President Biden’s prime science adviser, Dr. Eric Lander, resigned on Monday after an inside overview discovered credible proof that he bullied and demeaned his staffers.
Lander’s departure from the White Home Workplace of Science and Know-how Coverage got here hours after press secretary Jen Psaki was repeatedly requested why he was being allowed to maintain his job regardless of Biden’s day-one vow to fireplace any staffers who mistreat their colleagues.
“The President accepted Dr. Eric Lander’s resignation letter this night with gratitude for his work at OSTP on the pandemic, the Most cancers Moonshot, local weather change, and different key priorities,” Psaki mentioned in a Monday night time assertion.
“He is aware of that Dr. Lander will proceed to make necessary contributions to the scientific neighborhood within the years forward.”
The investigation into Lander was triggered final 12 months by a office criticism from his then-general counsel, Rachel Wallace, Politico reported.
The overview’s findings discovered that Lander handled staffers disrespectfully and violated OSTP’s “Protected and Respectful Office Coverage.”
Recordings and paperwork associated to the probe, which had been obtained by the outlet, discovered that Lander had bullied different feminine staffers along with Wallace.
Of the roughly 140 staffers within the workplace, 14 present and former workers mentioned that they had skilled a poisonous setting working below Lander. 9 of these staffers claimed Lander would yell at and humiliate workers in entrance of their friends.
The overview didn’t discover proof of gender-based discrimination and the reassignment of the staffer who filed the preliminary criticism final 12 months was “acceptable,” in keeping with the White Home.
In his resignation letter, Lander expressed regret for his conduct.
“I'm devastated that I brought on damage to previous and current colleagues by the way in which during which I've spoken to them,” Lander mentioned.
“I imagine it isn't attainable to proceed successfully in my position, and the work of this workplace is way too necessary to be hindered,” he added.
Lander’s resignation marks the primary cabinet-level departure of the Biden administration.
With Publish wires
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