreciated Summers’ contributions and perspective.
Summers joined the OpenAI board in November 2023, part of an effort to restore stability at the nonprofit and bring back its CEO, Sam Altman, after previous board members fired Altman days earlier.
On Tuesday, Summers appeared before his economics class and addressed his involvement with Epstein.
“Some of you will have seen my statement of regret expressing my shame with respect to what I did in communication with Mr. Epstein and that I’ve said that I’m going to step back from public activities for a while.
But I think it’s very important to fulfill my teaching obligations,” he said.
Summers’ remarks were captured on video by Harvard student Rosie Couture, who shared the video online.
Epstein, who authorities said died by suicide in 2019, was a convicted sex offender infamous for his connections to wealthy and powerful people, making him a fixture of outrage and conspiracy theories about wrongdoing among American elites.
Summers served as treasury secretary from 1999 to 2001 under President Bill Clinton. He was Harvard’s president for five years from 2001 to 2006. When asked about the emails last week, Summers issued a statement saying he has “great regrets in my life” and that his association with Epstein was a “major error in judgement.”
California
Appeals court pauses law requiring companies to report climate-related financial risk
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — A U.S. appeals court on Tuesday paused a California law set to take effect in January requiring large companies to report every two years on how climate change could hurt them financially.
Another new law requiring major companies to annually disclose their carbon emissions can stay in place for now, the court ruled.
The policies would be the most sweeping of their kind in the nation, and proponents say they would increase transparency and encourage companies to assess how they can cut their emissions.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce asked the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to pause the laws, which were set to take effect next year, arguing they violate the companies’ First Amendment rights. The group also asked the Supreme Court last week to weigh in. The Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday withdrew its emergency appeal to the Supreme Court, citing the lower court’s decision.
“We look forward to continuing our appeal and securing an injunction of both climate disclosure laws, which result in massive compliance costs for companies and their supply chains,” Chamber of Commerce lawyer Daryl Joseffer said of Tuesday’s ruling. “One state should not have the ability to impose this kind of burden on the entire country.”
Lindsay Buckley, a spokesperson for the California Air Resources Board, which is drafting rules to implement the laws, said the agency was reviewing the ruling and could not comment further. The state has argued that the laws don’t violate the First Amendment because commercial speech isn’t protected the same way under the Constitution.
The financial risk disclosure law, which Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom signed in 2023, applies to companies making more than $500 million a year that do business in California. The Air Resources Board estimates more than 4,100 businesses will have to comply with the legislation.
The emissions reporting law, which the state passed the same year, applies to businesses that make more than $1 billion a year and do business in the state — which covers roughly 2,600 companies, according to state air regulators. They will have to report planet-warming pollution from burning fossil fuels directly, as well as releases from activities such as delivering products from warehouses to stores and employee business travel.
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission approved a rule last year requiring some public companies to report their greenhouse gas emissions and climate risks, but the agency paused the regulation amid litigation.
Georgia
Man shot dead by police after he shot and killed his stepchildren
MIDLAND, Ga. (AP) — Police officers in west Georgia shot and killed a man after he shot at them and shot and killed two of his stepchildren, law enforcement said.
The man’s wife, Kelly Grigsby, told deputies she fled to a neighbor’s house with her 5-year-old child after her husband, Eric Grigsby, 50, threatened to kill her children. When officers arrived at their home at around 6:50 p.m. Monday in Midland, about 106 miles (170 km) south of Atlanta, Eric Grigsby walked out with two handguns, law enforcement said.
The officers told Grigsby to drop the guns, law enforcement said in a statement, but he pointed them at the deputies as he walked toward them. Deputies then shot a first round that struck Grigsby, and he fired back at them. Officers fired until Grigsby was shot to the ground and stopped moving. No deputies were hurt.
Grigsby’s 16-year-old stepson was found to have been shot and was pronounced dead. Emergency medical personnel tried to save his 14-year-old stepson, who had also been shot, but he died.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is investigating the shooting.
“The Deputies responded to the scene and did exactly as they were trained,” Harris County Sheriff Mike Jolley said in a statement.
