File 030899
Email Chain: Lawrence Krauss Defends Jeffrey Epstein to Rebecca Watson (File 030899)
April 2011 email exchange where physicist Lawrence Krauss defends Jeffrey Epstein's character to science communicator Rebecca Watson, who questions his public statements about Epstein's conduct with minors.
Summary
Rebecca Watson contacts Lawrence Krauss to verify and challenge a Daily Beast quote in which he defended Jeffrey Epstein, stating he had never witnessed improper behavior and believed Epstein's denials about underage girls. Krauss responds by characterizing Epstein as a thoughtful, kind man and claiming uncertainty about victimhood. Watson pushes back with factual evidence of Epstein's guilty plea to paying for sex with a minor. Krauss subsequently moderates his position slightly in a forwarded statement but maintains his friendship with Epstein, arguing that condemning him entirely would be unfair given his prison time and personal growth.
From: Lawrence KraussSent: 4/6/2011 10:18:31 PMTo: Jeffrey Epstein [jeeyacation@gmail.com]Subject: Re: Statement in the Daily Beast?Importance: HighBeyond anything else, you are my friend. I hope we can both always remember that, no matter what.Are you coming this weekend at all?Lawrence KraussFoundation ProfessorSchool of Earth and Space Exploration and Physics Dept.Co-director, Cosmology Initiativeand Director, Origins initiativeArizona State UniversitySent from my iPhoneOn Apr 6, 2011, at 3:15 PM, Jeffrey Epstein <jeevacation@gmail.com> wrote:no it was appreciated. thanksOn Wed, Apr 6, 2011 at 11:31 PM, Lawrence Krauss wrote:just so you know.. you can read from bottom up.. you may be mad that I was blunt... haven't heard fromyou.. hope all is well..Begin forwarded message:From: Rebecca WatsonDate: April 6, 2011 10:28:36 AM MSTTo: Lawrence KraussSubject: Re: Statement in the Daily Beast?Okay, will do.On Wed, Apr 6, 2011 at 1:27 PM, Lawrence Krauss wrote:ok.. I just sent an additional email which moderates this.. everyone was a victim, including Jeffrey here.. andthere was no happy resolution.. please add.. "probably everyone was a victim, with no happy resolution orconsequences of these activities", after "was the victim in this case.".On Apr 6, 2011, at 10:18 AM, Rebecca Watson wrote:HOUSE OVERSIGHT 030899Okay, thanks for this statement . . . I'll print it in full along with the article, probably today. I very, verystrongly disagree with your position and hope you eventually reconsider, but I do appreciate you taking thetime to respond.-ROn Wed, Apr 6, 2011 at 1:15 PM, Lawrence Krauss • ___________________ wrote:jeffrey apparently paid for massages with sex... I believe him when he told me he had no idea the girls wereunderage, and I doubt that people normally are asked for or present a driver's license under suchcircumstances... Moreover, I also believe that Jeffrey is an easy target for those who want to take advantageof him... Moreover, I can say with great honesty that Jeffrey's time in prison led him to seriously examinehis life in very positive ways and I don't believe in blanket condemnations of people. He served time forsomething that was determined was inappropriate. I honestly don't know who was the victim in this case. Ifully expect that these masseuses knew what they were doing, and were not swayed to do anything withJeffrey that they were not already doing. That is not to approve of the whole behavior, but lots of peopleIknow and like have behavior I don't entirely approve of. I know it is not politically correct to say that,because in general this is a very sensitive issue and all other things being equal one should take the side ofthe young women. But all things are not equal in this case, from my point of view. It is a judgement call,and I will not turn my back on a good friend so easily.On Apr 6, 2011, at 9:57 AM, Rebecca Watson wrote:Thanks for getting back to me. I was asking because I found the quote shocking . . . the evidence againstEpstein is overwhelming and he's even pled guilty to paying for sex with a minor. It's in no way scientific orrational to assume that because you never saw him with an underage girl he must actually be innocent. It ispossible for a person to be kind and generous with his friends but still a criminal paying for sex withunderage girls in his private life.I'm going to write about the topic on Skepchick, and I'll include any additional statement you'd like if youwant to provide more context or if you've changed your mind.