Request to verify alleged Lawrence Krauss quote defending Jeffrey Epstein

We met briefly after your talk in Ithaca a few months ago — I'm the girl on The Skeptics’ Guide to the Universe podcast. I've really enjoyed your talks and books, but I was surprised to see you quoted in the Daily Beast recently defending Jeffrey Epstein: http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/201 1-04-01/bill-clinton-katie-couric-woody-allen-jeffrey- epsteins-society-friends-close-ranks/2/ Can you confirm if the following quote is accurate? "If anything, the unfortunate period he suffered has caused him to really think about what he wants to do with his money and his time, and support knowledge,” says Krauss. "Jeffrey has surrounded himself with beautiful women and young women but they're not as young as the ones that were claimed. As a scientist I always judge things on empirical evidence and he always has women ages 19 to 23 around him, but I've never seen anything else, so as a scientist, my presumption is that whatever the problems were I would believe him over other people." Though colleagues have criticized him over his relationship with Epstein, Krauss insists, "I don't feel tarnished in any way by my relationship with Jeffrey; I feel raised by it.” Thanks, Rebecca Watson Lawrence M. Krauss Foundation Professor Director, The ASU Origins Project Co-Director, Cosmology Initiative Assoc. Dir, Beyond Center ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY College of Liberal Arts and Sciences School of Earth and Space Exploration PO Box 871404 | a AZ 85287-1404 http://krauss.faculty.asu.edu Exec. Asst (iy Origins Ass {as Lawrence M. Krauss Foundation Professor Director, The ASU Origins Project Co-Director, Cosmology Initiative Assoc. Dir, Beyond Center ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY College of Liberal Arts and Sciences School of Earth and Space Exploration PO Box 871404 | =“ AZ 85287-1404 htto://krauss.faculty.asu.edu HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_031076