White House Science Adviser Eric Lander Resigns Amid Bullying Probe: ‘I Am Devastated That I Caused Hurt’

Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

The Biden administration’s top science adviser, Eric Lander, resigned Monday night following accusations he engaged in bullying of lower-level staffers.

POLITICO reported on Monday that a two-month investigation concluded that Lander, the director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, had disparaged others during his time serving the White House.

Alex Thompson, reporting for POLITICO, wrote:

Christian Peele, the White House’s deputy director of management and administration for personnel, said that the investigation also concluded that there was “credible evidence of disrespectful interactions with staff by Dr. Lander and OSTP leadership,” according to the roughly 20-minute briefing, which included a representative of the White House Counsel’s office.

There was also “credible evidence” that Lander had spoken “harshly and disrespectfully to colleagues in front of other colleagues,” Peele said, according to the recording. “The investigation found credible evidence of instances of multiple women having complained to other staff about negative interactions with Dr. Lander, where he spoke to them in a demeaning or abrasive way in front of other staff,” Peele said in the recording.

President Joe Biden vowed on the day he was inaugurated that he would not tolerate such behavior.

“I’m not joking when I say this: If you’re ever working with me and I hear you treat another with disrespect, talk down to someone, I promise you I will fire you on the spot,” Biden said on Jan. 20 “On the spot. No if, ands, or buts.”

Biden did not have to let Lander go, as the federal government’s top scientist resigned in a letter addressed to the president:

It has been a great honor to serve as your Science Advisor and to work with the extraordinarily talented career and non-career colleagues at the Office of Science and Technology Policy. I am writing to submit my resignation, to be effective no later than February 18 in order to permit an orderly transfer.

I am devastated that I caused hurt to past and present colleagues by the way in which I have spoken to them.

Lander concluded, “I am so grateful to you for the opportunity to serve, and for your kindness over the years.

NEW: Eric Lander has resigned. Here’s his reisignation letter.

first reported by Wapo. pic.twitter.com/KVwGtuOQ0o

— Alex Thompson (@AlexThomp) February 8, 2022

CNN reported Biden did not ask Lander to resign.