-ROn Wed, Apr 6, 2011 at 12:50 PM, Lawrence Krauss___________________wrote:yes it is.. Based on my direct experience with Jeffrey, which is all I can base my assessment on, he is athoughtful, kind, considerate man who is generous to his friends, and all of the women I have known whohave been associated with Jeffrey speak glowingly in the same words..why are you asking?On Apr 6, 2011, at 9:41 AM, Rebecca Watson wrote:Dear Professor Krauss,We met briefly after your talk in Ithaca a few months ago — I'm the girl on The Skeptics' Guide to theUniverse podcast. I've really enjoyed your talks and books, but I was surprised to see you quoted in theDaily Beast recently defending Jeffrey Epstein:HOUSE OVERSIGHT 030900http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2011-04-01/bill-clinton-katie-couric-woody-allen-jeffrey-epsteins-society-friends-close-ranks/2/Can you confirm if the following quote is accurate?"If anything, the unfortunate period he suffered has caused him to really think about what he wants to dowith his money and his time, and support knowledge," says Krauss. "Jeffrey has surrounded himself withbeautiful women and young women but they're not as young as the ones that were claimed. As a scientist Ialways judge things on empirical evidence and he always has women ages 19 to 23 around him, but I'venever seen anything else, so as a scientist, my presumption is that whatever the problems were I wouldbelieve him over other people." Though colleagues have criticized him over his relationship with Epstein,Krauss insists, "I don't feel tarnished in any way by my relationship with Jeffrey; I feel raised by it."Thanks,Rebecca WatsonLawrence M. KraussFoundation ProfessorDirector, The ASU Origins ProjectCo-Director, Cosmology InitiativeAssoc. Dir, Beyond CenterARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITYCollege of Liberal Arts and SciencesSchool of Earth and Space ExplorationPO Box 871404 I Tempe AZ 85287-1404http://krauss.facultv.asu.eduExec. Asst IOrigins AsstLawrence M. KraussFoundation ProfessorDirector, The ASU Origins ProjectCo-Director, Cosmology InitiativeAssoc. Dir, Beyond CenterARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITYCollege of Liberal Arts and SciencesSchool of Earth and Space ExplorationPO Box 871404 I Tempe AZ 85287-1404http://krauss.faculty.asu.eduExec. AsstOrigins Asst allHOUSE OVERSIGHT 030901Lawrence M. KraussFoundation ProfessorDirector, The ASU Origins ProjectCo-Director, Cosmology InitiativeAssoc. Dir, Beyond CenterARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITYCollege of Liberal Arts and SciencesSchool of Earth and Space ExplorationPO Box 871404 I Tempe AZ 85287-1404http://krauss.faculty.asu.eduExec. AsstOrigins AsstLawrence M. KraussFoundation ProfessorDirector, The ASU Origins ProjectCo-Director, Cosmology InitiativeAssoc. Dir, Beyond CenterARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITYCollege of Liberal Arts and SciencesSchool of Earth and Space ExplorationPO Box 871404 I Tempe AZ 85287-1404http://krauss.faculty.asu.eduExec. AsstOrigins Asst--***********************************************************The information contained in this communication isconfidential, may be attorney-client privileged, mayconstitute inside information, and is intended only forthe use of the addressee. It is the property ofJeffrey EpsteinUnauthorized use, disclosure or copying of thiscommunication or any part thereof is strictly prohibitedand may be unlawful. If you have received thiscommunication in error, please notify us immediately byreturn e-mail or by e-mail to jeevacation@gmail.com, andHOUSE OVERSIGHT 030902destroy this communication and all copies thereof,including all attachments. copyright -all rights reservedHOUSE OVERSIGHT 030903