LA Olympics chairman Casey Wasserman urged to resign after emails released in Epstein files
State and local leaders called on the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics committee chairman, Casey Wasserman, to resign after a series of racy emails between him and Ghislaine Maxwell were released in the latest batch of the Jeffrey Epstein files.
"Casey Wasserman should step aside immediately," LA City Councilman Hugo Soto-Martinez said in a statement. "Anything less is a distraction and undermines efforts to make sure the Games truly reflect the values of a city that is for everyone."
The string of emails, sent in 2003, was among the more than 3 million pages the Department of Justice released last weekend as part of its efforts to comply with the Epstein Files Transparency Act. Wasserman was one of the several notable people mentioned in the latest release, including Bill Gates, Elon Musk and former Prince Andrew.
Wasserman apologized for the emails in a statement released over the weekend.
"I deeply regret my correspondence with Ghislaine Maxwell, which took place over two decades ago, long before her horrific crimes came to light," Wasserman said.
Maxwell was convicted of federal sex trafficking charges in 2021.
"I never had a personal or business relationship with Jeffrey Epstein," Wasserman said. "I am terribly sorry for having any association with either of them."
Following the apology, local officials joined Soto-Martinez to urge Wasserman to resign, with Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez calling the incident a "black eye" for the city. She argued that no one associated with Epstein can provide credible leadership for the Olympic Games.
"I just think that we have an obligation as a city to make sure that we have a Games and situation that really distances itself from that involvement," Rodriguez said.
State Sen. Lena Gonzalez also called on Wasserman to resign. Gonzalez represents Long Beach, which is scheduled for the second-most Olympic events, behind LA.
LA County Supervisor Janice Hahn, who also represents Long Beach, echoed her state colleague's sentiments.
"I think Casey Wasserman needs to step down," Hahn said to the LA Times. "Having him represent us on the world stage distracts focus from our athletes and the enormous effort needed to prepare for 2028."