Feb. 8 (UPI) — Eric Lander, President Joe Biden’s top science adviser, resigned Monday following an investigation that found he mistreated his subordinates.
In a letter to Biden, Lander said he would resign as director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy effective no later than Feb. 18 in order “to permit an orderly transfer” after an internal review by the White House found that he bullied staff in violation of the White House’s “safe and respectful workplace policy.”
“I am devastated that I caused hurt to past and present colleagues by the way in which I have spoken to them,” he wrote. “It is clear that things I said, and the way I said them, crossed the line at times into being disrespectful and demeaning, to both men and women. That was never my intention. Nonetheless, it is my fault and my responsibility. I will take this lesson forward. I believe it is not possible to continue effectively in my role, and the work of this office is far too important to be hindered.”
Biden accepted Lander’s resignation “with gratitude for his work at OSTP on the pandemic, the cancer moonshot, climate change and other key priorities,” White House press secretary Jenn Psaki said.
“He knows that Dr. Lander will continue to make important contributions to the scientific community in the years ahead,” Psaki added.
The White House launched a two-month investigation into Lander finding that he bullied his then-general counsel, Rachel Wallace, and that there was “credible evidence of disrespectful interactions with staff by Dr. Lander and OSTP leadership,” Politico reported.
Additionally, 14 current and former OSTP staffers described a toxic work environment in which Lander frequently cut off and dismissed subordinates, belittling and demeaning women in particular.
Lander said that he had not “set a respectful tone for our community” in a note to staff on Friday, which was obtained by The Washington Post.
“I have spoken to colleagues within OSTP in a disrespectful or demeaning way,” he wrote. “It is never acceptable for me to speak that way. I am deeply sorry for my conduct. I especially want to apologize to those of you who I treated poorly, or were present at the time.”
Psaki told reporters earlier Monday that the administration was implementing changes to assure a better workplace culture and would monitor Lander’s conduct more closely.
However, staffers told The Washington Post that they were upset it appeared Lander would keep his job, alleging a double standard for men and people in positions of power within the Biden administration.
As of Monday evening, Landers’ chief of staff, Marc Aidinoff, sent an all-staff email acknowledging the behavior described in the report was “not acceptable” and said the office would communicate with employees about steps to “move forward as a community.”
